Playa del Carmen and Coz

[jasondbaker]

Some friends and I are staying at the Iberostar Quetzal in Playa del Carmen in early April.

I am a novice/intermediate diver and my friend is going to do his OW certification dives during the trip. I have gone diving a couple times around Cancun before, but never around PDC or Coz.

I am looking for advice on dive operators and how to plan the week. We would like to use the same dive operator if possible.

Based on what I have read on this board and others, my two main goals are to dive in Coz and at the cenotes. Right now I'm thinking two days of diving in Coz, one day/night around PDC, and one day at the cenotes.

I don't know if I should go with a PDC dive shop, a Coz shop, or both. I'm wondering if having to take the ferry back-and-forth twice a day is going to be a major pain.

The PDC dive shops that have been recommended are: Sealife Divers and Dressler (which is at my hotel).

The Coz dive shops that have been recommended are: Deep Blue, Papa Hogs, and Scuba Shack.

Anyone have thoughts or recommendations? Thanks,

--Jason

 

[Rooster1]

Cozumel and playa are 2 GREAT places.
check out this link, every thing you need to know about the dive shops in Coz and more
http://www.cozumel.travelnotes.cc/cgi-local/index.cgi

 

[seaangel]

I just got back Monday night from Playa, we were there for a week. As for the diving, well it was terrific. Weather was not cooperative early on in the week and the ocean dives were cancelled by the dive operators. So, that is not a problem in Playa, you can dive the cenotes. Which I highly recommend. I had my dives in Coz cancelled due to the rough seas, but was to have been with Scuba Shack. I ended up diving with the hotel dive operators Barracuda. They were excellent. Each of the dives were small groups only 4 divers and a DM. We were at the Allegro Resort.

 

[triggertravel]

Do you feel the diving in Playa Del Carmen is as good as Cozumel? I'm very interested in Playa Del Carment and diving in Cenotes. What level of diving do you feel I need to be to safely dive in the Cenotes?

As for the Cozumel Operators I highly recommend Dive Paradise. Ask to be on Pepe's boat he will make your trip!

 

[Roooter]

we'll also be in Playa del Carmen in April. we've dove Cozumel & it's awesome, but I want to do something different...so we'll stay on the mainland this time. from what I've read/heard, the further south you go, the better the sites. the way I look at it, any time I'm in the water with a tank & reg it's good diving. especially when there's white sand, 80 deg water, 100' + vis...& a cerveza waiting at the end of the day.

 

[Rooster1]

I was thinking if you go with a Cozumel dive shop, u may still have to pay the ferry accross to Cozumel as where if you book with one in PDC, they go over to Cozumel Isle to dive anyway so that way u can save the cost of the ferry over.

 

[jasondbaker]

I think it is more expensive to do Coz dives with a PDC shop vs. a Coz shop. Most of the PDC shops charge more for the Coz dives and don't include the costs of the ferry.

I am doing my Coz dives with Scuba Shack and PDC/cenote dives with Sealife.

 

[traveltina]

I know that the ferry from Cancun to Cozumel can get bumpy. I have a friend who used to take it every year and would get sick uke: about 50% of the time.

I don't know anything about the ferry from PDC though - maybe its better.