I am headed to Akumal soon and I am considering diving with Tank-Ha. Our main purpose is to dive with the turtles our first day here then we are going over to Coz the second day. Does anyone have an opinion on dive ops they have been with?
Need Good Outfit in Akumal
- Thread starter icyman
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I've used Akumal Dive Adventures for the past 4 years. They are located on Half Moon Bay however, and I think that will be a bit far for you to go from where you're staying for just one day. I haven't personally used Tank Ha, but I have met people over the years who use them on all their trips to the area and are pleased with them. (BTW, the latest count I've heard is that on the beaches of Half Moon Bay and Akumal Bay, a total of about 90 nests have been marked. It's nesting season so you should have no problem seeing turtles on your dive no matter who you go with.)
Harro10
Contributor
These are two of the main dive shops in Akumal. I have not used either so I can not give a personal recommendation but more then one diver on LOCOGRINGO.COM has suggested using the Akumal Dive Center
http://www.akumal.com/
http://www.akumaldivecenter.com/
http://www.akumal.com/
http://www.akumaldivecenter.com/
Harro, my personal experience with Dive Center was that their main focus is keeping on schedule and filling the boat. They take you where they feel is most convenient based on how many they have onboard so that they can get you in and out and back to the beach in time to fill the boat up with the divers signed up for the next dive. In 4 yrs I have never had to waste a dive on the motorcycle site or the crappy broken up fishing boat... Recent reports from people who used them say they went there more then once in a few days. A real shame. Not Coz caliber, but there are some very nice reefs with interesting topography, lots of marine life and even some swim throughs, but they are further from Akumal Bay so this shop chooses not to go or they may be (gasp) 10 minutes late for the next dive. Again, I know lot's of LG's use them, and if it works for them, great. Also most of them stay at ABR so it's convenient for them. And Dive Shop, well, on the very rare occassion that we've been on the same site, you can hear their DM banging his tank so much to herd his divers that you'd think there was a diver in serious distress if you didn't know their drill.
If I remember correctly, Icyman is staying at the Bahia? I'd probably go with Tank Ha over the Akumal Dive Center or Dive Shop. Again, this is just MY opinion.
If I remember correctly, Icyman is staying at the Bahia? I'd probably go with Tank Ha over the Akumal Dive Center or Dive Shop. Again, this is just MY opinion.
Harro10
Contributor
scubawife: Since you have personal experience with them yours would definitely be the opinion to consider. I just wanted to provide some options to check out. I was on a family trip while in Akumal and just got in four dives. I used the house dive shop at the ABR. The staff was good but there was a high percentage of "resort course" divers and that does tend to alter the dive profiles.
Yup, that happens with the Akumal Dive Center too because of their central location and their size. I know that everyone has their own criteria for what makes a dive op good or better compared to another. Dive Center and Dive Shop both have a following and have been around a long time, so I'm sure they have their strong points. Akumal Dive Adventures is just my personal choice. I like a shop who's main interest is to provide the divers with the best possible experience based on their skill level and interests - site selection, knowledgable DM's, dive your profile (within reason and safely). With Dive Adventures the only time we had a Discover Scuba person on the boat with us when it was our friend and we wanted to share the dive with her. Otherwise they've taken students on a seperate boat, which gives everyone a better dive.
Icyman - If you're only going to do one day of diving, then any of the Akumal shops should be fine. If you are going to Coz, there will be turtles there too. Have you talked to the dive op you're using in Coz and asked about sites that are especially good for turtles this time of year? If I was diving Coz and only spending a day or two in Akumal area, I'd lean toward doing a couple cenotes and saving the ocean dives for Coz. Just an option.
Icyman - If you're only going to do one day of diving, then any of the Akumal shops should be fine. If you are going to Coz, there will be turtles there too. Have you talked to the dive op you're using in Coz and asked about sites that are especially good for turtles this time of year? If I was diving Coz and only spending a day or two in Akumal area, I'd lean toward doing a couple cenotes and saving the ocean dives for Coz. Just an option.
SterlingDiver
Contributor
scubawife:
........for four days last March and had an experiance nothing like you describe here. We are a long ways from beginners and have dove with numorous dive shops in Mexico and Latin America. ADC is way above average in their services. We dove the same boat (small) and DM all week. Chapo (DM) is a native to the area and has been diving Akumal over twenty years. We never dove with resort courses or even new divers on our boat. We never even heard of the motorcycle or fishing boat dive.
I have seen scubawife's posts in the past about this area and have wondored more than once what her bias are all about.
Good Diving,
Dave
Not a bias, just my personal opinion based on my personal experience. There's absolutely nothing in it for me. I've got no affiliation with anyone.
I know that ADC has lots of happy customers. Akumal Dive Shop does as well. If they didn't, they wouldn't be around as long as they have been. My experience with them was very different then yours. I've met other divers while in the area and online that also had mediocre experiences with them, as well as people who swear by them. Might have been the time of year (I'm usually there in low season and very off-peak times) or just bad days. I keep using the shop I use because as of yet, I have never had anything but great days with them. There are shops that I've loved in different destinations that other people haven't enjoyed. Also places that have been recommended that I didn't care for. It happens.
If the question is for opinions of dive ops you've used, I'm just giving my opinion. I'm in the area once or twice a year and really love it.
I know that ADC has lots of happy customers. Akumal Dive Shop does as well. If they didn't, they wouldn't be around as long as they have been. My experience with them was very different then yours. I've met other divers while in the area and online that also had mediocre experiences with them, as well as people who swear by them. Might have been the time of year (I'm usually there in low season and very off-peak times) or just bad days. I keep using the shop I use because as of yet, I have never had anything but great days with them. There are shops that I've loved in different destinations that other people haven't enjoyed. Also places that have been recommended that I didn't care for. It happens.
If the question is for opinions of dive ops you've used, I'm just giving my opinion. I'm in the area once or twice a year and really love it.
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