Playa del Carmen - August 2010

[Ed Hatfield]

I would prefer that dive shops limit their posts to dive reports. I find it hard to take seriously any advice or opinion prefaced by the comment 'check our webpage'. I don't think people are coming to the SB forums for self-serving advertising.

 

[driftwood]

I understand and agree with your POV up to a point. All the shops down there have had a pretty tough time since the flu scare and collapse of tourism. Given current economic conditions a little self promotion isn't going too far out of bounds.

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, it seemed like a polite offer...

There is lots to choose from if you would like to see turtels we have a site called Tortugas

Are the turtles always there? We ended up booking a private boat a couple of years ago in August specifically to dive with the turtles - 3 dives, no turtles?

Also at that time of year the whale sharks are visiting and we run amazing snorkel trips to see these huge and brilliant creatures.

Are they back yet? Are they shoaling closer to Cancun or Holbox?

 

[beth_castroll]

We did 8 dives including a 2 tank cenote dive with GeoFish last September. They were an excellent shop. Saw lots of big sealife. Tarpon, Turtles, Barracuda, and an oddly placed Bull Shark lurking off in the depts around the wreck dive. Speaking for their safety, a woman we were diving with had problems equalizing but continued to go down anyway and blew some blood vessels in her nose and had to ascend quickly. When we came up she was sitting comfortably on board with oxygen and the nose bleed had stopped. Once back at the shop everyone's dives for the day were comped, the woman and her buddy were offered medical assistance and decompression assistance, but refused. The shop offered them a free trip to Tulum the next day while they got their dive legs on land for the day. And the couple was diving again the following day. The shop showed excellent safety and customer service.

As for Playa, everything is walking distance really, so base your dive shop on quality not proximity. Eat at El Fagon, there are like 3 of them Tasty El Pastor Tacos for 80 cents each.
It will be HOT while your there and low season so ask your hotel if they are doing construction. Most of the ones near us were and it made for zero nap time post dive unless we went to a beach resort and slept on beach chairs under umbrellas

 

[Madacub]

I would prefer that dive shops limit their posts to dive reports. I find it hard to take seriously any advice or opinion prefaced by the comment 'check our webpage'. I don't think people are coming to the SB forums for self-serving advertising.

Ed, in this case, I'm not sure I agree with you. The posts seem well within bounds. And what's wrong with saying 'check our webpage'? Without that, what's the point in a dive shop posting? Knowledgeable, informative opeators, who resist the urge to be pushy on this forum are a help.

 

[ecodiving tours]

Yeah, it seemed like a polite offer...

Are the turtles always there? We ended up booking a private boat a couple of years ago in August specifically to dive with the turtles - 3 dives, no turtles?

Are they back yet? Are they shoaling closer to Cancun or Holbox?

Hi sorry to here you didn't see any unfortunately they are not guaranteed but I would say you were very unlucky not to see any in 3 dives. Next time your in the area and want to see turtles snorkel off the beach at Akumal its free and as close to guaranteed as possible

A friend of mine guarantees them at Tortuga's but at the end of the dive if you haven't seen one he pulls a small turtle toy from his wetsuit.....very funny.....and tends to lighten the disappointment.

As for the whale sharks they are back and it is normally guaranteed between June 1st to august 30th if the weathers not to ruff for the boats. They are further north around Cancun and Holbox but we pick up and drop off from the hotels in PDC, lunch etc is included. Our boats go from Punta Sam in Cancun which is a lot closer to PCD than Holbox. Its a long day on the boat so most people recommend sea sick meds

Hope this helps
Ecodiving

--
Home-Ecodivingtours

 

[MichaelBaranows]

have about a dozen dives at Tortuga in the last 5 years and can't think of a time I have not seen turtles. I have even seen octpus there during the day. Now I have been there a few times when the currents were about 40 knots so you wouldn't see the turtles very long.

 

[rob1967]

I've been in Playa for the past week, and have been using Mexico Blue Dream for all dives. They are a nice bunch of people, the owner and most of his staff are French, but they also speak perfect English and Spanish. I can't compare them with other dive shops, since I have only dove with MBD, but I have been very satisfied with their service. The DMs are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The diving has been great! Cenotes, bull shark dive, day trip to Cozumel, etc. One nice little touch I like is that they rinse and store your gear for you at the shop! They have a dehumidifier in their wet area which helps dry out your gear overnight. Much better than having to lug wet gear back to your hotel everyday!

It's a nice little touch, which I don't know if the other shops in playa do as well.

Cheers and happy diving!