"best" dive shop in Playa del carmen?

[billeelou]

Tank ha? sealife? abyss?...has anyone had any experience with any of these or perhaps a different one? All appear to be about the same price-wise for both cenote diving( CENOTES is in Akumal does anyone know how difficult it is to get there?)as well as reef diving.... here's the story, boat may "dock" at pdc and then down the way the next day to Coz( I know they are tendering in to both now) I know and have dived with or mhave friends who have dived with the guys at Coz... Papa hogs ,Martin ,and aqua del.... bit here's part 2

Would you stay at PDC and get in 5 or 6 dives spend the night and catch the ship off the ferry the next day or dive pdc day one (2 tanks max) and then try for a 2 tanker in Coz?? already dove santa rosa and san francisco in october...just for info purposes...


Your thoughts:05:

 

[SteveDiver]

I just got back and went with www.phocearivieramaya.com they were great and a photographer goes on the dive with you and takes excellent pictures. They also have a hotel..Had an excellent experience with them...

I personally enjoyed Playa Del Carmen over Cozumel...

 

[daniel f aleman]

Sealife is on the beach, and does it as well as any oufit; ask for Astrid Gallrein. Protec has two of the best cavedivers/guides/instructors on Earth, Andreas Matthes and Scott Carnahan.

 

[jimtrvl917]

Has anyone else had any experience with Phocea Riviera Maya? I am heading down to PDC in 2 1/2 weeks and plan on getting in some diving while there. If you know anything about them, how big are the dive groups, and as I will be renting most of my gear, how is their equipment?

 

[francousteau]

Tank ha? sealife? abyss?...<snip> All appear to be about the same price-wise for both cenote diving( CENOTES is in Akumal does anyone know how difficult it is to get there?) <snip>
Your thoughts:05:

Went with Abyss last January and had some good dives. Smaller outfit, next to The Blue Parrot and you walk about 10yds to their boat that's on the beach. Their boats are small and take only about 5 divers plus 3 crew (including guide). I saw Tank ha's boat, while out with Abyss and it was a pretty big cattle boat (not my thing). Don't know anything about Sealife.

For the cenotes dives, I recommend Diablo Divers http://www.diablodivers.com with Dennis whose name on this board is Pez de Diablo. Great cavern guide and he'll take you to the caves and back again. Super nice canadian guy.

 

[billeelou]

Dm was steven from holland ..had been there ten years and had a group of 6 of us. 2 tank dive for $60 tortugas ..had about a two half mile per hr current...solid 75-100 foot vis. temp at 78-79 top to bottom all in all good dive...great people...

 

[bikefox]

I saw Tank ha's boat, while out with Abyss and it was a pretty big cattle boat (not my thing).

Tank Ha has a 8 diver max per boat. When I dove with them we never had more than six. Hardly a cattle boat in my opinion.

 

[Diver Lori]

Akumal is south of PDC on Rt 307. Can't miss it.

 

[francousteau]

Tank Ha has a 8 diver max per boat. When I dove with them we never had more than six. Hardly a cattle boat in my opinion.

Can only tell you what I saw. YMMV

 

[bikefox]

Can only tell you what I saw. YMMV

Maybe they had some snorklers on the trip that day. I dove with Tank Ha about two weeks ago and would give them high marks. They put us on reefs with no other boats and in cenotes with no other divers. There shop in not very big but they use four boats to make smaller groups. Like the other posts have said, there are many ops. close to the beach so you shouldn't have a problem finding a good one.