BrianOrange
Contributor
Just about complete with my vacation to Playa Del Carmen. Leaving tomorrow for NYC and home. Here's a review for those looking on coming down here in the future. In short, diving was very good and topside was great as well. I recommend. Anyway, I always like to "give back" on these forums after a trip because I use the reviews/advice religiously in planning my own trip.
Playa Del Carmen diving overview:
I really liked the diving in PDC, in fact, it was better than I thought. I did not know much about Mexico diving aside from Cozumel being THE place to dive in the Caribbean, right up there with Turks and Caicos, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, etc. We (my girlfriend, who by the way is scared of the water (lol), ended up on PDC because we liked the All-Inclusive factor, it was away from Cancun and I thought the diving would be solid. Dives were drift dives, which were my first, and pretty cool. The current was always present but never ripping or too strong. I particularly liked the underwater topography. Almost every dive we were on top of a sloping hill that went downwards. I had never seen anything like this. I assume this hill ended at the wall, which them dropped into the abyss. We never saw this part and I was told it was about a 5 min swim or boat ride further out. Anyway, loved this many swim throughs, ledges and sand areas. Coral was not the most colorful but the fish were. I would compare it to an aquarium - lots of colorful, smaller fish but not much bigger than a barracuda once in a while.
Dive Shop:
Dove with Scuba Libre, which was the onsite operator at the Sandos Playacar. Solid outfit. Simply put, they got the job done. I am sure you could find better shops in town, but since I was staying at the resort, it didn't make sense to leave site. The only problem I ran into was one day they did not have enough divers for a boat to take out divers for a deep dive in the morning so I just went in the afternoon on two shallow dives. They will take you out with just two divers. Boats are ok. Again, nothing stands out, just solid. I would go back if I were staying at the resort again, but like I said, I am sure you could find better shops in town.
Resort:
Stayed at the Sandos Playacar. I would definitely recommend. It's exactly what we wanted and expected - a GREAT beach, plentiful food and alcohol, and clean, nice rooms. I would also recommend the Adults Only section. It's a solid 12 minute walk from the beach but you will get the modern rooms and it's just a better scene.
Other diving tidbits:
I dove something Pargo, Jardines, Punta Venardo, Sabados, Tortuga, Barracuda, Moma Vina (Wreck Dive) and Sabados again.
Great Viz all week - probably someplace between 80 to 100 feet, possibly better.
Some cool swim throughs. Probably one on each site. Sabados had a nice swim through where you swam up through it.
Lots of fish - huge schools. Nothing real big expect some big Cuda's here and there.
Tons of turtles. Saw like 6 on one dive.
Lionfish on every dive.
Couple moray eels.
Hope this helps anyone if they are thinking of diving PDC!
Playa Del Carmen diving overview:
I really liked the diving in PDC, in fact, it was better than I thought. I did not know much about Mexico diving aside from Cozumel being THE place to dive in the Caribbean, right up there with Turks and Caicos, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, etc. We (my girlfriend, who by the way is scared of the water (lol), ended up on PDC because we liked the All-Inclusive factor, it was away from Cancun and I thought the diving would be solid. Dives were drift dives, which were my first, and pretty cool. The current was always present but never ripping or too strong. I particularly liked the underwater topography. Almost every dive we were on top of a sloping hill that went downwards. I had never seen anything like this. I assume this hill ended at the wall, which them dropped into the abyss. We never saw this part and I was told it was about a 5 min swim or boat ride further out. Anyway, loved this many swim throughs, ledges and sand areas. Coral was not the most colorful but the fish were. I would compare it to an aquarium - lots of colorful, smaller fish but not much bigger than a barracuda once in a while.
Dive Shop:
Dove with Scuba Libre, which was the onsite operator at the Sandos Playacar. Solid outfit. Simply put, they got the job done. I am sure you could find better shops in town, but since I was staying at the resort, it didn't make sense to leave site. The only problem I ran into was one day they did not have enough divers for a boat to take out divers for a deep dive in the morning so I just went in the afternoon on two shallow dives. They will take you out with just two divers. Boats are ok. Again, nothing stands out, just solid. I would go back if I were staying at the resort again, but like I said, I am sure you could find better shops in town.
Resort:
Stayed at the Sandos Playacar. I would definitely recommend. It's exactly what we wanted and expected - a GREAT beach, plentiful food and alcohol, and clean, nice rooms. I would also recommend the Adults Only section. It's a solid 12 minute walk from the beach but you will get the modern rooms and it's just a better scene.
Other diving tidbits:
I dove something Pargo, Jardines, Punta Venardo, Sabados, Tortuga, Barracuda, Moma Vina (Wreck Dive) and Sabados again.
Great Viz all week - probably someplace between 80 to 100 feet, possibly better.
Some cool swim throughs. Probably one on each site. Sabados had a nice swim through where you swam up through it.
Lots of fish - huge schools. Nothing real big expect some big Cuda's here and there.
Tons of turtles. Saw like 6 on one dive.
Lionfish on every dive.
Couple moray eels.
Hope this helps anyone if they are thinking of diving PDC!
