best cenote diving?
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The majority of the cenotes are in a strip between Puerto Aventuras and Tulum (and a few south of Tulum). There are a number of resorts in that area -- check out locogringo.com for information about that. We always rent a condo in Puerto Aventuras, but we also rent a car and do a bunch of driving during our stays.
For cenote dive ops, I'd highly recommend Dennis Weeks of Aquanauts (he's Pez de Diablo on this board). Call them -- Dennis can be very slow to respond to e-mails and PMs! But he is an extremely nice man and a cave diving instructor, and appropriately safety conscious. If he is unavailable, try contacting German Yanez of Yucatech. German was my first cave instructor, and is also a lovely person and an experienced cave explorer.
Whatever you do, make sure you ask the operator you choose if they follow the voluntary safety guidelines, which include no more than four divers to a guide, a prescribed pre-dive briefing, lights for everyone, and the guide to be full cave and instructor certified and dive in full cave gear. I have seen some tours going into the water that were disregarding ALL of these.
For cenote dive ops, I'd highly recommend Dennis Weeks of Aquanauts (he's Pez de Diablo on this board). Call them -- Dennis can be very slow to respond to e-mails and PMs! But he is an extremely nice man and a cave diving instructor, and appropriately safety conscious. If he is unavailable, try contacting German Yanez of Yucatech. German was my first cave instructor, and is also a lovely person and an experienced cave explorer.
Whatever you do, make sure you ask the operator you choose if they follow the voluntary safety guidelines, which include no more than four divers to a guide, a prescribed pre-dive briefing, lights for everyone, and the guide to be full cave and instructor certified and dive in full cave gear. I have seen some tours going into the water that were disregarding ALL of these.
Ed Hatfield
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Trying to pick a particular cenote as being the 'Best' is difficult. A lot will depend on your diving ability and expectations.
For example, 'The Pit' is 135 feet to the bottom with minimal formations but features a fantastic light show. When the sun cuts through the water it takes on a prism effect. There is also a layer of fog similar to a thermocline that sits (I think at about 80 feet) that is caused, if I recall correctly, by sulphur.
'Mystic River' is very shallow with a silt bottom and requires a great deal more skill to negotiate. This cenote is entered through a hole similar to a well and you decend a steep ladder to get to a platform. The entire dive has no ambiant light and the blackness seems to swallow the beam of your light. It is seldom dove and has that pristine feeling of adventure when you enter.
"Dos Ojos' is the dive that everyone can enjoy. Little skill is required and the passages are well travelled. The formations are excellent but are showing the wear and tear of heavy dive traffic. It seems the piles of stalagtites/stalagmites on the cavern floor has increased each year I visit. And NO it wasn't me.
'Ponderosa' and 'Car Wash' are also excellent. Chiken-Ha a little less spectacular but worth the effort. I haven't been to Angelita yet. It seems each time I try to get a DM to make the trip there is allways an excuse to not go. The last time (July/09) was reports of armed robberies. Divers robbed of their gear and vehicles at gun point. The DM wouldn't go without a security escort. Hopefully I can get there this Feb/2010.
For example, 'The Pit' is 135 feet to the bottom with minimal formations but features a fantastic light show. When the sun cuts through the water it takes on a prism effect. There is also a layer of fog similar to a thermocline that sits (I think at about 80 feet) that is caused, if I recall correctly, by sulphur.
'Mystic River' is very shallow with a silt bottom and requires a great deal more skill to negotiate. This cenote is entered through a hole similar to a well and you decend a steep ladder to get to a platform. The entire dive has no ambiant light and the blackness seems to swallow the beam of your light. It is seldom dove and has that pristine feeling of adventure when you enter.
"Dos Ojos' is the dive that everyone can enjoy. Little skill is required and the passages are well travelled. The formations are excellent but are showing the wear and tear of heavy dive traffic. It seems the piles of stalagtites/stalagmites on the cavern floor has increased each year I visit. And NO it wasn't me.
'Ponderosa' and 'Car Wash' are also excellent. Chiken-Ha a little less spectacular but worth the effort. I haven't been to Angelita yet. It seems each time I try to get a DM to make the trip there is allways an excuse to not go. The last time (July/09) was reports of armed robberies. Divers robbed of their gear and vehicles at gun point. The DM wouldn't go without a security escort. Hopefully I can get there this Feb/2010.
thanks for the helpful replies, do you guys think i should rent a car to get by over there, or are all these places fairly accessible. i know many cenotes dive operators will pick you up at your hotel but how easily is it to get by around there otherwise?
we are also thinking of doing some reef diving, is there much -and good- stuff around Tulum or some other place.
what are your suggestions?
we are also thinking of doing some reef diving, is there much -and good- stuff around Tulum or some other place.
what are your suggestions?
