Tulum Cenote & Cavern Diving

[Addicted2H2O]

Just trying to get a feel for what dive operators on the mainland are good for diving Dos Ojos and some of the other cenotes and caverns. Also, what sites from the mainland are good to dive? I'll probably make a couple trips to Cozumel during my stay but wouldn't mind diving the mainland, either. So throw up some recommendations please!

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I can highly recommend Nicolas from CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico - Home I have been diving with Nico & his brother Martin for about 8 years. They are great guys and excellent dive guides. They have a small family run dive shop in Playa Del Carmen. I haven't done any ocean diving from the mainland, only cenote diving. Sorry can't help with that. They can also take you diving on Cozumel. Tell Nico that Steve from Canada sent you.

 

[Cert1967]

Diving in Playa del Carmen and Tulum • Pro Instructors • Blue Life

Locations in Tulum and PDC

Great outfit, they’ll treat you rite

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

I can highly recommend Nicolas from CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico - Home I have been diving with Nico & his brother Martin for about 8 years. They are great guys and excellent dive guides. They have a small family run dive shop in Playa Del Carmen. I haven't done any ocean diving from the mainland, only cenote diving. Sorry can't help with that. They can also take you diving on Cozumel. Tell Nico that Steve from Canada sent you.

I can second this recommendation, with a slight twist....Martin is one of the best divers, divemasters, and men I have ever dove with. I only have 5 dives with them but the most impressive thing about Cenote Xperience is that everything runs like a well oiled machine. Their passion for the cenotes is absolutely contagious and I'm hooked. Tell Martin Jay from Oklahoma says hello...and ask for two of the cookies that his wife makes!

Have fun, safe travels,
Jay

 

[doctormike]

Roger and Nelly Williams at Xoc-Ha are awesome. I just spend a few days diving in the area with Roger, and had a blast. He is a fount of information and a great diver. Cave or cavern, OC or CCR. I'm working on a group trip for our dive club later this year...

 

[Griffo]

Just got back from doing 6 dives with "Best Cenote Dives". I'd highly recommend them / him. Dom is a solo guide and does private tours only. I highly recommend doing a private tour so you don't get stuck with 3 divers without any buoyancy control. Local rules say a max of 4 divers per guide, but I think that's too many.
I'd have done a heap of more dives with him but other factors came in to play to cut short my diving holiday.
Very knowledgeable, is a very calming diver to dive with. Will only take you into sites he thinks you are capable of diving.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Thanks for the recommendations so far gents! @Cert1967 I did actually look at Blue Life yesterday and they looked pretty decent. Lots of different "packages" they offer that seem pretty promising.

I'm definitely going to check out the other ops recommended but keep these coming! More is better!

Edit: In looking at "Best Cenote Dives" I see that they offer a sidemount lesson that's really not terribly expensive to a couple of cenotes. In your opinion, seeing as how I've never dove sidemount before, would that be worth it to try just to see if that's something I'd like to explore later? How much cavern/cave diving I'll be doing I don't really know since I've never really tried it. But a sidemount lesson could be fun I think.

 

[Pyro_]

another vote for cenote xperiance

 

[Dogbowl]

Sure try sidemount. Why not？But not the same time as doing a cenote dive. I doubt any first timer will get the buoyancy right the very first time and you don’t want bad buoyancy in a cenote.

I second CenoteXperience and Blue Life, but would probably favour CenoteXperience because I like Nico’s calm demeanour, and strong observation skills.

 

[Clayton122]

Diving in Playa del Carmen and Tulum • Pro Instructors • Blue Life

Locations in Tulum and PDC

Great outfit, they’ll treat you rite

I had a really wonderful experience with Blue Life. THey have exclusive access to several Cenotes that other dive operators do not. I spent a day diving with them, and they took me to a private Cenote that was literally just me and the DM.