Best time to dive Islas Mujeras/Playa Del Carmen

[Entacmaea]

Hi there, I'm trying to plan a dive trip to Isla Mujeras and Playa Del Carmen, and wondering what then best time to year to go would be. I know whale sharks are roughly July through September, but read many people dive there earlier in the spring. I'm looking to do mainly diving, and hit whale sharks if we can overlap during that season. Would like to avoid crazy tourist peak times if possible. Any advice?

Thanks!

Best, Peter

 

[tdtaylor]

I was there last March with my daughter on Spring Break, and would recommend the Cenotes on the mainland. We missed the Whalesharks off Cancun...guess another day. I found the diving in the Riviera Maya area okay, having about a dozen dives. Did do 4 Cozumel dives, which were far superior. Isla Mujeras I have no idea. But between Cozumel and Riviera Maya, go Cozumel. Just note that many of the diving centers in this area are cattle boat operations- do your homework and ask questions. I throughly questioned the group we ended up with, and while we went out with lots of 4 dive divers, we actually broke out into groups and we dove with experienced divers. In Cozumel, what I did have problems with is they took the 4 dive divers to 110 feet the first dive. Really ugly experience even though I was not in the group, and obviously dangerous. And dive plans were set, but were not even closely followed. This group dove 300-400 divers a day.

There are a lot of great operators, and hopefully others will chime in.

Terry

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Weather is a factor. We dive south of PDC regularly, but avoid going from July 15 through October 31 due to hurricane season. There have been hurricanes as early as June, but that is rare. We have enjoyed every season, but we are south, away from the crowds of Cozumel and PDC. I am just weighing in herr to remind you to factor in weather and storm risk into your planning. For that reason, I would recommend July over September.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Mike]

Hi there, I'm trying to plan a dive trip to Isla Mujeras and Playa Del Carmen, and wondering what then best time to year to go would be. I know whale sharks are roughly July through September, but read many people dive there earlier in the spring. I'm looking to do mainly diving, and hit whale sharks if we can overlap during that season. Would like to avoid crazy tourist peak times if possible. Any advice?

Thanks!

Best, Peter

I have no idea what advice to give you. You sound like you know what happens when already. If your main objective is to avoid peak season then avoid the summer. The only time to overlap both slower season and whale sharks would be the shoulder season of September when things slow down both for tourism but also whale sharks. If you go in the spring you avoid peak season but you avoid the whale sharks. What exactly are you trying to do?

 

[Oldbear]

...I did have problems with is they took the 4 dive divers to 110 feet the first dive. Really ugly experience even though I was not in the group, and obviously dangerous. And dive plans were set, but were not even closely followed.

Terry

It is really sad that divers with so few dives were exposed to such an experience so early in their diving careers...I hope that none of them abandon diving.

I agree with you that researching a desination is critical, but not 100% fool proof. I have dived with a very reputable dive operator on several occasions and have had a great time...except for THAT one time.



Entacmaea,

If whale sharks are high on your priority list then go when the nutrients are high in the water...summer. The whale sharks are there to feed and not necessarily permanent residents (a migritory species). What you want to do is increase the probability of seeing one...there are no guarantees. If avoiding crowds is of a higher priority, then during the school year (not breaks or holidays) would be my suggestions.


~Oldbear~

 

[Mike]

If whale sharks are high on your priority list then go when the nutrients are high in the water...summer. The whale sharks are there to feed and not necessarily permanent residents (a migritory species). What you want to do is increase the probability of seeing one...there are no guarantees. If avoiding crowds is of a higher priority, then during the school year (not breaks or holidays) would be my suggestions.


~Oldbear~

Just so everyone knows -- if the OP is going to Isla Mujeres in the summer in whale shark season, unless something really bizarre happens, he will have no problem seeing more than one. Over the last 3 years or so they have discovered that the whale sharks are doing an aggregation off of Isla Mujeres. They've been doing this forever, possibly thousands of years, but it's just recently been discovered.

There are usually dozens upon dozens if not sometimes a hundred or more whale sharks at the same time. There will be up to 50 boats with a maximum allowed 12 snorklers on each for 600 people, with 2 per boat allowed in the water at a time with a certified guide. There is no shortage of whale sharks off of Isla Mujeres during the season.