PDC, PA, Akumal, Tulum -- does it matter?

[freedc]

We will be staying in Akumal next week and I'm still shopping for a dive operator for 2 or 3 days of diving in cenotes with a possible ocean dive or night dive. I went looking for descriptive posts about positive experiences with particular dive operators and found it hard to get past the superficial descriptions.

Does it matter where the diveop is? There are more dive ops in Playa del Carmen and Tulum, and even in Puerto Aventuras than in Akumal itself. Do I need to be strategic about location of the operator? These places seem somewhat close together, but I don't want to spend my dive days in a car since I'm also trying to maximize time with my non-diving family.

Looking for a good, responsible cavern guide to introduce me to the cenotes. I speak Spanish so I don't care about language.

Am I screwed if I haven't booked ahead already? We'll be there for a week so I have some flexibility about which days to dive.

 

[TSandM]

You could try contacting Natalie Gibb or Dennis Weeks for cavern tours -- both are very good. (I think Natalie is booked through the end of April, though.) Although I have no personal experience with the operator, I was also impressed with my chat with the owner of Yucatek, when we talked about standards and adherence to the voluntary safety guidelines. Dive Aventuras also has a good reputation for both cenote and open water dives. I know the fellow who runs the shop, and some of his instructors, and they seem like good folks.

I did not think much of the reef off Akumal, though . . . I think I'd try to get out on a boat elsewhere.

Have a breakfast burrito at Turtle Bay, and a mango margarita at Lol Ha, and spend an evening in the swings at La Buena Vida -- Akumal is a great place to spend time!