Safest place to certify in Akumal/PDC area

[amringro]

I'll start by saying that I am a nervous diver. I've completed my pool and class sessions towards my OW certification and am completing additional pool sessions before I leave for Akumal on November 11, to ensure I'm completely comfortable with doing the skills in the pool before moving to the ocean.

I would like to complete my OW certification in Akumal or Playa Del Carmen, with a preference for Akumal or something close to Gran Bahia Principe Akumal. I've been reading reviews of dive shops in Akumal and had just about settled on Akumal Dive Shop. But I've read a few recent reviews that make me question how patient the instructors will be. I've also been trying to get in touch with the Bahia Dive shop to no avail.

So, I'm looking for recommendations on shops/instructors that put safety and patience first.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cddfamily]

I recommend Aquanauts in Puerto Aventuras. They are nearby and are excellent with both experienced and new divers. Marucio is super patient and encouraging, while being safety oriented. I have dive with them whenever I am in PDC, regardless where we stay, because they are so customer oriented. My two oldest were newly certified and I wanted to spend extra time getting them comfortable. Aquanauts went out of their way to assess their strengths and weaknesses then work with them in a fun way. They totally changed my daughter from a nervous participant to scuba junkie. She has trouble clearing her ears, so they worked with her on that and on how to handle drift and night dives, if she found herself taking longer to clear than other divers. On our next trip, my future son in law did the discover scuba and we paired up a few dives. Now he is hooked. Check for my reviews on SB and trip advisor. you can't go wrong with Aquanauts in PV for safety, patience, and great skill matched dives.

 

[spc751]

You may want to try the Blue Experience based in Akumal. They have good reviews on Tripadvisor. I will be at the Grand Palladium later in November and have been exchanging emails with Tim from Blue Experience. They sound like a good outfit and will pick you up at your hotel.


Blue Experience Diving, Akumal

 

[driftwood]

The Akumal Dive Shop is the one operation I would avoid like the plague. I found ADS plays fast and loose with the rules and had a couple of cenote divers die. My best advice would be to go with the shops the cave divers use. Aquanauts in PA is one and Akumal Dive Center is another.

 

[Grover48]

I just returned from a three week vacation in that area. We dove one week in Cozumel, one week in Puerto Aventuras and one week in Akumal. I had a total of 33 dives. I dove with Dive Aventuras in Puerto Aventuras while there. The shop owner, Mike Doody is a nice guy with lots of local information. I dove with several different dive masters and did two cenote dives. I found the staff to be helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. The small circle of shops in the area are nice to visit. Cafe Ole has good food and live music on Friday and Sunday.

While in Akumal we use Akumal Dive Center. The staff is great. My son-in-law got certified with them last October. The pool for land schooling is next to the dive shop. Aramis is a good instructor. Natalie and Ivan teach from the dive center but have been on vacation in Canada for 7 weeks. They are due back soon. I have had two bad experiences in trying to deal with Akumal Dive Shop and can not recommend them. Akumal Dive Center is a great place to do business with,

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Certifying with either shop in Akumal will allow the student to do their open water dives in the bay which is warm, clear, sandy bottom, and very user friendly- like a 20 foot deep swimming pool. Amringo could not pick an easier dive site for open water certification than right in Akumal Bay.
DivemasterDennis