Where to stay on Riviera?

[skierdoc]

I am taking my family to the Mayan Riviera this upcoming March and we plan to stay in an AI resort. My wife and youngest son don't dive, but I plan to do 2-3 days of dives with my older son. We were looking at one of the northern resorts called Moonlight Palace, but it seems a ways from Playa Del Carmen and the ferry. I am also interested in learning about the cave diving (Cenotes I believe?). We would like to do a lot of snorkeling off the shore as well. Shopping and doing some touristy stuff will be important. Anyone have some thoughts to guide us? I don't want a resort that we have to drive to everything such as snorkeling a good reef, a good dive shop, etc.
Thanks!:14:

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy and welcome to SB!

You want your diving at your front door, huh? Ok, check our Mexico forum. Have fun.

If you haven't yet, click Forums above and start going thru the list - looking for those of interest to you, especially your local dive club. Click the link in my Sig below to PM me if I can help you around here..

don

 

[Jason Ooi]

Welcome to Scuba Board
:wave-smil :wave-smil

 

[Rafael]

Skierdoc, first of all welcome to the board!!!

Second almost every all inclusive place in the riviera Maya are really good, from my own experience down there, the Ibiza hotel from Iberostar was great, i had a ball there and is pretty good for families with children, not far from down town Playa del Carmen where you no diver spouse can spend tons of time shopping (i have one of those).

Now Cave diving- If you want to do Cave diving i will recomend Protec, in order to do cave diving you'll need to get certify first and this course will take a couple weeks, now you can do the Caverns, i do not know how expensive protec will be for cavern diving, but they are really good.

In April while staying in Cancun i used Manta divers the Cavern instructor is great his name is Lief, great guy i'm sure if you call them they will arrange something for you.

Good luck and have fun.