Riviera Maya area diving & cenotes

[sytech]

I'm planning to go to fly into either Cancun or Cozumel in the next month. I wanted to dive the Cenotes in the Riviera Maya region but was wondering if a week is too much time to spend doing that rather than ocean diving.

I guess I could do both but wanted to get some feedback on this.

Thanks,

Sy

 

[Captain CaveMan]

Ive been diving that area for a while now, You ca spend a week or more just on the Cenotes. my fav is Chac-Mool. But the ocean is my fav since its blue water and vis you can beat. Man I want to go. )-:

 

[boydski]

I wanted to dive the Cenotes in the Riviera Maya region but was wondering if a week is too much time to spend doing that rather than ocean diving.
Sy

Hi Sy,

A week in the Cenotes is not too much. You may even feel that it is not enough. On my first trip to the Riviera Maya I went with a group that had agreed to spend two days in the Cenotes followed by 7 days of ocean diving. We did two days in the Cenotes, went ocean diving the next day, and every single person in the group said, "I want to go back to the Cenotes." We spent to the remainder of the week diving in the Caverns.

I'm heading down soon for my fourth trip. My originial trip report can be found here.

Photos from my most recent trip down there can be found here.

Have a great trip, you'll love it.

 

[Dectek]

The best part of that area is that you can your cake and eat it too. You do not have to make a choice....Dive both. That is what makes the Riviera Maya such a great location.

Sy...Flying out of Philly or Newark?

 

[Spratman]

If you are going to stay in PDC area, then go with dennis from Diablo Divers (www.diablodivers.com)

If you will be based out of Cancun, then check with Ben at www.mayanaquadive.com. I like to split the two. Do the cenotes toward the end of your stay, if you are taking your own equipment. Makes a good fresh water rinse before coming home.

Also, we booked out flights out of Newark and saved a bundle! $388 per person round trip.

 

[sytech]

I will be flying out of Newark which is the only airport I use.

Travel time is something I factor into my vacation plans so Philly or NYC is out. Being in central N.J. (Watchung), Newark airport is only about 25 minutes away and they have flights to virtually everywhere.

The best part of that area is that you can your cake and eat it too. You do not have to make a choice....Dive both. That is what makes the Riviera Maya such a great location.

Sy...Flying out of Philly or Newark?

 

[sytech]

That's a VERY good fare. Which airline and are there lots of stops?

I will be using my Frequent Flyer Miles (60,000) on A.A.. My travels dates are April 12-21. via Miami.

I am finding it more difficult to use the Frequent Flyer Miles because they seemed to have made changes in their routes/times to use your freebie miles. I could have used 30,000 mileage points but it would have involved an overnight stay or multiple stops or arrival at a hellhole like JFK which is a good 90 minutes from where I live in "good" traffic.

Sy

If you are going to stay in PDC area, then go with dennis from Diablo Divers (www.diablodivers.com)

If you will be based out of Cancun, then check with Ben at www.mayanaquadive.com. I like to split the two. Do the cenotes toward the end of your stay, if you are taking your own equipment. Makes a good fresh water rinse before coming home.

Also, we booked out flights out of Newark and saved a bundle! $388 per person round trip.

 

[Spratman]

That was with US Air. One stop in Charlottesville. Also, we are not traveling until the last week of August. We've used US Air on all our previous trips but have always gone out of Philly.

Good luck on your vacation. Hopefully you'll have great weather!

 

[ReefHound]

I'm planning to go to fly into either Cancun or Cozumel in the next month. I wanted to dive the Cenotes in the Riviera Maya region but was wondering if a week is too much time to spend doing that rather than ocean diving.

I guess I could do both but wanted to get some feedback on this.

Thanks,

Sy

Preferences vary. Some prefer open water and marine life, and are bored in 20 minutes looking at rock formations. Others could dive cenotes or caves all the time.

For you, it might be too much. For one, if you've never done them before, you risk being in the first group and being bored after the first day. For another, if you're going to dive cenotes all week you need to stay on the mainland. The ferry hassle will get real old real fast. I would suggest a little variety, doing a cenote every other or third day, and as one poster suggested, on your last day to rinse it all off. The cenotes are also great for getting out of the hot sun.

 

[beezwax]

If you are going to stay in PDC area, then go with dennis from Diablo Divers (www.diablodivers.com)

A couple weeks ago Dennis just bought the Aquanauts dive shop in Puerto Aventuras (Phone: 984 873 5041) and that's where you can find him now. I just got back from doing a full cave cert there with Steve Gerrard, and he recommended Dennis when we wanted to do some reef diving afterwards. Great guy!