Recommended Dive Operator for Cenote diving 1/2 way between Tulum and PDC.

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DiverDun

Contributor
Messages
75
Reaction score
3
Location
Ottawa, ON Canada
# of dives
500 - 999
My wife and I will be staying at the Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa in Jan and would like to spend 3 days diving some cenotes. It will be our first time. We typically dive wrecks in Canada so are comfortable with enclosed areas. We have done a fair bit of Caribbean diving so now wish to see the cenotes.

The three options we have found so far are:
  • Aqua Excursions is located on site within the hotel.
  • Dive Cenotes Mexico is 10 minutes south in Akumal; and
  • Diving Cenotes Tulum is in Tulum.

Any comments on these or recommendations of others? Is it difficult to get around via Taxi and worth the effort of moving your own gear? Is 3 days too much (2 tanks each day) for the cenotes?
 
To answer your last question first, I was certified in the mid-80's; but didn't dive a cenote until about a dozen years ago, when my wife and I stayed in Puerto Aventuras. Once you go cenote, you'll never go back. We have averaged a trip per year to the Yucatan since then, and always include at least one day of cenotes.

To add to your list of dive ops, I would suggest you also check out Dive Aventuras. On staff, the have certified cave instructors, and provide a highly professional level of service. Puerto Aventuras is about half way between PDC and Tulum, so they meet your locational requirements as well.

Taxis are readily available at all the resorts, and if you dive with Dive Aventuras, they might pick you up.

PM me if you have any questions.
 
I highly recommend Nicolas from CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico - Home I have been diving with Nico & his brother Martin for over 7 years and have done nothing but cenote dives with them. They have a small family run dive shop in Playa that will give you excellent service. They will pick you up at the Palladium if you are doing cenote dives. Tell Nico that Steve from Canada sent you.
 
I live halfway between Playa and Tulum, and cave dive pretty much exclusively, so in my view, three days to see the cenotes is not overdoing it at all - not by a long shot! The caverns here are very variable, so I think it is impossible to get bored. Some have weird and wonderful holes in the ceilings and create stunning light effects in the water; some have amazing white decorations; some look like Swiss cheese; and some are stained black due to the effects of stuff leaching into the water from the jungle. It’s all stunningly beautiful.

I am always an advocate of bringing your own gear, but there are a few operators who will rent high-quality gear to divers, and even collect you from your hotel. That negates the need to rely on taxis for transport...it is certainly possible to get around via taxis, but why bump your way along a dirt road in a little sedan when you can go with an operator who will collect you in a big pick-up truck and feed you snacks?! Taxis are better reserved for going to Playa or Tulum for dinner, I reckon - leave the cenote transport to the experts!

There are only a handful of operators I would recommend for cavern tours: companies that limit the number of divers to keep things manageable, and companies that employ well-trained and experienced guides, for example. My husband and I live here in the Riviera Maya and offer guiding services - you can check us out at www.xoc-ha.com . Other firms I would recommend are Under The Jungle, Divers UnderGround, Underworld Tulum, Xibalba, and Protec (they have a presence in both Tulum and Playa). If you have any more questions, let me know via PM - I am always happy to help answer questions about this awesome part of the world, even if you never use our guiding services!
 
Outstanding! Thanks so much for the great suggestions. I will contract at least two of these, and see if I can find someone to pick us up at the resort. This is why I love ScubaBoard.
 
...There are only a handful of operators I would recommend for cavern tours: companies that limit the number of divers to keep things manageable, and companies that employ well-trained and experienced guides, for example. My husband and I live here in the Riviera Maya and offer guiding services - you can check us out at www.xoc-ha.com . Other firms I would recommend are Under The Jungle, Divers UnderGround, Underworld Tulum, Xibalba, and Protec (they have a presence in both Tulum and Playa). If you have any more questions, let me know via PM - I am always happy to help answer questions about this awesome part of the world, even if you never use our guiding services!

I need to think about my next mexico trip. And I think it's time for a new experience! hmm.... I think I'll be traveling solo too!
 
Another one for Under the Jungle. Ask for Mighty Mouse!
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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