Getting Certified in Playa del Carmen?

[Gypsykim]

My husband and I are going to Playa in August and want to do our certification while there. Can anyone recommend a good dive shop that has small class sizes so we can have personalized attention.

I got my PADI certification in 1975, but haven't been diving in 25 years. Think I should go through the whole course for safety.

Thanks,
Kim

 

[Dectek]

Some hotels have dive operations right at the hotels making it easier to do the confined stuff right there. I have not dealt with many operations there but I do know that Dressel Divers have at least two shops in DPC (Usually connected to the Iberostar hotels). I got certified with a Dressel shop and have dealt with the company in a couple different locations and have not been disappointed with the staff. It is like a no news is good news type thing. The folks at the Iberostar Pariaso/ DelMar were great.
You might want to take the classroom and pool part of the course at home before your vacation and just do the open water dives down in Mexico.

 

[ggunn]

Gypsykim once bubbled...
My husband and I are going to Playa in August and want to do our certification while there. Can anyone recommend a good dive shop that has small class sizes so we can have personalized attention.

I got my PADI certification in 1975, but haven't been diving in 25 years. Think I should go through the whole course for safety.

Thanks,
Kim

Kudos for erring to the side of safety. One thing I would recommend, though, is that unless you have a ton of time to spend in PdC, and/or unless there is no diveable water within a reason distance from where you live, you might want to consider doing your cert in the States rather than down there.

There are three reasons behind what I suggest. One is that if you do it there, you'll be burning valuable vacation time getting ready to dive (and diving "baby" cert dives where you won't see anything) rather than diving. The second is that if you get checked out in less than ideal conditions, then the ideal (or nearly so) settings you'll find yourself in in that area will be all the more easy to handle. And finally, (and frankly) I think that you'll get better instruction here in the States than in a resort area.

 

[fgriffith]

Check out Abyss Dive Shop (www.abyssdiveshop.com)

 

[Gypsykim]

Since we live in Seattle, there's lots of water to do the OW part of the course. I think we'll do the whole course here and then just have fun diving in PDC/Cozumel. I'm so excited to be getting back into diving. Now just have to clear the time on my calendar.

I've heard good things about Phantom and Abyss in PDC. Does anyone have any advice on any other dive shops in Playa?

Thanks,

 

[celo]

Hi, My wife and I go to PDC at least four times a year. We have been diving with Tank Ha dive shop each time. There instructors and management personel are just outstanding.

info@tankha.com

Vivian can help you with any of your diving needs.

 

[yak]

Kim,

I posted a trip report on ScubaCaribe PDC, which can be found here http://www.scubaboard.com/t26707/s.html

I did my confined water dives at home and the OW dives in Playa. The dive sites that they use for students (30-40 ft) were sometimes better than the deep dive sites, in terms of more fish, corals, and brighter colors.

PM me if you have questions.

 

[jrozsits]

I got my open water at Barracuda, next to the Allegro Resort. I really liked my instructor. My time is very limited so getting Open Water in 4 days is killer.

 

[ogeest]

I can highly recommend the dive shop 'Abyss' in Playa del Carmen. We were there only a few weeks ago (July 2003). I did a refresher course and my girlfriend completed the PADI course, in a class with only 2 students. The instructor was excellent, very patient, calm and good in explaining.

I ended up doing nine dives with the Abyss, including 2 dives in the cenotes. Their dive masters are very good, both when it comes to safety as well as showing you things under water.

Nice detail is that the Abyss is right on the beach, next to a bar, which has happy-hour beers for 10 pesos

Olaf

 

[neptuno]

I do not recommend getting certfied in PlayDelCarmen,because mainly there are no reefs there making your diving experience not all that it could be.I suggest taking the ferry over to Cozumel and doing it there.My husband and I just got back from a 2 week stay there,and I was already certified and my husband was not so we got him taken care of while we were there.We had a friend recommend using Eco Divers located downtown at the corner of 1st and 1oth,and we loved them.The instructor,Jorge,was very patient and knowledgable.We dove with them for 8 days and were very pleased with thier service.They even picked us up at the pier of our hotel.They were always on time and took us where we wanted to go,and they evn offered special rates for diving so many days in a row.I would definatley use them again the next time I go.Don't worry about using "valuable"vacation time getting certfied either,it only took my husband 3 days,and we dove the rest of the time.The water here is so clear and there is soooo much beauty here to see,I doubt that lake water would've been close to the same.I live in Austin,Tx and the only decent diving there is Lake Travis,which I won't dive now after seeing this water.It hardly compares.Good luck!I hope that your trip goes well.