Mexico Advice

[bob1577]

Ok i have read lots of stories about mexico cave diving on here from lots of nice people. I am thinking of maybe heading there this X mass as irish X mass are cold wet and boring. Plus all my family are in states now so home alone is not nice.

Just wanted some advice where to fly into, where is the nice sites to dive for a full cave sidemount diver. What centres to book with etc. The cheaper the better as i am a poor student at present.

I dont mind roughing it etc. No need for 4 star hotels i can do tenting if needs be. I just want to have some great dives, does not matter about depth or distance. I just want to get the most out of my 7/10 days there.

If anyone is planning a trip around then let me know as i might be interested in tagging along.

[Attchoum]

You need to fly to cancun.

I love Playa del Carmen as they are more stuff to do in the evening when the dive is over.

You can book by diveshop specialise in cave or independant guide like me.

Hotel will depend on what you want: all inclusive or small room. keep in mind you gonna be in high season, it will cost more for hotel.

if you need any help, just contact me.

[JCDdiver]

I used Etienne, and will use him again the next time I'm back.

[Attchoum]

Been a long ime now, your overdue...

[LCF]

As said, you fly into Cancun. Unless you intend to do all your dives with a guide, you will need a rental car. I rent through Easy Way; they have been very good and are considerably cheaper than the major agencies.

You can stay in Playa, which is about 20 minutes north of where the commonly dived caves begin (they continue south another 40 minutes or so). We stay in Puerto Aventuras, because it is convenient to the dive shop we use for fills. Tulum has a whole mess of dive shops, and prices are becoming quite competitive. Tulum also has some very reasonable lodging -- a friend stayed there last year and paid $50 a night for what he felt was a very acceptable room, with AC. Tulum also has a lot of restaurants, some of them very good. There are also hostels and camping places there, although I personally wouldn't enjoy camping in MX all that much. The scorpions and the cockroaches are as big as I am.

I've never met Etienne, and I'm sure he is a good guide. I have met and dived with Jason Renoux (Essential Dive Training) who is sidemount trained by Steve Bogaerts. Jason's a really good guy and a lot of fun to dive with. Steve is certainly a well-known sidemount diver, but his schedule is tight, and his prices are fairly high.

Unless you can hook up with somebody who knows the area, it's a good idea to hire a guide. It's not that the caves themselves are that difficult, although navigation can be quite complex; it's more than finding them in the first place can be a challenge, and knowing who to pay and where. A guide can save you a lot of headaches, simply by knowing how to get things done.

HERE (http://www.divematrix.com/showthread.php?8751-Tips-for-a-successful-MX-cave-diving-trip-please-contribute!) is a thread on another board with a lot of information about cave diving in MX.

[rongoodman]

Another option would be to dive with Protec in Playa. They can have you picked up at the airport, and your guide will provide his own car, so you can avoid driving at all if you wish. Protec is located next to Mom's Hotel, which is cheap, but adequate, with lots of restaurants within walking distance. Protec is a tech shop with rebreather support, so you're liable to meet divers from all over the world there.

[Merlin Rhoda]

We stay in Akumal, just down the road from PA as the prices are a bit lower and the accommodations have been quite nice.
Marco's is a great fill station and has a large fleet of rental tanks including Bogaerts collection which is rigged for sidemount. They are just down the road from Puerto Aventuras.

[Aktun]

Marco's is a great fill station and has a large fleet of rental tanks including Bogaerts collection which is rigged for sidemount. .
The slogan from Cuzel is "you leave your tanks, we rent them" :p

[Anders Knudsen]

Ok i have read lots of stories about mexico cave diving on here from lots of nice people. I am thinking of maybe heading there this X mass as irish X mass are cold wet and boring. Plus all my family are in states now so home alone is not nice.

Just wanted some advice where to fly into, where is the nice sites to dive for a full cave sidemount diver. What centres to book with etc. The cheaper the better as i am a poor student at present.

I dont mind roughing it etc. No need for 4 star hotels i can do tenting if needs be. I just want to have some great dives, does not matter about depth or distance. I just want to get the most out of my 7/10 days there.

If anyone is planning a trip around then let me know as i might be interested in tagging along.

I would recommend going with Natalie L Gibb, she is a great sidemount diver and explorer, and I have never seen anyone give as much to her clients as she does.
Be prepared to go off the beaten path and go to some very cool locations.
She currently works out of Akumal, but contact her and I am sure she will help you finding accommodation - and she is for sure cheaper than Bogaerts, but off cause does not have his reputation ( very few people do ).

PM me for contact details.

best

Anders

[wingman]

Another recommendation for Natalie, I dove with her in about 10 different systems last year and she was great both above (she negotiated the fixing of a rental car rear window that got smashed in playa and knew all the best places for sandwiches etc.) water and below....the blue abyss, the pit, etc. She has my highest recommendation. Bill Huth

[Aktun]

The slogan from Cuzel is "you leave your tanks, we rent them" :p
was told maybe i am wrong,sorry.

[LCF]

Natalie's wonderful! And she's about 4'11" and made of spun steel, and has a delightful laugh.

[MichaelBaranowski]

I was thinking that Natalie was my little secret. I have been cave diving with her for two years and open water for two years before that.

[bob1577]

Thanks for the advice and great direction who to contact from everyone. Yea are so helpful on here and nothing ever bad to say ?. Some of the forum guys pm me and we trying to organise a trip together to reduce costs. If we go in January i will post a report maybe.

Thanks again and role on Florida on the 25 August

[beachcomber]

I like to rough it at Barcelo Riviera Maya in Puerto Adventuras. It is right across the street from my buddy Dennis Weeks. I've gone with friends who "roughed it" but when we calculate how much was spent on food and lodging, I always seem to come out ahead of them. I find that Orbitz always has the best rates.

[CaveBuddy95]

As said, you fly into Cancun. Unless you intend to do all your dives with a guide, you will need a rental car. I rent through Easy Way; they have been very good and are considerably cheaper than the major agencies.

You can stay in Playa, which is about 20 minutes north of where the commonly dived caves begin (they continue south another 40 minutes or so). We stay in Puerto Aventuras, because it is convenient to the dive shop we use for fills. Tulum has a whole mess of dive shops, and prices are becoming quite competitive. Tulum also has some very reasonable lodging -- a friend stayed there last year and paid $50 a night for what he felt was a very acceptable room, with AC. Tulum also has a lot of restaurants, some of them very good. There are also hostels and camping places there, although I personally wouldn't enjoy camping in MX all that much. The scorpions and the cockroaches are as big as I am.

I've never met Etienne, and I'm sure he is a good guide. I have met and dived with Jason Renoux (Essential Dive Training) who is sidemount trained by Steve Bogaerts. Jason's a really good guy and a lot of fun to dive with. Steve is certainly a well-known sidemount diver, but his schedule is tight, and his prices are fairly high.

Unless you can hook up with somebody who knows the area, it's a good idea to hire a guide. It's not that the caves themselves are that difficult, although navigation can be quite complex; it's more than finding them in the first place can be a challenge, and knowing who to pay and where. A guide can save you a lot of headaches, simply by knowing how to get things done.

HERE (http://www.divematrix.com/showthread.php?8751-Tips-for-a-successful-MX-cave-diving-trip-please-contribute!) is a thread on another board with a lot of information about cave diving in MX.

Thanks Lynne, always a pleasure to read your warm recommendations! :)
See you around soon.

Jason

[LCF]

Jason, I can't wait to see you in MX in November! And you ARE a good guy, and tons of fun to dive with!