Cenote Question

[Ed Hatfield]

If a diver has the proper certification, what is the actual cost of cenote diving? Does anyone actually require a guide if you pay the location admission fee? Can you, for example, rent a vehicle and tanks and show up at the cenote (c-card in hand) and gain entry? If so, what is the site entry fee? I would like to buddy up with anyone who has 'Cavern' certification or better, and take a day trip to go cenote diving on my up-coming Playa Del Carmen trip (FEB 23/09 to MAR 15/09). I hope Cavew0man is still up to the challenge and will join (lead) us (or 'me' if nobody else is available).

 

[TSandM]

The entry fees for the cenotes vary from about $8 US to about $20, depending on site. Some sites will not let you in with a note from someone they trust (Cenote Eden does that). Some sites inspect certs, most do not.

Double tank rentals will run around $25 to $30 a day. We got two dives off a set of Al80 doubles on 6ths, if we didn't push the first dive. We rent two sets and do four dives a day.

None of the sites we've been to required guides, although going with someone familiar with the system will save you TONS of time in finding the mainlines.