Recommendations for Cenotes dive guide based in TULUM

[FairyBasset]

Hi all!

I will be staying in Tulum for 2 weeks in mid November.
During my stay I would like to dive Dos Ojos, Gran Cenote, Carwash & Angelita.
I am hoping you can recommend me either a dive guide or a shop BASED IN TULUM, with whom I can organize these dives.

I have read quite a lot of the recommendations here in the forum, however it seems to me that lots of the recommendations are for people based out of PDC or Akumal.

My Tulum accommodation is already booked and paid for - so I will not be changing my plan and staying elsewhere.
That is why I am not interested in using a guide based out of Akumal or PDC.

I am a competent diver and looking forward greatly to this new experience!

Hoping you can help me!
Thanks in advance.

 

[mselenaous]

Contact Natalie Gibb, nat@diablodivers.com Diablo Divers | cavern – cave | experience – education.
She is a tiny energetic sprite of a gal, warm friendly, powerful strong and very very knowledgeable about the caves in Tulum and Akumal area.
She took us to Taj Maha and to Dreamgate (in Dos Ojos) and was a wonderful guide.
This is her: Natalie L Gibb - Scuba Diving Guide for About.com

 

[FairyBasset]

mselenaous

Contact Natalie Gibb, nat@diablodivers.com Diablo Divers | cavern – cave | experience – education.

As far as I can see, these guys are not based in Tulum, but in Puerto Aventuras.
Is that right?
As I mentioned, I am really looking for a shop/guide in Tulum.
Thanks for your help though!

 

[TSandM]

FairBasset, Natalie lives in Akumal. But the distances we are talking about here are very small; it's about a 15 minute drive from Akumal to Tulum, and all the guides are accustomed to such drives, since the cenotes are just that far apart. I wasn't sure whether Natalie would pick you up in PDC, if you came across on the ferry, which is why I hadn't answered you before. But if you are making your own way by bus or collectivo to Tulum, your choices become much broader.

Natalie is delightful -- 4'11" of spring steel with an infectious grin. She's also an active cave explorer and writer. She'd be great fun to spend a day with. I can also recommend Jason Renoux of Essentialdivetraining.com. Jason's also an extremely nice man and a BEAUTIFUL diver, and one of my favorite buddies when I am down there. Dennis Weeks, who is Natalie's partner, was my Full Cave instructor, and is also a very nice person and very experienced cave diver. If none of these is available in your time frame, I have other names. (Emanuela Bertoni is based in Tulum, but I'm checking with her about her contact info at present; I don't think what I have for public use is current.)

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

contact Nicolas Casella at www.cenotexperience.com.mx/ All he does is cenote diving. He is a IANTD full cave instructor.
We stay at the El Dorado Seaside Suites which is just north of Akumal and he comes and picks me up every day from the resort.
I have dove all the cenotes you mentoned with him. Most of the time it was just him and I. He provides subs, cookies and drinks between dives. He is the only person I trust to take me cenote diving.

 

[boulderjohn]

I want to echo what TSand M said. I stayed in Akumal myself when I was there, but the distance between Akumal and Tulum is not worth mentioning. I did most of my diving in the Tulum area. I, too, used Natalie Gibb, and I have nothing but praise. She did a wonderful job. I plan to be back before long, and I will use her again.

There is one subtle difference between Natalie and some of the other operators. Natalie has email, and she uses it. You can communicate with her that way. Amazing! To be quite frank, it is not always true with some of the others. Oh, they may have and may advertise an email address, but actually using it is another issue altogether.

 

[FairyBasset]

Thanks all, you have been a great help! I have contacted both Nat and Nicolas.

 

[mselenaous]

Everything in that area is fairly close. Nat met us at the Ferry, took us diving, then dropped us back off at the Ferry. We prearranged that with her (and tipped her well for that).

I can also recommend Alessandra Figari,
She is a very accomplished diver and instructor in that area as well.

 

[TSandM]

Ela Bertoni's website is Emanuela Bertoni - CAVE DIVER TRAINING : Cavern dive experience She's also a great person, and tons of fun.

 

[travelure]

If you want a great dive team try H20 Pro Diving in Tulum. Marco and Min have been living and diving in Tulum for quite a while. There equipment is top notch and they have a great facility. They can be found at http://http://www.todotulum.com/tulum-tulum-dive.html Here are Marco's ratings:

MARCO WAGNER
Instructor & Owner
Born in Marktheidenfeld/ Germany
Speaks German, English and Spanish
IANTD Instructor for:
Open Water through Divemaster, Basic Nitrox Diver, Deep Air, Advanced Nitrox Diver, Technical Diver, Wreck Diver, Cavern Diver, Introductory to Cave Diver, Cave Diver, Technical Cave Diver, Advanced Cave Diver
PADI Instructor for:
Open Water through Divemaster, Nitrox Diver
NACD Full Cave Diver
APSA Cavern Guide