Riviera Maya ocean dives

[rayaa3]

Hello,

I'll be in playa for a week late winter/early spring. Traveling with my dive loving wife.

I'm staying at someone's house for reasons outside of diving or vacation. Though I will be able to get out to do some diving a few (3) days. I will have a rental car. Where we are staying is inflexible, it's related to our primary reason for being there. Taking 3 days out to dive is just bonus to the trip.

I have no interest in cenotes. I know it's what the area is known for but it's not something I want to do.

I have logged several 100 dives in cozumel, and go at least once a year on holiday/vacation. I don't want to do that this trip.

I was hoping to get some recommendations for diving from the mainland. My wife/life buddy/dive buddy and I are fairly mobile with the car. Driving an hour for something isn't unreasonable. I can't see driving all the way down to do chinchirro, it's too far for this trip, but an hour drive from playa isn't bad in our minds. We like the idea of taking a sampling tour...a day in a place...another day in another place. Each day returning to playa where we are staying.

Can anyone recommend reef dives in the area.

I'm not asking about specific shops but if it's part of your recommendations: we have gear, rental gear not needed or desired. We generally prefer 6 pack or 8 pack boats at most. Smaller groups in the water.

Appreciate anyplace you would return to if you could.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

 

[Tracy]

I have used Akumal Dive center several times in the past and always been pleased with their service.

 

[wknight0691]

If it was me I'd head to Akumal too jut I'd arrange my dives through Blue Experience. They dive the same reefs but groups never seem to be more than 6 at absolute max, generally 4.

 

[tarponchik]

At Akumal, we were diving with a small dive shop next to La Buena Vida grill, but it looks like Covid-19 killed them. But anyway, I share your attitude: ignore the cenotes and go dive the reefs, they are better than Cozumel's. And, IMO, better than Bonaire, Grenada, Curacao and anything I've dived in the Caribbean in the past 10 years.

 

[LFMarm]

At Akumal, we were diving with a small dive shop next to La Buena Vida grill, but it looks like Covid-19 killed them. But anyway, I share your attitude: ignore the cenotes and go dive the reefs, they are better than Cozumel's. And, IMO, better than Bonaire, Grenada, Curacao and anything I've dived in the Caribbean in the past 10 years.

Thanks for sharing — I only dived cenotes in mainland and all dive centers I asked told me ocean diving is better in Cozumel. Will give it a try next time.

 

[rayaa3]

Thanks to all replies above. The holidays had me too busy to come back and read promptly.

Appreciate the advice and will definitely plan some Akumal days!

 

[BRT]

Thanks to all replies above. The holidays had me too busy to come back and read promptly.

Appreciate the advice and will definitely plan some Akumal days!

Try Puerto Morelos. Very different diving than Coz but beautiful reefs full of fish. About 25 miles up the coast from Playa.

 

[rayaa3]

Try Puerto Morelos. Very different diving than Coz but beautiful reefs full of fish. About 25 miles up the coast from Playa.

Do you have a specific shop you recommend runs 6 divers or less?

 

[ibj40]

We used to dive out of Puerto Aventuras. Really liked the reefs there. The dive shop we used changed hands and we haven't been back since the pandemic. The good thing about PA is that there is a marina, so boat entry is simplified compared to some of the other locations along the Riviera Maya where you have to wade out to the boat.

 

[BRT]

Do you have a specific shop you recommend runs 6 divers or less?

We have been diving with Dive Home for a number of years. Dive Home consists of Adrian and Gemma, a young couple that we really like. As of last summer they were working with Dive with Ruben so when we went with them it was on Dive with Ruben's boat. https://www.divehome.mx/?lang=en
Worked very well. They often rent some other boat also. Often it is just us 3 or maybe another couple. We like to dive with people who still like to dive. Too many of the shops are only in it for the money and their enthusiasm for diving is gone.

Puerto Morelos has a sunken ship which we try to avoid because of crowds, but it is nice once a year. But there are a lot of fairly shallow, very nice, easy to dive reefs. If you like current, and can convince Adrian and Gemma that you know how to dive there are some current dives that we love to do, some outside the National park.