places to dive in cancun

[scubie_doo]

I can HIGHLY recommend diving in Pto Morelos with Paul Hensley at www.wetset.com. He has a small operation very laid back, but he knows his stuff! I dove with him 2 years ago, for 4 days, and would dive with him again anytime. We dove every profile, a 125 ft deep reef drift dive, a coast guard cutter 90ft deep, and endless reefs and coral heads 25-65 ft. An incredible amount of fish life, lobster, eels, shark, occaisional eagle and sting rays, turtles..... He also teaches all PADI courses, and does night dives, cenotes and cavern dives. PM is about 20 miles south of Cancun, but 20 years back in time (not overdeveloped yet). What's the most appealing to me is, in 4 days, we didn't seenany other divers or dive boats....the area is still virtually untouched.

Boy I am glad I joined this web site! I have posted some questions on trips I am in the middle of planning, but now have questions on a trip we are already set to go on. We are going to cancun May 21st. We will want to dive there. I thought cozumel was an easy trip from cancun but have read maybe not? How long does it take to get to cozumel from the hotel zone in cancun? What is the best way to dive there if you are staying in Cancun, reccommended dive operators ect.
Who is a safe Padi dive operation in Cancun? And is diving in the cenotes an advanced cave dive? My husband and I haven't done any cave diving but have dove alot in Roatan wall dives.We are open water certified.
Thanks for all your help, this is a great web site!
Lynne :mermaid:

 

[gregpsych]

Boy I am glad I joined this web site! I have posted some questions on trips I am in the middle of planning, but now have questions on a trip we are already set to go on. We are going to cancun May 21st. We will want to dive there. I thought cozumel was an easy trip from cancun but have read maybe not? How long does it take to get to cozumel from the hotel zone in cancun? What is the best way to dive there if you are staying in Cancun, reccommended dive operators ect.
Who is a safe Padi dive operation in Cancun? And is diving in the cenotes an advanced cave dive? My husband and I haven't done any cave diving but have dove alot in Roatan wall dives.We are open water certified.
Thanks for all your help, this is a great web site!
Lynne :mermaid:

Cenotes are a snap--they take you in with a certified Cave diver-you are never more than 3 minutes from an exit. You only need to be open woter cert. We used Scuba Cacun: http://www.scubacancun.com.mx/DivePackage.htm

Liked them. My son and I are planning to get cave certified with them.

Greg

 

[darius2112]

Don't use Manta Divers. I got ripped off by them for one day's dive that got canceled

 

[Soggy]

I just came back from a week in Cancun and took 2 trips out with AquaWorld.

The water was 81 degrees and visibility was pretty much unlimited. I did a dive on the C-55 wreck and 3 reef dives. The reefs were all beautiful with great vis and heavy current.

If I were to do it again, I'd chose another operator. I felt rushed and very limited by AquaWorld. Everywhere we went, it was a race to get off the boat and a race to try and see everything.

One problem with Cancun is that there is no leeward side unless you want to hop in the lagoon! This meant rough seas and two days of cancelled diving for me, because the Harbor master had "Closed the port." We technically weren't supposed to be out on the third day, but we dived anyhow.

All of the ops will take day trips down to Cozumel, which I didn't take advantage due to being there with my girlfriend who doesn't dive.

Where are you staying?

 

[Soggy]

Regarding the Cenotes....My advice is don't do it unless you have overhead training. They bring tons of divers down there and seem to have a good safety record, but unless you can swim that three minutes without air or have overhead training, 99% of the people who go into them are not qualified and are an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Mako Mark]

Don't use Manta Divers. I got ripped off by them for one day's dive that got canceled

I know the one of the guys who runs it... You want me to go kick his butt???


.

 

[NormsKid]

Getting to Cozumel is not that difficult from the hotel zone. Once you get to the bus station in downtown Cancun, the bus to playa is about 45 minutes...give or take a few minutes. (cost is 32pesos & they leave every 10-15 minutes) It drops you off at the bus station in Playa which is on the corner of Juarez & 5th ave's. You walk 2 blocks south, then one block east and your at the pier. The ride across to Cozumel will take about 30-45 minutes give or take a few depending on which boat you catch. (cost is 146 pesos round trip, 80 pesos one way)

Do NOT stop at the booth closest to the pier as that is a timeshare stand. They will offer you a free ticket or tour in exchange for listening to their timeshare presentation.

If you get Laura McFarlin's maps, it pretty much makes getting around idiotproof. Not to mention the host of other useful tips and info contained in them. She sells the maps on the honor system. You order the maps, look them over, if you like them, you send a check or pay via paypal. If you don't like them, you send them back and owe nothing!

http://www.cancunmap.com

I always book my dives direct with the dive op in Cozumel and catch the bus & ferry over. It's ALOT cheaper that way. If you book a Cozumel dive with a dive op in Cancun, you'll easily pay $100-125 for it.

Michelle

 

[scuba91709]

Don't use Manta Divers. I got ripped off by them for one day's dive that got canceled

That's strange, I used them years ago. They were friendly and curtious. The boat wasn't the best. The conditions were not as nice as diving Cozumel.

But overall, I had a good time with them. I also booked it the morning I was diving........


Don

 

[Scott Riemer]

Just returned yesterday from Moon Palace just south of Cancun. Dove Mon. and Tues. in Puerto Morelos with Dive Puerto Morelos www.divepuertomorelos.com (see catbrown's post above). Two reef dives and 1 wreck C-56 minesweeper. Jan, the divemaster was great! This is a small operation with excellent personal attention. They also dive the cenotes but we couldn't because the wives wanted to go to Tulum. I will dive with them again. By contrast, I was molested at the resort by Aqua World's Representative who attempted to sign me up for stuff instead of just offer the info I was asking him. I would never dive with this guy and therefore probably not the company. Catbrown also booked us for two dives in Cozumel on Thursday with a company called Deep Blue. These were great people and unbelieveable diving. It took less than an hour to get from the resort to Playa Del Carmen. About a half hour on the ferry and a short walk to the shop. We dove Palancar Gardens and Yucab Reef. Absolutely fantastic! Thanks Catriona!