Hi - we are going to Playa del Carmen, staying at the Occidental Xcaret and it looks like they don't have a dive ship onsite. I need a recommendation on who to use for diving. Our requirements are that they would pick us up at the resort...and that they don't use those small cattle boats
Need Dive Operator in Playa
- Thread starter sruddock
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I do not know if they pick up at the resorts, but check out Tank Ha or Abyss. Both are good, but I like Tank Ha a little better. Their boats are a little bigger and they still take small groups. I went to their shops in the morning. I also dove with Yucatek for cenote diving. It is a good operation, but I can't speak to their ocean diving.
Barracuda2
Contributor
I'm not very impressed at all with the diving off Playa. I did it once with Safari Divers. The op was good; a six pack, but the diving can't compare at all in any way to the diving across the channel off Coz. Why don't you try some of the cavern diving. I went with Dressels twice out of the Iberostar and loved both experiences. My $.02
Clearwater
Contributor
I dove six times with Dive Mike in October and was pretty happy with them, especially with our guide, Luis. The boats may be a little small for your liking, but they limit the dives to seven divers (we dove with a total of four or less) and there are at least two crew members on the boat (not counting the guide) to help with your gear. You might call them and talk to Kevin to see if they can pick you up at your resort. I was staying in a condo right near the main tourist area and just walked to their shop, a half-block off the beach where we boarded the boat.
I agree that the diving in Playa might not match that to be had in Cozumel but there are nevertheless some decent reefs and a good variety of sea life to be found. I recommend a spiral-bound book available in Playa called "Playa del Carmen Dive Guide Log Book" which has diagrams of 10 reefs and the one wreck in the area (a shrimp boat sunk in 1996). The book also maps the cenotes (caverns) in the area, of which there are quite a few. You can get the book at many of the dive shops (but not Dive Mike). I got mine at Yucatek.
I agree that the diving in Playa might not match that to be had in Cozumel but there are nevertheless some decent reefs and a good variety of sea life to be found. I recommend a spiral-bound book available in Playa called "Playa del Carmen Dive Guide Log Book" which has diagrams of 10 reefs and the one wreck in the area (a shrimp boat sunk in 1996). The book also maps the cenotes (caverns) in the area, of which there are quite a few. You can get the book at many of the dive shops (but not Dive Mike). I got mine at Yucatek.
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