Playa del Carmen

[fjpatrum]

My searches aren't pulling anything up so I am resorting to this post, which I'm sure is as redundant as possible.

We're looking at possibly being in Playa in late July and I'm trying to decide what gear to bring. At most I'll get one day of diving with the need for an instabuddy. More likely I'll just end up snorkeling.

What kind of water temps can I expect? If I do get to do some diving, any recommendations for ops? Should I bring yokes or DIN?

 

[TSandM]

Bring yoke regs, although with advance notice, shops can source DIN. Water temp should be around 80. I can't help you with dive ops; we never dove out of PDC.

 

[Dhboner]

The best dive operator (in my humble opinion) is Beyond Diving...small boutique style shop and the owner , Erik Rosenstein treats customer like family. He also has the best rental equipment in Mexico

 

[paulw]

I have dove with The Abyss Dive Center many times Playa del Carmen Diving with The Abyss Dive Center I have always been happy with them. You can expect water temps around 84 F. I go to Cozumel every year and usually go over to Playa Del Carmen for at least one day and dive, sometimes ocean diving sometimes Cenote diving.

 

[fjpatrum]

Any good recommendations for shore diving? I'm thinking a couple of shallow dives to dial in my gear/buoyancy again would be a good idea before I get seasick on a boat trip.

 

[Diverspoint]

Diving Playa del Carmen is actually pretty awful. Better of going to Cozumel, Puerto Aventuras or Puerto morelos for diving.

There is no shore diving in PdC for sure.

If you have not tried thw cenotes before you should at least try. For that PdC is a good base. Water temp in cenotes about 78 F.

PdC only has a name for diving from people that don't know better

 

[mmmbelows]

Diving Playa del Carmen is actually pretty awful. Better of going to Cozumel, Puerto Aventuras or Puerto morelos for diving.

There is no shore diving in PdC for sure.

If you have not tried thw cenotes before you should at least try. For that PdC is a good base. Water temp in cenotes about 78 F.

PdC only has a name for diving from people that don't know better

Tortugas dive site and the bull shark dive site are two things PDC has that Cozumel does not.

 

[fjpatrum]

I ended up not doing any dives but I did go out for the whale shark snorkel trip. One check off the bucket list. We saw a handful of sharks, maybe as many as six and we dipped in the water I think 4 times for each group on the boat. Bonus, I took a scopolamine patch and 2 dramamine and didn't get sick on the boat. First time in the last 4 years.

These are not the greatest pictures but they're better than nothing.

 

[high/baric]

I ended up not doing any dives but I did go out for the whale shark snorkel trip. One check off the bucket list. We saw a handful of sharks, maybe as many as six and we dipped in the water I think 4 times for each group on the boat. Bonus, I took a scopolamine patch and 2 dramamine and didn't get sick on the boat. First time in the last 4 years.

These are not the greatest pictures but they're better than nothing.

Those are some pretty sweet shots! Although I have visited a few places where whale sharks are seen, they have this far eluded me. Where did you see them exactly, in case I go back to Mexico one of these days?

 

[Seymour Fisch]

Thanks for coming back with your trip outcome!

I'm about to head down there, with the whale shark snorkeling being the primary objective. Without doing much research, I decided to base myself in Cancun (closer to whale shark area, closer to airport, and I figured it was a big resort so must have lots of hotel and dive op choices), only to get the impression later that no one seems to take Cancun seriously (except serious partiers). If I can get photos like yours, I'll be thrilled. And if I can do so without getting seasick, I'll be thrilled x 10.

I'll try to write up a trip report when I get back. The dive op I'm working with seems very promising so far, so I'm hoping I can come back and write them a rave review...