Catalonia Riviera Maya

[jahhaas]

I am going on a family trip to Riviera Maya (Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya) arriving on Christmas Eve leaving New Years Eve day. I would like to dive while I am there. Any recommendations on a dive operator? Any recommendations on dive sites? I am the only diver in the group and have to make sure that I have time to spend with the rest of the family. Any thoughts would be helpful. Also, while you are at it, any suggestions on wet suit thickness for that time of year? Joe

 

[underseasian]

If you are staying at the Catalonia then they have a ProDive Mexico franchise there. The diving around the hotel (and Playa del Carmen in general) is pretty poor, but you have the option of diving in the cenotes (a must see) and Cozumel (a long day trip but worth it as the diving is excellent) instead. A 5mm should see you right.

 

[Zeke XA3]

I am going on a family trip to Riviera Maya (Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya) arriving on Christmas Eve leaving New Years Eve day. I would like to dive while I am there. Any recommendations on a dive operator? Any recommendations on dive sites? I am the only diver in the group and have to make sure that I have time to spend with the rest of the family. Any thoughts would be helpful. Also, while you are at it, any suggestions on wet suit thickness for that time of year? Joe

Where have you dived before?
Wha do you normally wear in what temp water and how do you feel?

For insance i am very thin and even though the water is around 26C or above at that time of the year i wont get in if i dont have my 5mm!

If you go into Playa Del Carmen itself there is a dive shop on every street! Your choice of dive site is really limited by who else is on the dive but local sites such as Green Wall, Tortugas and Sharkies are pretty good. As for the other poser saying diving is poor, well i think its pretty good coming from the UK! But if you learned in Gran Caymens or visited cozumel then you would think less of it. Most shops have a morning 2 tank dive around 7 or 8 am returning before midday which is what ms family people do. Just in time to have breakfeast as they get up!

Hwever i agree that of you hve the chance do the centoes, there are very few places in the world where such a option is open to you and they are fantastic. Alhough the cenotes are usually a 8am- 3 or 4p trip.

 

[ibj40]

I am going on a family trip to Riviera Maya (Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya) arriving on Christmas Eve leaving New Years Eve day. I would like to dive while I am there. Any recommendations on a dive operator? Any recommendations on dive sites? I am the only diver in the group and have to make sure that I have time to spend with the rest of the family. Any thoughts would be helpful. Also, while you are at it, any suggestions on wet suit thickness for that time of year? Joe

We've stayed at the Catalonia twice, and three times in total in PA (all in December), and each time we have used Dive Aventuras, which is located in town at the Omni Hotel. Nils and Debbie are great to deal with in advance, and if you want to do a cenote, no one does it better than Mario. They will pick you up at the hotel in the morning, and we (my scuba buddy/wife and I) would walk back through the marina (and usually stop along the way for a refreshment or three).

The ocean diving in PA is easy, and relaxed, and the great thing is that the Norte's that effect diving in CZM are usually not a factor. Their dive profiles are very conservative, and surface intervals are back at the marina, so if you only want to do one tank, that is pretty easy to accomodate (although a cenote trip is going to take up most of the day).

I dive a 3mm Bare, and my wife uses a 3mm Henderson, and for me it's fine, she's a little cold with hers. Water temps shouldn't be a problem, probably in the high 70's/low 80's, wind chill is our usual "complaint", and we take a cover-up, just in case.

We're gonna miss our December PA trip this year, opting for a Yucatan interior adventure and then a couple of dives in PDC on the way out.

 

[Ed Hatfield]

I also take exception to the 'poor diving' comment. Although I guess if I had 1,000-2,999 dives I might have a different perspective. But with less than 100 dives I can assure you Playa del Carmen will be worthwhile. In Puerto Adventuras also check out Aquanauts. (www.aquanauts-online.com) I dive Playa on a regular basis and although I make trips and dive elsewhere I still enjoy PDC. It's also the best PARTY TOWN in the Carribean.

 

[rongoodman]

We had a very good trip with Dive Aventuras last fall. I highly recommend doing a couple of cenote dives.

 

[BigHarryDiver]

I was part of a large group from Delaware that stayed at Catalonia August 2008 and our dive op was Dive Adventuras, (Karen runs a great operation). I echo what others have said above, great dive op and DO take in a day of Cenote diving if you have time, you won't regret it.

The resort is top shelf too, great food and very pleasant surroundings.

 

[jahhaas]

Thanks for all the responses. Makes me look forward to the trip. I will definately do a day of easy diving to get back in the water after a year layoff, a day to Cozumel and a day for the cenotes. I own two suits; a 7mm farmer john that I use when I dive in Cabo in February. I also own a full 3mm that I used a few years ago during the summer in Grand Cayman. I may pick up a 3mm vest just in case. I haven't been in the cenotes; is the water there any colder than the open water? Thanks again to everyone for their comments.

 

[Zeke XA3]

The cenotes are a lot colder as it is underground freshwater, at about 25C.

The dive guide i go with go in his swimshorts, i go in my 5mm wetsuit plus 5mm hooded vest! But then i get cold in my 5mm in 29C water!

If you are a normal diver i would think the 3mm long would be fine. But if you are prone to getting cold easily use your vest if you have it. 7mm only if you get realllllyyyy cold easily (like me)