Akumal Cenotes and Whale Shark Snorkeling

[divergirlLinda]

I am going to be down there in a week and am looking for an affordable operator for a cenote dive with my wife and I. We are on a tight budget but have our own gear and have our own vehicle, i only have four recent dives and only a total of ten since my OW. We got a timeshare deal and bought ourselves scuba equipment for our ten year anniversary, we will spend the following week in Cozumel doing 10 or more dives, but are sticking to doing the Musa, whale shark snorkeling, and hopefully a cenote day. Being on a disabled vet budget sucks, but we are trying to make the most of our first kid free vacation and first diving vacation since we got certified.

I noticed that you will have your own car and therefore are wishing to save money diving the cenotes. Unfortunately there are fees to enter each cenote area at a gate by the road. The dive operator (guide required) will have your tanks on a truck so you will probably have to leave your car by the entrance, which we did once. That does not save you any money, however, as they still pay to enter. Regarding your vehicle, unless it is a truck forget about driving on the roads leading to the cenotes. Although improved over the past a truck is still required. I only saw pickup trucks in all the cenotes we dove. I don't think you will be able to arrange the cenote diving cheaply but please do share if you do.

 

[divergirlLinda]

Then I'll be heading up to Isla Mujeres on the next day to swim with whaleshark with Mexico Divers, Diving Isla Mujeres & Cancun - Book Diving & Activities in Isla Mujeres & Cancun

If you have not done this before please read my review of snorkeling with the whale sharks below.

 

[Dan]

If you have not done this before please read my review of snorkeling with the whale sharks below.

Thanks for the tips. We stayed in Isla Mujeres & lucked out with a good weather. They were 9 of us in the boat. It took 1.5 hrs to get there, but only an hour back. The ceviche at the end of the tour was a great treat! Here is a video I took :

 

[Dan]

.... Dos Ojos and Dreamgate (2 dives). All of the cenotes were great but I think my favorites were Taj Mahal and the bat cave in Dos Ojos. Dos Ojos is very popular.....

I went to Taj Maha, Chuc Mool & Dream Gate before, so this time I went to Do Ojos to check out the Bat Cave & Barbie Line.

 

[frontiernurse]

If you have not done this before please read my review of snorkeling with the whale sharks below.

I read your report divergirlLinda and the whaleshark circus near Isla Mujeres sounds awful. I am researching a potential trip to do cenotes and snorkel with whale sharks in June of 2018. I like the idea of Holbox because it sounds quiet and dreamy and less crowded, but I keep hearing that the water is murky there. Might be a good trade off if doing Holbox (instead of Isla Mujeres) means fewer people per boat, fewer boats, and fewer boats harassing the animals? Anyone have any insights?

I will definitely do centotes with CenotExperience and stay somewhere near Tulum I guess, but I'd love to get any specific advice about cool places to stay near the cenotes as well as advice on Isla Mujeres v. Holbox for whale sharks?

 

[divergirlLinda]

Hi frontiernurse. I am completely unfamiliar with Holbox so unfortunately I cannot comment on that. Hopefully someone else on here can. If you are an avid diver I would suggest diving with them elsewhere but if you are set on snorkeling with them then just consider what I have said about my and others' experience.

I am glad that you have a shop to dive with in the cenotes with. Hopefully they will take you to some nice ones. Bring the appropriate wetsuit and definitely some bug spray. Staying in Akumal or Tulum is a good idea although I liked Playa Del Carmen. I stayed at the Hyatt but there are plenty of nice places to stay and there are wonderful restaurants throughout the city. Playa is not far from the cenotes. Cancun, however, is somewhat inconvenient.

 

[frontiernurse]

Thanks diver girl! I'd love to dive with whale sharks but that would entail a long trip to Asia. I'm in California so Mexico is very convenient! I really hope to avoid the circus you described and I'm looking forward to hearing if anyone can recommend a way to snorkel with the whale sharks without a hundred other boats.

 

[Dan]

For less crowded whaleshark “circus” you need to go to Holbox. The water is colder & greenish murky due to more plankton upwelling than the snapper egg spawning. I went with Whaleshark Daddy from Cancun Whale Shark Tours and Adventure Trips - The Best Tour Operator in Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and all of Riviera Maya in Holbox, back in July 2011. I don’t know how much change they are now. Back then it was less of a “circus” than my recent one in Isla Mujeres.

 

[frontiernurse]

For less crowded whaleshark “circus” you need to go to Holbox. The water is colder & greenish murky due to more plankton upwelling than the snapper egg spawning. I went with Whaleshark Daddy from Cancun Whale Shark Tours and Adventure Trips - The Best Tour Operator in Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and all of Riviera Maya in Holbox, back in July 2011. I don’t know how much change they are now. Back then it was less of a “circus” than my recent one in Isla Mujeres.

Thanks for the advice Dan. Do you think the tradeoff of less crowds for poorer vis was worth it? If you were to do one trip again, would it be via Holbox or Isla Mujeres?

 

[Dan]

I like to take pictures & video, so I prefer a clear blue water, but for just an experience of swimming with them in relaxing way, Whaleshark Daddy at Holbox has it made.

I also have done scuba diving with whalesharks in Cendrawasih Bay, Indonesia. So, I checked these off my bucket list & on to the next ones.