Playa Del Carmen in March 2013

[KneeDeep]

The wife and I are heading to Playa Del Carmen next March for her birthday

And the best part for her birthday trip... I get to dive as much as I want (she doesn't dive)!!! So, on that note, I'm in the dive planning stage, as I have never been there. I'll be staying in the Playa Del Carmen area, and will have a car rental.

I will be going to Cozumel and doing a couple of Cenotes dives but pretty much have that dialed... I just ideas for Playa Del Carmen

So I could some help.
Playa Del Carmen

What dive shops to use (or not)
- prefer nitrox with steel HP tanks with DIN (though I do have yoke adapter)
- no cattle cabs... max 6 per boat (maybe 12)
- post url if when possible, email at least.

What dive sites are a must do? An order preference wouldn't hurt, below is a list that I found... comments/corrections welcomed
- Any Shore Dives?

• Cerebros
• Los Arcos
• Xcalacoco
• Moc Che
• Chunzumbul
• Sabalos
• Tortuga
• Barracuda
• Mam Vina - wreck
• Islote
• Punta Venados
• Passmul Reefs
• Oscar Y Lalo
• Tank Ha
• Big Rock
• Jardines II
• Tortuga II
• Ballena
• Sabalos
• Pared Verde
• Moc-che
• Moc-che Deep

Pretty late, so if I have missed any thing let me know.

Comments/Suggestions welcomed!!!

 

[rongoodman]

You'll be able to find DIN valves and Nitrox, but probably no steels. I've had good luck with Dive Mike and Tank-Ha(who will take you over to Coz on their own boat). Along with Mama Vina, I especially liked Jardine's Reef.

 

[Tool Belt]

+1 Tank Ha

 

[ednedfred]

Abyss is excellent too. Check out The Royal if you want all-inclusive (sans diving).

 

[Beyond_Diving]

May I suggest my shop, Beyond Diving? We're a small (but by no means small-time), family run dive center. We focus on quallity rather than quantity. you can check out our website Scuba dive in Playa del Carmen with Beyond Diving, Cenotes, PADI Courses, TEC, Cave Diving! and on www.facebook.com/beyonddivingrivieramaya

 

[Tool Belt]

Stayed at The Royal, it was wonderful......Next visit was not an all inclusive.....way too much good food in PDC

 

[stdiver]

I've had great experiences with www.cenotexperience.com.mx

Ocean and cenote dives. Nico was our guide.

 

[KneeDeep]

Thanks all for the replies. I'll look into some of these shops. Any one know if they offer HP 100's or 120's? That would be very nice if so.

 

[bigbluemarble]

Abyss is excellent too. Check out The Royal if you want all-inclusive (sans diving).

Ditto for Abyss. Dave, the owner, is a dive instructor/cave diver with many years of experience diving the reefs and cenotes in and around Playa del Carmen & Yucatan. Knows the reef and its animals very well, safety conscious and professional. Also, his groups are small so you'll have relaxed dives - no rushing to the boat or through the reefs for that matter. Playa del Carmen Diving with The Abyss Dive Center

As for tanks, yes, nitrox/DIN readily available, but steel tanks are generally not available for rent.

Dive sites - there are some amazing sites in Playa and so much to see. The Playa dives on your list are all fun, but it also depends on what you are looking for on your dive. Mama Vina is indeed a cool dive, schools of fish, great for photography, but it is at 30/100ft. with typically strong current. (It's considered an advanced dive so check with the dive shop you go with to plan dives that are suitable for you and your experience level.) Islote (24m/80 ft and deeper) is one of my favorite dive sites - lots of colorful coral and sponges as well as some nice schools of fish. Never know what you'll see here - eagle rays, nurse sharks or bulls in winter! Speaking of which, if you are here in March, you'll be here for bull shark season. On the shallower reefs, can see them quite often (sometimes every day!) or can always go on a bull shark dive. BTW, there is no shore diving in the area as it is all drift diving so divers always go with a guide.

Enjoy your stay in Playa!

 

[B.campbell65]

I have done quite a few dives in Playa del carmen during the last several years. The shop I like is reef quest. Steve the owner is very safety conscience. You may catch the end of bull shark season and it is a good dive. Reef quest doesn't feed so that keeps the sharks from being too aggressive. Each of the dives you listed has its own "personality" and you will see something different on each dive. The fish life is quite good. In march it will still probably be spring break so you might want to get tied into a shop before you go. Reef quest only takes out 6 at a time so it has control of each dive. Cozumal can get pretty crazy if you go over and dive with some shops you will have 20+ divers with all levels and people doing all kinds of crazy stuff. There is generally less pressure on the reef near Playa then cozumal because everyone has heard of Cozumal. Shangri la reef in playa is one of my favorites, but you do have to watch the boat traffic. You might also consider an easy dive at the underwater museum in Cancun, but it is a drive to Cancun. You can see some of the shots I have taken in Playa at:

Playa del Carmen 2012 - a set on Flickr

You can also see images from the underwater museum and an earlier trip to Playa del carmen on the same site.

Good luck. Safe diving.
b.campbell65

The wife and I are heading to Playa Del Carmen next March for her birthday

And the best part for her birthday trip... I get to dive as much as I want (she doesn't dive)!!! So, on that note, I'm in the dive planning stage, as I have never been there. I'll be staying in the Playa Del Carmen area, and will have a car rental.

I will be going to Cozumel and doing a couple of Cenotes dives but pretty much have that dialed... I just ideas for Playa Del Carmen

So I could some help.
Playa Del Carmen

What dive shops to use (or not)
- prefer nitrox with steel HP tanks with DIN (though I do have yoke adapter)
- no cattle cabs... max 6 per boat (maybe 12)
- post url if when possible, email at least.

What dive sites are a must do? An order preference wouldn't hurt, below is a list that I found... comments/corrections welcomed
- Any Shore Dives?

• Cerebros
• Los Arcos
• Xcalacoco
• Moc Che
• Chunzumbul
• Sabalos
• Tortuga
• Barracuda
• Mam Vina - wreck
• Islote
• Punta Venados
• Passmul Reefs
• Oscar Y Lalo
• Tank Ha
• Big Rock
• Jardines II
• Tortuga II
• Ballena
• Sabalos
• Pared Verde
• Moc-che
• Moc-che Deep

Pretty late, so if I have missed any thing let me know.

Comments/Suggestions welcomed!!!