Puerto Aventuras / Playa del Carmen Reef Dive Sites

[dannysporea]

I will be at Barcelo for 2 weeks in April. How are the dive sites in the Puerto Aventuras area that Dressels at Barcelo go to? Are they worth diving? Will have a rental car for the entire time and could potentially use other dive shops in order to go to better sites if any in the area... and definitely would hop over a couple of days to Cozumel and try to maximize the number of dives there, but logistics from the Barcelo base are pretty impossible to make it to the morning dives on the island. Not that much interested in diving cenotes, therefore any info on the best reef dive sites accessible from the mainland would be appreciated! Thank you.

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

The off-shore reefs in that area are pretty but nothing to write home about. I usually do one reef dive off Puerto Adventuras on each cave diving trip. That is enough to satisfy my reef dive needs.

 

[ibj40]

We have been diving out of Puerto Aventuras for over a dozen years, and keep going back.

Primarily, for mainland diving, there is an active marina at PA, which means (unlike PDC and other mainland locations) you board the boat from a dock, and don't have to wade out through the surf.

The reefs offshore from PA are very healthy, with good fish populations. You aren't going to find the structure you will see on Cozumel, but the diving is easy, not a lot of current, visibility is usually very good, and we almost always see something new or unusual on our dives (such as Bull Sharks that aren't being baited like at PDC, or the occasional Spotted Eagle Ray scouting the sand flats for lunch.

If you are interested, contact Dive Aventuras. They are the best operation in PA, great shop, on-site equipment repair, highly professional dive guides, and just a great group of folks to hang with.

 

[hilljo88]

+1 on ibj40's recommendation. We have used Dive Aventuras often. Quality shop, good people. Dive boats are just out the back door of their shop. Restaurants, bodega, other shopping in the same gated complex.

 

[rmssetc]

We have been diving out of Puerto Aventuras for over a dozen years, and keep going back.

If you are interested, contact Dive Aventuras. They are the best operation in PA, great shop, on-site equipment repair, highly professional dive guides, and just a great group of folks to hang with.

I did my AOW there, specifically because I wanted to focus on skills before enjoying drift diving in Cozumel. I was happy with the attention, training, and equipment from Dive Aventuras.

 

[MrBigfins]

I also recommend dive adventures. Have used both them and prodive out of PA. Reefs are not bad but nothing special, decent amount of fish and the occasional eagle rays or turtle. If on mainland I would concentrate my time in cenotes, but to each their own

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I highly recommend CenoteXperience. I have been diving with these guys for over 9 years, they are great guys and excellent dive guides. They have a small family run dive shop in Playa. They can look after all your dive needs (cenote, reef, and even Cozumel) CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico - Home

 

[ibj40]

Just as an update.

Dive Aventuras announced over a year ago that they had closed and the operation is for sale.

 

[PACKRMAN]

It has sold. The new name is Puerto Aventuras Water Sports. I understand some of the people are the same. I don't know how much the business model has changed.

 

[ibj40]

It has sold. The new name is Puerto Aventuras Water Sports. I understand some of the people are the same. I don't know how much the business model has changed.

That is good to know.

Will have to check it out.

We have seen some of the old faces over at the Aquanauts Facebook page.

Thanks!