Playa

[Pimdiver]

Hi all, I am fairly new to this forum. I've been lurking for a while but decided that I'll be brave and ask for advice. My husband and myself are traveling to Coz for Thanksgiving week and we are interested in extending our week by a few days in the Playa area for the Cenotes. I am SSI AOW with @80 dives and my hubby is PADI OW with a couple of the AOW dives completed. He will finish the AOW in Coz. We are both planning the Rescue course and have recently completed EFR training in anticipation. Soo the question(s).....
1. Good, safe reliable dive op in/around Playa for Cenotes and maybe (we just can't get enough diving) some ocean
2. Good, safe, clean lodgings in Playa.

Thanks to all!

 

[Byte Me]

When in Playa I dive w/ Jason (playacountryboy on the board here and elsewhere) who runs Fantaseadive. Great guy, great dives! He set me up with Playa Scuba (Klaus and Luis) for cenote diving and I had a BLAST. Highly recommend both.

Have always stayed at the Riu IA so don't know too much about places to stay in playa. If you look Jason up here and PM him he'll have some recommendations. I know he's set up some folks w/ hotels and diving at great prices!

have fun!!

 

[Pimdiver]

Byte me,

Thank you for the info. I have read a great deal about Jason here and I believe we'll contact him for the ocean diving. I will also look in to Playa Scuba for Cenotes. Much appreciated.

M

 

[Byte Me]

Found the hotel that someone I know stayed at - La Rana. 10th Ave and Calle 10 and I believe they have a web site. Hotel La Rana Cansada - Playa del Carmen, Mexico

The Beer Bucket right down the street is a nice place to hang out...it's only this dead during the day!

 

[Pimdiver]

Looks like our kind of place.............can't wait

Thanks

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

Our shop goes through Thomas who works out of Scuba Cancun. He lives here in Playa and is a very safe and knowledgeable cave guide.

As far as lodging I would recommend staying at Cielo or Luna Blue. Both are smaller hotels with great management and very clean.

 

[PlayaCountryBoy]

Hiya Pimdiver,

Byte me's right! I love the diving here and I'd love to show you what I know about the reefs. And that Beer Bucket place...well I can tell ya, I can be found there between after 5Pm til about 7 for my sunset beers! I await to hear from you soon!

 

[TSandM]

If you are seriously interested in the cenotes, I wouldn't stay in Playa. Most of the dive sites are a half hour or more south of there. I'd look into renting a condo in Puerto Aventuras, or going down to Akumal or Tulum. You can easily get from Coz to the mainland by ferry, and take a taxi down to PA or south. It's not terribly expensive.

If you stay in PA, I'd book lodging through Debbie at Dive Aventuras. I was blown away by the places we could rent there for reasonable prices. I'd do my cenote tours with Dennis Weeks of Diablo Divers (he's Pez de Diablo here on ScubaBoard). He's a great person and a very conscientious guide. His shop, Aquanauts, also runs boats for open water diving, and my husband has been out with them and was very happy. (You can't drag me out of the caves long enough to get into salt water when I'm down there!)

 

[waytooslow]

looks like I will be in Playa area feb 13 through 22. I will have to look into some trips. Not sure if any other divers will be in my group - we are renting a house on the beach. So intested as well in this thread.

 

[Pimdiver]

TSandM,

Thanks for the info. We are now considering staying south and maybe diving cenotes for a couple of days before heading over. The pictures I've seen are amazing!

M