Question June Tulum Advice

[passedoutwookie]

Hey folks! I am heading down Cancun with my girlfriend in early June for ten days and am wanting some advice on putting our plan together. We are both sidemount cavern divers, she is full cave and I hope to have my cave certification by the time I go down there. Our initial thoughts are to head straight down to the Tulum-Aventuras area to stay for the majority of the trip for some cenote diving, then come back towards Playa for a day or two of saltwater diving, then wrap the trip up back in Cancun to dive with whale sharks at Isla Mujeres (figured we would do this on our last day of diving), and figured we would spend our last day and a half checking out ruins in the Cancun area. Does this sound like a reasonable itinerary to those in the know?

1. Protec seems highly recommended to dive with in the Tulum area. Any others we should consider?
2. I can get a car pretty cheaply ($15-$20/day). Is this worth it or should we just hop a bus to Tulum and then utilize the dive shop's provided transport? Are cabs/ubers/lyfts available if we want to go to the beach/to eat/etc?
3. Who and where would y'all recommend for our saltwater dives? Can you do this out of Tulum or are we better off going a bit north for this?
4. Any places you have stayed that you really enjoyed that we should consider?
5. Any dive and stay packages that we might should consider?
6. I'm sure this list will get longer. Any other advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Also, if an admin needs to delete this thread please shoot me a message and let me know what needs to be changed. I understand that these questions have probably been asked before but the search function leaves a lot to be desired. Thanks!

 

[VikingDives]

Hey folks! I am heading down Cancun with my girlfriend in early June for ten days and am wanting some advice on putting our plan together. We are both sidemount cavern divers, she is full cave and I hope to have my cave certification by the time I go down there. Our initial thoughts are to head straight down to the Tulum-Aventuras area to stay for the majority of the trip for some cenote diving, then come back towards Playa for a day or two of saltwater diving, then wrap the trip up back in Cancun to dive with whale sharks at Isla Mujeres (figured we would do this on our last day of diving), and figured we would spend our last day and a half checking out ruins in the Cancun area. Does this sound like a reasonable itinerary to those in the know?

1. Protec seems highly recommended to dive with in the Tulum area. Any others we should consider?
2. I can get a car pretty cheaply ($15-$20/day). Is this worth it or should we just hop a bus to Tulum and then utilize the dive shop's provided transport? Are cabs/ubers/lyfts available if we want to go to the beach/to eat/etc?
3. Who and where would y'all recommend for our saltwater dives? Can you do this out of Tulum or are we better off going a bit north for this?
4. Any places you have stayed that you really enjoyed that we should consider?
5. Any dive and stay packages that we might should consider?
6. I'm sure this list will get longer. Any other advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Also, if an admin needs to delete this thread please shoot me a message and let me know what needs to be changed. I understand that these questions have probably been asked before but the search function leaves a lot to be desired. Thanks!

1. Under the Jungle, @oya and Jon Kierien (sp?).
2. I always get a car... it's easier to get to groceries etc.
3. I've got nothing here.
4. Puerto Aventuras. Stay in the gated community and you'll be happy. It feels really safe, and convenient to everything. Much less touristy than Tulum.
5. I think @oya has some packages, but I don't want to put words in his mouth...

FWIW, I've seen every one of the shops and folks I've recommended here in the water and I'd dive with any of them. I've used UTJ for my training and I like them, but I'd feel comfortable sending family to any of the above for training, based on what I've seen.

 

[grantctobin]

A shout out to the group at Third Dimension as well. Underworld is another attractive housing option with reasonable apartments. It’s a few blocks more removed from the main strip. Would encourage a car.

 

[oya]

1. Roger from XOC-Ha here. Sorry to say we don't have availabilty in early June (we've got some time in early July, but then not until later into fall). But there are a LOT of really good operations in the area. Protec, Under the Jungle, Underworld Tulum, etc, etc, etc... there's a ton of great folks who can show you a good time.
   
   
2. Get a car. You'll pay nothing in rental fees. You'll pay a bit for insurance. it will be worth it because you'll get to explore the area on your own schedule.
   
   
3. Akumal Dive Center. With all due respect: not Akumal Dive Shop. Dive Center. It's a little north of Tulum and they're dope as hell.
   
   
4. XOC-Ha is, obviously, the goddamn greatest (probably... I dunno... I just live here and I like it). There are bunches of places around. Depends on whether you want to stay in the middle of town, in which case somewhere in Tulum is probably going to be your scene... but it is a little noisy. Or you can stay a little outside of town, where it's quiet, but you need to travel to get food and whatnot.
   
   In any case: enjoy your trip to the area!

 

[Jaaron82]

I’ve stayed in tulum Pueblo not beach and dive with Protec and it was good for a solo trip however when my wife and I go down we usually stay in Akumal I find it to be a good central locatIon. I use to do a fair amount of ocean diving when I was younger in the Akumal area but since getting cave trained that’s all I seem to do now lol enjoy your trip/ training

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I highly recommend Nicolas from CenoteXperience. I have been diving with Nico for over 10 years, they have a small family run dive shop in Playa. They do cenote dives, ocean dives and dives over on Cozumel.

CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico - Home

Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico., CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico

www.cenotexperience.com.mx

 

[horn34]

If you want ocean diving, drive/bus up to Playa and take the ferry to Cozumel...or drive to Mahahual/Xcalak. The ocean diving between Cancun and Tulum is pretty dull.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

Here is a buddy of mine for Cavern and Ocean diving. Super nice guy...

Dive with Pato

Dive with Pato. Gefällt 528 Mal · 1 Personen sprechen darüber. Buceo y snorkel en Cozumel, arrecifes de Akumal, Tulum y cenotes, Ceremonias Mayas, Yoga. Diving&snorkeling at Cozumel, Akumal and...

www.facebook.com

 

[passedoutwookie]

Thanks for all the good advice! I ended up booking a place in Akumal and renting a car. I'm going to reach out to Akumal Dive Center (not shop) to ask about some dive packages.

Next question, do you guys recommend just taking my single tank BP/W setup or sidemount setup? We will be doing primarily cenote diving, but will do a day or two of reef diving also. I guess I could take both, but obviously would like to pack as light as possible and not bring more gear than I need to. I am leaning towards bringing the sidemount setup only...

 

[Big Dan K]

If staying near AKUMAL, check out Blue Experience too. Eduardo runs a great operation.