Looking for a dive operator in Riviera Maya

[WetFatCat]

Hello,

I'm going to stay in Grand Palladium Colonial Resort from January 2nd to January 9th and looking for a dive operator to do some dives there.
Will appreciate any recommendations or operators' requests.

I'd like to have a day of 2-tank local reef diving, a day of 2-tank cenotes and a bull shark dive. I'd like to have a transportation from resort and back as well.

Thanks for your advices.

 

[Dhboner]

Check out "Beyond Diving". I'm booking with them for a trip in April and the owner (Erik, a fellow Canuck) has been amazing at putting together a weeks worth of diving for my two sons and I.

Bob (Toronto)

 

[spc751]

I am at the Grand Palladium Riviera (next to the Colonial) and am diving with the on-site dive shop, Underwater Technical World, and they seem to be pretty good. Good dive briefing, not too many divers with each DM, take good care of my dive gear and are on time. It the trip is scheduled to depart at 8:30, it does and I really like that. I brought a ten dive package and have three dives left then I think I will take their trip to Cozumel for two dives. They separate divers according to their experience. The only thing I am not happy with is the air fills. I am getting 2900 to 3100 psi and at home I am used to 3300 psi. Before I came here I was thinking about the Blue Experience or Bahia Divers but am happy with the on site shop.
The boat crew is very good as well.

I did the 8:30 am dive this morning. The boat was packed but they dropped me with three other divers and one DM away from the other divers. Had a good dive.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I always use Nicolas from www.cenotexperience.com.mx/ He will pick you up and take you back to your resort. He gives very detailed briefings and is very safety conscious. Nicolas provides lunch and drinks.

 

[LizSpinks]

If you're still looking...
Just got back from a week diving in Akumal (just south of Grand Palladium) with Dive with Natalie and Ivan and highly recommend them. They give really personalized attention, maximize your bottom time and dive off a small boat out of the Akumal Dive Center right on Akumal beach. They're fun, safe and obviously love what they do. They do a 9am and 11am dive each day. A 2pm as well, I think. They will refer you to a great guide for the cenote. We had Sebastian and he was awesome.
The local bus or collective is super easy, fast and cheap.
Having said that, I also did a Discover Scuba at Grand Palladium 2 years ago and it was fine.
Have a great trip.

 

[spc751]

In my several trips to Mexico I have tried diving with off-site dive shops and have them pick me up. And I have dived with on-site dive shops such as Underwater Technical World in the Grand Palladium. I have found that diving with the on-shop much better.

 

[Jorge Loria]

Come visit Phantom Divers, we are located really close at Playa del Carmen. Phantom Divers offers daily cenote divings as well as reef dives, and we are pioneers and specialize in Bull Shark Diving!!!! Look our website at Buceo en Playa del Carmen - Phantom Divers or send us an email at info@phantomdivers.com

 

[MNWinter]

Aquanauts had very good service and will definitely dive with them again. Aquanauts Dive Adventures - Scuba Diving in Puerto Morelos, Mexico

 

[Byte Me]

I always use Nicolas from www.cenotexperience.com.mx/ He will pick you up and take you back to your resort. He gives very detailed briefings and is very safety conscious. Nicolas provides lunch and drinks.

+1 for Nico, especially for the cenotes. Did my cavern cert with him and will be doing full cave as soon as I can get back down there.

 

[scorman]

Just got back from Palladium Dec 12th and went out with Tim and Kathrin from Blue Experience:
Blue Experience Diving, Akumal

Let me put it this way ..on Tripadvisor they had (24) 5 star ratings and nothing else ...sort of says it all.
Personal attention, three or 4 diver per DM ...no cattle cars, and they pick up and drop off from Palladium.
BTW, who is "Underwater Technical World"...I thought that Scubacaribe was running the onsite dive op at GP ...got several negative comments while there and I wasn't impressed with either their staff or the lack of facilities ...you launch off the beach and there were waves every day ...Akumal is a protected beach

I had no regrets of going with Tim instead of the onsite op.

Stew Corman