Best diving on Mainland

[MUFC]

Having visited Cozumel twice my wife wants to return but stay on the mainland as there appears to be more going on than Coz. We now have a 2 year old little girl so leaving my good lady on the beach while I drift dive all day is no longer an option. Still keen of course to dive, any help is appreciated.

 

[bigbluemarble]

You might want to consider basing your trip out of Playa del Carmen. You can dive in the ocean and in the cenotes as well if that is of interest to you. Cenotes are generally considered to be a highlight of any dive trip to the Yucatan Peninsula and they are an amazing experience!

While you're diving, your family can enjoy the beach, visit 5th Avenue to people watch/shop, visit one of the children's parks in the center, etc. Playa is a very walkable city and easy to explore. On days you are not diving, it's easy to visit other parts of Quintana Roo, for example Tulum, Akumal and take in other activities with your wife and daughter.

Be aware that Playa is busier than Cozumel, but you can still feel as if you are getting away from it all - depending on the hotel you choose. There's a wide range to choose from - on beach or off, small & intimate to the large all inclusives. Wherever you go, have a great holiday!

 

[Beyond_Diving]

There definitely is a lot more going on in the mainland than on the island, so a good recommendation would be Playa. You can dive Cenotes (which are wonderful!), Ocean, and you can even hop across to Cozumel, grab a couple of dives and be back in time for lunch.

 

[marrem]

Hey! I work for Tank-ha and we have a direct boat that goes to cozumel ( takes us about 50 minutes to get from the beach in playa to the palancar reefs, so no ferry involved). We also do local playa dives and Cenotes ( which I am a boig fan of, so beautiful and so different). I used to live in Cozumel and the vibe in playa is way busier. WIth a little one i would recommend maybe staying in one of the hotels in playa car ( costs you about 50pesos to go downtown) just because it is a bit more tranquil.

Let me know if you need more info.

Cheers, Marijke

 

[Baja Dive]

Cancun is to commerical big loud bars Time share blablabla Playa del Carmen is the way to go.Smaller Bars and resturants and great Diving.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Akumal, south of Playa. Laid back, warm calm bay for the 2 year old to play in. Rent a condo or stay in the one hotel. 2 dive shops, a few restaurants. One of our favorite places. Go to locogringo.com for info on the area as well as accommodations. We like the Las Casitas condos right on the beach, walking distance from everywhere.
DivemasterDennis

 

[travelpro]

Agree that Akumal is a great place for the reasons listed above. I like it better than PDC.