My advice would be to get certified at home so you can enjoy your vacation. If you can dive limited visability, cold, Oregon water, you can dive anywhere. Hire a private divemaster for the first day of diving in Mexico, or wherever you end up as you will need a lot less weight and neoprene in warm Caribbean water. Also, make sure your dive op is not a cattle boat. 6 pack boats are faster, are limited to 6, maybe 8 divers. Big boats with 20+ divers on board suck.
I'm not a Pro Dive fan. I prefer Cozumel and dive with Aldora Divers, but will dive with Cenote Xperience in Playa Del Carmen for cenotes. They do open water diving as well. If the mainland night life is your draw, PDC and Cenote Xperience would be a great choice. Ask for Martin.
As a new diver, hiring a private divemaster for the first day of diving is like having your own instructor to yourself for those 2 dives. It's safer and you will likely learn more in those two dives than you did in your classes.
Good luck, safe travels, and welcome to the addiction.
Jay
I'm not a Pro Dive fan. I prefer Cozumel and dive with Aldora Divers, but will dive with Cenote Xperience in Playa Del Carmen for cenotes. They do open water diving as well. If the mainland night life is your draw, PDC and Cenote Xperience would be a great choice. Ask for Martin.
As a new diver, hiring a private divemaster for the first day of diving is like having your own instructor to yourself for those 2 dives. It's safer and you will likely learn more in those two dives than you did in your classes.
Good luck, safe travels, and welcome to the addiction.
Jay
