Recommendations for Cenote dive operators in Playa

[electric_diver]

Hi
We are in Coz in December and some of our group are considering doing the day trip to Playa to do a couple of cenote dives.
Who do you recommend and why?

 

[Rob9876]

We used Jungle Divers in Cozumel when we went over for a day trip to the cenotes. They are really good to dive with.

Being based in Cozumel, our DM (Stef) met us at the Cozumel ferry station and we rode over to PDC together, so no rushing to get a taxi to a shop in PDC or elsewhere. It's also nice to get to know another shop in Cozumel, since most of our dives are there. Jungle Divers has later morning boat dives than most dive ops, and will also lead guided shore dives in Cozumel (which our regular dive op does not) -- we had a really good guided night shore dive with them also.

I also thought their pricing was pretty reasonable, especially since it included a hot Mexican lunch that was pretty good.

 

[Scott]

Natalie and Vincent at Under The Jungle are top notch. They use the prescribed 4:1 ratio of diver to guide, safety is key in their eyes and they are also a blast to dive with. I've taken a number of clients to them and have sent divers to them and it's the same result.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I highly recommend Nicolas from Cenote Experience, I have been diving with Nico for over 10 years. Him and his brother ( and wives) have a small family run dive shop in Playa. They are very patient and safety conscious. CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico - Home

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Do these cenote dive guides take non certified cave divers beyond the daylight zone?

I have heard that this happens routinely.

 

[specorelli]

I had really great experience with Protect diving.
It's a tech oriented shop but also caters to rec divers (I was still doing single tank back mount at the time I visited). Guides were absolutely fabulous.
We were so impressed with the service (and the diving) that we will take our cave course with them this year

Word of caution: I have seen some pretty crazy things when diving the Mexican caverns. I realized I was taken to the cave line when I visited a cavern for the first time many years ago (I was only an AOWD at the time) and I saw last year divers with no buoyancy control being taken into the cavern by guides (and I mean actually held by their BCD). It's important to choose safety oriented guides/centers.

 

[grassgreen]

Do these cenote dive guides take non certified cave divers beyond the daylight zone?

I have heard that this happens routinely.

No, that's not the case, we don't take non certified cave divers beyond the day light zone.
I'm not saying it has never happened, it has with disastrous consequences.
The vast majority of us dive shops in the area take safety as a number 1 priority and adhere to very strict rules to keep our divers safe.

Cenotes | Green Divers Tulum22

What we have here around Tulum are many miles of underground rivers mostly freshwater. These systems are diveable by certified Open Water divers because they are what are called caverns, where there is always natural sunlight clearly visible. Caverns are basically the entrances to caves.

www.greendiverstulum.com

Here in this link you can see the cavern diving rules.
Do your research, choose your dive shop after some one on one communication.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Do these cenote dive guides take non certified cave divers beyond the daylight zone?

I have heard that this happens routinely.

I dove the Cenotes only once in 1993 on my first trip to Coz. It was a prearranged day trip to ferry over and dive. Single 80's, 3mm suits, no redundancy other than buddies, back-up lights and guide (5 total) and we most definitely were taken well past the light zone. All very experienced divers. I can't for the life of me remember the operator or dive site name. The vis was basically unlimited with no current. Wonderful experience. I'm guessing the rules and procedures have changed a lot over the past 30 years....

Knowing what I know now, wouldn't do it again without proper training and equipment.

 

[Marie13]

I dove the Cenotes only once in 1993 on my first trip to Coz. It was a prearranged day trip to ferry over and dive. Single 80's, 3mm suits, no redundancy other than buddies, back-up lights and guide (5 total) and we most definitely were taken well past the light zone. All very experienced divers. I can't for the life of me remember the operator or dive site name. The vis was basically unlimited with no current. Wonderful experience. I'm guessing the rules and procedures have changed a lot over the past 30 years....

Knowing what I know now, wouldn't do it again without proper training and equipment.

Photo shows a poster with the current rules at Jardin del Eden/Ponderosa (taken last August during full cave class)

 

[FishWatcher747]

Highly recommend Cenote Experience. Dove with them 3 times, very professional.

Cenotes | CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico

What are the cenotes, Cenotes

www.cenotexperience.com.mx