Mexico newb - Riviera Maya guidance

[Ready4Launch]

Looking to do a vacation soon in Riviera Maya. Might stay in Secrets Silversand or Secrets Maroma. Not advanced diver yet.

Where to dive? Who to go with?

Other recommendations dive-wise and not. Thanks!

 

[islandboysrule]

Playa Del carmen. The reef marina. Great shop and great hotel. Their packages include Cozumel and cenotes.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I highly recommend Nicolas from CenoteXperience. I have been diving with Nico & his brother Martin for over 7 years and they are great guys and excellent dive guides. They can set you up with all your diving needs including a trip over to Cozumel. Tell Nico that Steve from Canada sent you. I would recommend you stay in Playa Del Carmen or just south in the Playacar grated resort area. The hotels north of Playa are quit a ways off the highway and the dive shops don't pick up north of town. I would try a couple of cenote dives while you are there because the Mayan is the only place to dive in cenotes.

 

[ibj40]

If you are not committed to a Secrets property, check out Puerto Aventuras (and Dive Aventuras). Ocean diving is very nice (do a search in the forums) and if you want an intro to cenotes, they have a very professional staff which includes cave-certified dive guides.

 

[jonhall]

Diving in Mexico doesn't require advanced certification but some things to think about:

Does the resort you're going to offer diving? Some resorts only go a short distance from their shore, but it is convenient.

That stretch of the Riviera Maya, in my opinion didn't have great diving (low visibility, so-so reefs, not much to see, rough water.) Specifically we dove around Playa Paraiso in late October. Dressel Divers picks up from resorts along that stretch and goes to their main shop at the Iberostar. You are bound by their time frame as far as pick up and drop off is concerned. They went out with several DMs/instructors each dive as they usually had various levels of students along. They were a very knowledgeable and friendly op to dive with though.

Dressel as well as other ops will usually set up dives in Cozumel which is worth going to.

I also dove (took a taxi) a few years ago in Puerto Morelos with Dive In Puerto Morelos. There is a protected marine area there and the diving, when I was there (April/May), was pretty good.