Akumal - good times of year?

[ibj40]

We did 10 dives at Akumal on one trip and decided it wasn't worth the vacation time or money to ocean dive there again. Been back to Half Moon Bay many times since, just skipped the diving.

It has already been mentioned that from December to March the conditions are pretty much the same. Pick a week and you will have a great time in Akumal.

Couple tips, the transfers from CUN are expensive to the point that it is almost cheaper to rent a car (dead heat on a four night stay). Also, eating in Akumal is super expensive for what you get. You can either take out a second mortgage and shop at the Super Chomax or stop in PDC at Mega, Walmart, Chedr.....

Our LDS had a spring break trip to Coz this March. That means a lot of new/inexperienced divers, none of whom had a problem with the current or dive profiles. Get your friend a refresher and she will do just fine in Coz.

When we go to PA, we use Cancun Valet for transport. I think it's something like $150 (or less) roundtrip for an exclusive van. Also, we rent a condo when we are there, and do a lot of our own cooking. There's a pretty new Chedraui right across the highway from the front entrance to PA, which makes it really convenient, plus there's a Farmer's Market on Saturdays and Wednesdays inside the compound for fresh produce.

And I'll ditto TSandM's endorsement of the ocean diving at PA, we love it because its easy and healthy. Maybe you should rethink Akumal?

 

[mikeycanuk]

Used to go to Akumal all the time. The snorkelling reef got worse every year we went. And when we went to learn to dive it was a scary fiasco. While we would go to Coz again, I don't see us ever going back to mainland Mexico.

Ps does anyone know what is going on between the landowners and the locals? Last I checked there was a big pile of boulders just after the entrance and the locals entrance to the beach blocked.


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[ibj40]

Used to go to Akumal all the time. The snorkelling reef got worse every year we went. And when we went to learn to dive it was a scary fiasco. While we would go to Coz again, I don't see us ever going back to mainland Mexico.

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I've dived on both sides of the channel as well, but if you are judging Yucatan mainland diving (it is over 200 miles from Cancun to the Belize border) by just a sampling of one over-used bay, then you are missing a lot of great ocean diving (not to mention the immediate access to the cenotes).

 

[FT]

Reporting back -- and thanks to all for the advice!

Went to Akumal Dec 6-13, staying in a delightful condo (Mi Casa del Mar) and walking to Akumal Dive Center on the main beach for dives with Blue Experience (Tim and Katrin). While the variety or quantity of life certainly didn't compare with the Philippines, and the reef colours left something to be desired, it was pleasant enough scenery and I enjoyed the geography of the finger reefs and little canyons. Not nearly as much algae as I'd seen in T&C. With almost zero current, it was more relaxing than Cozumel, and we had no problem getting an hour's dive out of air/regular-size aluminum tanks. Plenty of turtles, rays, lobsters, cowfish, filefish, pufferfish and a few morays and triggerfish, plus the obvious usual suspects. Two anemones. Cooperative octopus right out in the open on a night dive.

Above water, Akumal was also pleasant: walkable, friendly, with just enough variety of restaurants (given that we were mostly eating our own cooking, with ingredients from the easy-to-find Chedraui at Puerto Aventuras and San Francisco in Tulum). Plenty to do in the immediate area, whether one rented a car (as we did), took tours or just walked out to the highway to take colectivos.

Will probably try to get as far as Xcalak another time. Variety being the spice, etc.

 

[BRT]

Xcalak is a lot better diving than Puerto Aventuras.