I've had good success staying in Playa diving the reefs w/ Jason at Fantaseadive (playacountryboy) from here on the boards - he'll take you to the Playa and Coz reefs if you'd like and then he works w/ Klaus and Luis at Playa Scuba for Cenote diving. I've been into the cenotes with both Luis and Klaus, both very knowledgeable and great to spend a day with. With them I've done the barbie line and bat cave of Dos Ojos, Grand Cenote and Temple of Doom. Each had their strengths and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Jason, Klaus and Luis. The ride from Playa to the cenotes isn't that far and you get to stop for yummy tacos on the way down and back!
If you're with non-divers have them come along and spend the day with you. We dropped my wife and a friend at Grand Cenote where they snorkeled around and had a blast while we dove. Grand cenote is perfect for that, temple of doom - no swimming really at all and Dos Ojos did have a bunch of swimmers there but was not laid out as well as Grand Cenote for that kind of thing.
If you're with non-divers have them come along and spend the day with you. We dropped my wife and a friend at Grand Cenote where they snorkeled around and had a blast while we dove. Grand cenote is perfect for that, temple of doom - no swimming really at all and Dos Ojos did have a bunch of swimmers there but was not laid out as well as Grand Cenote for that kind of thing.
If you want to travel independently, it is easiest to rent a car. There are small vans that run up and down the highway (colectivos) but it may be difficult to get dive gear into one 
Playa del Carmen is the biggest town near the cenotes, but Tulum is much more charming. Both have good restaurants. There is lodging in Akumal as well, but less restaurant choice. We stay in Puerto Aventuras and rent a condo. There are restaurants there, none of which is particularly GOOD, but I like being able to walk to dinner and not worry about having a margarita or two and then driving the Mexican highway.
The damage to the cenotes is sad, which is why I always discourage brand new divers from doing those dives. Good buoyancy control is a MUST for cenote tours!
BTW, Dennis Weeks' shop that I mentioned in my post above also does ocean dives. My husband has been out with them and had an excellent time.
Playa del Carmen is the biggest town near the cenotes, but Tulum is much more charming. Both have good restaurants. There is lodging in Akumal as well, but less restaurant choice. We stay in Puerto Aventuras and rent a condo. There are restaurants there, none of which is particularly GOOD, but I like being able to walk to dinner and not worry about having a margarita or two and then driving the Mexican highway.
The damage to the cenotes is sad, which is why I always discourage brand new divers from doing those dives. Good buoyancy control is a MUST for cenote tours!
BTW, Dennis Weeks' shop that I mentioned in my post above also does ocean dives. My husband has been out with them and had an excellent time.
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Hi Candem, In the Riviera Maya, there are many beautiful cenotes to enjoy, and there are very different characteristics like formations (stalactites,stalagmites, columns), halocline (mix of fresh and salt water), day light effects, fossils, etc. The most famous are Dos Ojos and Chac Mool, but there others like Ponderosa, Tajmaha, Chikinha, Dream Gates, Grand Cenote, Calavera, Carwash, Angelita, Mistic River, The Pit, and some others.
Hope you enjoy your trip and your dives.
Cheers
Hope you enjoy your trip and your dives.
Cheers
Ed Hatfield
Contributor
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If you are planning on some reef dives in addition to the cenotes then you may want to stay in Playa. I don't know if you are staying at an all-inclusive (hotel or condo) so it's hard to give precise advice. If you stay in Playa del Carmen you should not need to rent a car. You will find a dive shop (or 6 or 7) within walking distance of anywhere in Playa. All the dive shops can schedule cenote dives and provide the transportation. I find Playa also a little more active for other interests .... ie.... partying and shopping. , and easy access to the ferry to Coz if you want to spend a day diving there. Tulum and Akumal are great locations but don't have all Playa has to offer. The diving in Akumal is not good. You can always rent a car for one or two days and head south to both of those locations just to look around. My advice...for a trip that is primarily for diving...rent a cond in PDC and choose one dive shop...haggle a good price on a package that includes all the diving you want to do...plan an 'off' day or two and see some other sites. Dive ops I have used and recommend..GeoFish, Scuba Playa, Cyan Ha, Dive Mike, Pluto Dive..One I haven't used but would recommend because I know the DMs is Scuba 10.
That is one heck of a great vacation.
That is one heck of a great vacation.
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