Riviera Maya

[JillGadget]

Getty ready to book a 4 night vacation to Riviera Maya and would like to know before I do it, any recommendations for diving and shops. Any help, Im googling away but very confused.
Thanks,
Jill

 

[docmartin]

can you give some more detail? what kind of experience are you looking for? condo, hotel, all inclusive, ocean diving, cave diving, deserted beach, nightlife...?

 

[JillGadget]

Sorry, I am VERY ignorant to even where I am going. Going via Apple vacations to Riviera Maya. My husband and I both dive and were looking for an inexpensive dive vacation.. hence... Riviera Maya. Heard horror stories of dive shops in other countries and wanted recommendations. Our main goal is diving but am going to try to get to the mayan ruins as well. (saw on history channel) Im confused as to the difference of cancun/Riviera Maya and cozumel. haven't booked yet - waiting for guidance

 

[azcaddman]

the further south you go, the less commercial of an area you'll be in (generaly). I recomend either a condo in akumal, or if you're set on apple, and want all-inclusive, the grande bahia principal (any of the 3 sections, they're next to each other).

for diving any of the larger resorts will have an on-site operation, but you can also go with your own. I recomend Dive Tulum for both ocean and cenote diving.

you might also want to look at LocoGringo its a message board specificaly on the area

 

[docmartin]

the riviera maya begins south of cancun and ends in tulum. when you say that you are going with apple vacations does that mean you laready got a hotel room or just a flight to cancun?
the liveliest place will be playa del carmen - the fastest growing city in mexico. lots of restaurants, hotels, dive shops and people. examples of nice but more sedate places are puerto aventuras and akumal. puerto aventuras has an excellent dive operation named aquanauts plus some others that i do not have any experience with. akumal has three dive shops all of which are fine. diving is similar with easy access to cenotes if you are interested. if you are interested in renting a condo i may be able to help you out.

 

[scratchmyback]

Are you talking about the ruins at Tulum? Or Chichen Itza? Or both? You can see the ruins as part of a tour or you can always rent a car and drive yourself. We stayed in Coz in March, took the ferry across to Playa Del Carmen and rented a car from there to see the ruins in Tulum and tour around. Think it was $49 for the day.

We wanted to dive some cenotes, but due to various illnesses we left it too late. But we did stop at them along the way back to PDC and picked up brochures for future trips.

Sorry can't help you out with the resort question as I haven't stayed there. But the ruins are well worth it.

 

[Spratman]

Check with Dennis at www.diablodivers.com

 

[docmartin]

the further south you go, the less commercial of an area you'll be in (generaly). I recomend either a condo in akumal, or if you're set on apple, and want all-inclusive, the grande bahia principal (any of the 3 sections, they're next to each other).

for diving any of the larger resorts will have an on-site operation, but you can also go with your own. I recomend Dive Tulum for both ocean and cenote diving.

you might also want to look at LocoGringo its a message board specificaly on the area

why would you stay in akumal and dive in tulum? that would be quite a drive every day and - while dive tulum may be a very fine operation - ocean diving off tulum is not as good as in Akumal or further north. However, if you highly value breathtakingly beautiful beaches Tulum is your best bet on the coast. this is not to say that akumal, puerto aventuras, xpu ha... do not have beautiful beaches. choices, choices...

 

[docmartin]

Check with Dennis at www.diablodivers.com

Dennis is now the owner and operator of aquanauts in puerto aventuras. highly recommended.

 

[JillGadget]

But how is the diving since it is our primary goal? Didn't realize there were several ruins... guess I will have to google more