Mayan Riviera Diving

[jim2386]

Hey guys,

My family and friends are trying to set up a dive trip to the mayan rivera area of mexico (We did cozumel last year). What we're looking for in a resort that is a requirement is:

All inclusive
Good Scuba Diving (obviously)

Some nice features we'd like but aren't necessarily a must have:

Entertainment
Tennis courts

We're looking to keep the whole package + airfare under $2000 a person (assume 6 people are going)

We have a few places we're looking at but none of them really mention much diving. We'd rather have a dive shop close by that we can get up and get on a dive boat and enjoy a 2 tank give each day if we wanted to. We thought we'd ask here and see if anyone has had positive experiences with a resort that we should check out.

If you need any more information, please let me know.

Thanks for the help in advance,
Jim

 

[whoji]

Dreams Tulum has a dive center although the diving is not All inclusive.
It has a full entertainment package
And Tennis courts amongst other sports and fitness facilities.

I dont work for them just had a fantastic vacation there.

 

[rk1]

Hi,
I just got back from Mayan coast and the on-site dive shops seem a bit pricey and not very service orientated. I found that it worked out about the same price to travel by taxi and won by getting excellent service as well. Most of the resort shops seem all about the money.

Drop an email info@playascuba.com

Luis and Klaus are the owners and have lots of local contacts and might just have the information you need in regards to the AI resorts and might even be able to hook you up.

Playa Scuba - Dive Center - Welcome! - Playa del Carmen, Mexico

 

[Sharkdiver_Mac]

We stayed at Aventura Spa Palace, an all-inclusive in Riviera Maya. You can walk to Puerto Aventuras, a small little town located right near the property. We dove with Dive Aventuras ( Dive Aventuras Mexico scuba diving vacation packages Puerto Aventuras ) and liked them quite a bit.

Hope this helps.

 

[Spratman]

If you are looking for a resort and dive package, contact Allen@britsincancun.com. He does a considerable amount of travel planning for British soldiers down in Belize, but also has numerous contacts for resorts down the Riveria Mayan coast. Drop him a line and see if he can help you out. I have his link in my signature block.

 

[travelure]

As I've said here before...Dreams Tulum is Great. Close to the Tulum and Coba Ruins...Close to Cenotes and to the reef for diving.

If you have children who don't dive, they can snorkel above you and watch as you dive Casa Cenote...or have great snokeling trips to the reef. They can snorkel at Gande Cenote and watch you dive...plus as Whijji says tthere is a ton of stuff to do at the hotel...aquatic sports a couple of pools. If you want to go into the Puebal of Tulum you are only a short Taxi drive away...

It is grear for all ages...if wander the back streets of Tulum you get a slice of daily life, and it is very safe....Have brought my family there often...

 

[yak]

I've done 6 AI trips to the Mayan Riviera. I usually use the house operator because of the convenience of stepping off the boat and being back with the family after a dive, and no taxis. You'll pay a little bit more, but not an obscene amount. I usually just do the morning deep dive, then avoid the later shallow dives that usually have students on board.

I've stayed at Iberostar Paraiso Beach, RIU Palace, and Grand Palladium Kantenah once each, and we've been to Barcelo Maya 3 times. Barcelo is closest to the cenote region, so it's easier to dive the cenotes, which you should consider. I wouldn't used the onsite operator for a cenote dive, though - they'll take all day as they drive from resort to resort filling up their van, and you'll have little to no choice over what cenote you'll be diving. I've had a much better experience using Dennis Weeks from Diablo Divers.

You can find tons of information on AI's by searching here.

I'll be back down there in April, this time we rented a condo in Puerto Aventuras near Dennis' shop, so we'll be doing all our diving with his team.

 

[Byte Me]

I've stayed at both Riu Palace Riviera Maya (RPRM) in Playacar and at Dreams Tulum. Really liked both of them, Riu is more posh by a bit.

At Dreams I dove with Maya Diving - Maya Diving - for the first time I ever dove. I snorkeled with them and then they talked me in to a resort course. GREAT DECISION!! Diving was OK in Tulum, I'm sure we didn't hit the high spots on my 2 dives. Didn't do cenotes. That was Nov 2006.

Last December my wife and I stayed at the Riu. We're going back w/ 6 friends in May. Dove w/ Jason (Playacountryboy) at Fantaseadive.com GREAT experience. I'm diving w/ him again in May, already booked. Doing cenotes, Coz and a couple Playa dives. I won't dive with anyone else down there after my experiences with him. I know the Riu Palace RM is more expensive than a couple other of their places (they have 5 in playacar) but it is very nice. I've heard good things about The Reef as well, its one property north of RPRM. Also heard good things about the Reef's on sight dive op. Riu's is Scuba Caribe. Don't know much about them, didn't want to dive with them. Personally, why anyone would go down there and not dive with Jason, well, the only reason I can think is they like what they've experienced before and don't want to take a chance, but I don't see it getting better than going out with him.

If you stay in Playacar it's an easy walk into town to hook up w/ Jason. In Tulum it'd be a PITA to dive w/ someone off of Dreams property, you'd have to taxi it both ways. Tulum was 5-10 minute cab ride south of Dreams. We're tennis players too, courts at both - never saw the courts at Dreams being used, heard someone playing at Riu. I'm not sure if the other Riu properties had courts as well but if they did I'm sure you could use those too.

have fun! I'm jealous!

 

[driftwood]

Hey guys,


All inclusive
Good Scuba Diving (obviously)

Some nice features we'd like but aren't necessarily a must have:

Entertainment
Tennis courts

We're looking to keep the whole package + airfare under $2000 a person (assume 6 people are going)

Thanks for the help in advance,
Jim

Given those features and your per person budget, you should eat like a king and sleep in the castle. I would check out the Akumal area. Fewer AI's than in Playa del Carmen, but you are closer to the cenotes that are the area's diving claim to fame. I think that the beaches are much better in Akumal. The Playa del Carmen, Mexico's Virtual Guide Book : Playa.Info site has an AI section that might help you with questions on a particular resort. Personally, we rent condo's and try to eat where the locals frequent.

 

[yak]

Funny, we thought the RIU Palace was too nice, not laid back enough. Especially having to wear long pant just for the buffet!!! YMMV