Going to Riviera Maya, staying at occidental grand xcaret. Suggestions?

[ScubaSam]

Going from 5/26 to 6/2. It's just below Playa De Carmen. Any suggestions or information on where there might be some good diving? Is anyone familiar with the on site dive shop?

Guess I've gotta plan at least one trip to Coz? So, any good operators there to use for a day trip?

Hi, I'm staying at the Grand Occidental Xcaret in Riviera Maya on Jan 4 - Jan 10, 2009, going with non-diving friends who picked the resort. I'm going back to dive more cenotes, only did three the last time I was in Riviera Maya.

Not sure if I'm going to dive with the on-site dive shop or going back to dive with the Marina Dive Center who I dove with in August 2008. At that time I was staying at El Cid Resort and they are affiliated with Marina Dive Center.

I'll let you know upon my return. Happy Holidays!

 

[JUST1RICK]

It's too bad you are leaving the same day we arrive but we stayed at the occidental Grand in Cozumel and used the onsite shop Dive Palancar. had a great time and it wasnt too crowded 4 couples plus us. I hear the dive shop at the occidental Grand Xcaret is really good and almost never crowded.

R

 

[JUST1RICK]

Hi Sam, sorry bout my last post I'm pretty new to this board and didn't look much farther than the 1st postI saw! My wife and I are also going to be at the Grand Xcaret but from the 2nd to the 9th. Of course we are bring 3 teenagers and a Grandma but perhaps we'll all get a chance to dive together. I think our plan is to use the local dive shop and spend a day diving out of the Occidental Grand in Cozumel (we were introduced to Scuba at the Occidental Grand in Coz and loved it so much we ended up getting certified there). Are there any cenotes that you would reccomend?

R

 

[ScubaSam]

Hi Sam, sorry bout my last post I'm pretty new to this board and didn't look much farther than the 1st postI saw! My wife and I are also going to be at the Grand Xcaret but from the 2nd to the 9th. Of course we are bring 3 teenagers and a Grandma but perhaps we'll all get a chance to dive together. I think our plan is to use the local dive shop and spend a day diving out of the Occidental Grand in Cozumel (we were introduced to Scuba at the Occidental Grand in Coz and loved it so much we ended up getting certified there). Are there any cenotes that you would reccomend?

R

I will be at the Grand Occidental Xcaret from Jan 4th to the 9th but the resort is in Riviera Maya not Cozumel. Are you going to be there on Jan 2nd to the 9th?

I did three cenotes but don't have my log book in the office, I'll post the names tonight. You should definitely do some cenotes, the Dive Shop will check to see if you have good buoyancy before they take you into the cenotes, at least that is what the Dive shop did to me in August 2008.

 

[JUST1RICK]

We will be in Xcaret at the occidental grand for the week january 2nd - 9. We plan on taking a day pass to the Occidental Grand in Cozumel The kids and my mom will lay on the beach while Shari and I do a couple of dives. We really want to go back to the wall (not sure which wall lol) but last year we did a dive there and it was great we got to see lots of coral and marine life, unfortunately my camera died and all my pictures died with it. Occidental resorts are really good about day passes to other Occidental resorts, and we really liked our dive master at Dive Palancar so we would like to visit again. We are also really pumped about doing the cenotes and local reefs, maybe even the wreck if we can. Any input would be appreciated, and we'll see you there!! lol

 

[ScubaSam]

Just1Rick - According to my logbook which the dive instructor filled out, the three cenotes were Chikin Ha, Kukukan and Chac Mool, please forgive if there are misspellings, I may be misreading his handwriting or it may be how he spells the names of the cenotes.

I will be at Grand Occidental with a non-diving couple and their two small children (ages 3 & 7) who will be on the beach or at the pool.

I'm trying to contact the dive operator, Marina Dive Center, I used the last time I was in Riviera Maya because my preference is to dive with them again, the problem is they are affiliated with El Cid Resort and not Grand Occidental, so I'm still not sure which operator I'm diving with. I look forward to meeting you and your family.

 

[JUST1RICK]

I'm not big on spelling, lol, but I am big on diving!! We have no preference other than convenience and from what I've heard is that not too many people dive with the local operator (probably fear of the unknown?) but the people that did said there were rarely more than 3 pairs per dive and none had any bad experiences.I called them yesterday and I look forward to meeting the gentleman I spoke to on the phone( as soon as we drop off our bags!!!). Look forward to meeting you !

 

[mittens]

I just booked there too from Jan 6th - 13th for a little escape from all the snow. I haven't done a lot of dives since being (re)certified in October, and most were in a drysuit with water around 37F so I hope this is a little warmer!

Now to tell the GF I'm going to Mexico for a week...


mittens

 

[ScubaSam]

I just booked there too from Jan 6th - 13th for a little escape from all the snow. I haven't done a lot of dives since being (re)certified in October, and most were in a drysuit with water around 37F so I hope this is a little warmer!

Now to tell the GF I'm going to Mexico for a week...


mittens

Mittens - lol..better tell GF, ya don't want bad diving karma. I will be there for a portion of ypur stay so if ya see me at the resort give me a holla.

 

[escapeartist]

I did quite a bit of diving with Diversity Diving out of Playa this past summer and it was AMAZING! They really treat you like family. Great operation....still email back and forth with the owner Carlos. I will always dive with them when I'm in the area. Check them out at Diversity Diving, Playa del Carmen, Mexico