When I booked at trip to Mexico for a break from the cold winter weather I had two goals. One was to feel the warm sun on my face and the second was to experience the great diving in the Yucatan Peninsula. I earned my PADI open water diver certification a year prior with Reef Divers in Grand Cayman and had not been diving since. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this dive trip, but with the consistently warm and clear waters of the Caribbean and warm, sunny weather I was excited to find out.
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Where To Stay in the Yucatan Peninsula
When booking a dive trip to the Yucatan Peninsula there is no shortage of options when it comes to where you can stay. Cancun, Tulum and Riviera Maya are hugely popular and have a plethora of hotels and inns to choose from. Check the PADI site for resorts with either onsite or nearby dive shops.
I stayed at the Bahia Principe hotel complex in Akumal. I picked this resort for two reasons: 1. I wanted a more low-key area than party-centric Cancun and 2. As a solo traveler, I didn’t want to do a lot of driving or walking around Mexico. With that in mind, I chose an all-inclusive resort close to Tulum with an onsite PADI certified dive shop (Scubaquatic). Side note: all-inclusive resorts are super convenient but can be a recipe for a diet disaster. Check out my tips for how to eat healthy at all-inclusive resorts so you don’t go off the rails.
Staying at the Luxury Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an, I had easy access to a beautiful pool, the beach and the dive shop. I took the hotel shuttle (aka golf cart) to the adults-only beach and walked about five minutes down the beach to the dive shop. I don’t have my own equipment, so this “commute” to the dive shop was easy enough. I only needed to bring my wetsuit and Go Pro. If bringing your own equipment, I recommend staying at Bahia Principe Grand Tulum so you don’t need to lug the equipment as far. The dive shop only has small bins for personal items, so you won’t be able to lock up your equipment at the shop overnight. You’ll need to bring it back to your room after each dive.
The Dive Shop
Scubaquatic provides tanks, weights, regulators and BCDs. For some reason I was under the impression they also had dive computers available to rent. I found out when I arrived for my first dive that they didn’t. I was a little nervous about not having my own computer, but the good thing about diving with a group is the dive master always requires a safety stop for at least three minutes prior to ascending to the surface. Given the depth wasn’t excessive and dive lengths were pretty standard (about 40-50 minutes) I was comfortable not having my own computer. I was also only doing two dives a day (both in the morning) so didn’t have to worry about ensuring I left adequate time between morning and afternoon dives. But lesson learned. Not all dive shops offer computers. I’ll be adding a dive watch to my wish list for my next dive trip to Grand Turk.
Safety First
Unlike Reef Divers in Grand Cayman, Scubaquatic does not provide valet service. I was clearly spoiled with Reef Divers! I was glad I brushed up on my dive skills with YouTube videos prior to my trip. If you’re not a frequent diver I highly recommend doing the same. Be sure to review the standard hand signals and familiarize yourself with assembling your equipment. The dive masters checked the gear and helped with assembly when needed but when it comes to the safety of your life, it’s always best to have a few sets of eyes examine the gear.
And don’t forget the importance of your dive buddy. When you’re in a group it can be tempting to skip pre-dive equipment checks or stray from your buddy to explore the reef, Be sure to take a few minutes before your dive to check each other’s equipment. Prior to one of my dives, my dive buddy pointed out a very small leak in my regulator that I never would have noticed. Thankfully the dive master had a spare regulator and was able to swap mine out. I might have been able to make it through the dive with the leak but it’s also possible I would’ve had to cut the dive short.
Diving The Yucatan Peninsula
Perhaps the best part about staying in Akumal was the dive sites were just a few short minutes from shore. None of the sites we dove were more than a ten minute boat ride. And being a novice diver, I liked that the reefs were somewhat protected so I didn’t need to worry about strong currents. FYI, Scubaquatic doesn’t have a boat dock so you’ll be carrying your equipment through the water to the boat. There also isn’t a “dry area” on the boat. Don’t bring anything you don’t want to get wet!
During my vacation, I dove five times over three days and all dives were just offshore along the reefs. Depths ranged from 50 feet to 100 feet and the visibility was great! It wasn’t quite as clear as Grand Cayman but excellent nonetheless. The reefs were in good condition and I saw a turtle (yay!), lion fish, lobster, lots of colorful sea fans, brain coral and tube sponges. Plus there were countless other tropical fish I can’t remember. My fish recognition skills clearly need work.
Aside from the reefs, there are many diving options in the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s well known for cenote, or cave, diving. Diving these can be challenging and you need to have solid control of your buoyancy and be comfortable in small spaces. At this point in my dive career I feel like I need a bit more experience before venturing into cenotes. I’ll use this as a good excuse to make a future dive trip to the Yucatan Peninsula. If you want to explore the cenotes check with the nearby dive shops for trips they offer and whether they require you to have a cavern diver certification.
Wherever you decide to dive you’ll have a blast and be looking for more. Enjoy!
Bonus Tips
- Like most travelers, if you’re flying into Mexico you’ll need either a rental car or transportation to your hotel. The Cancun Airport can be a zoo, so it’s best to arrange private transportation ahead of time. This will get you to your hotel quickly. If willing to wait and save a few dollars, sign up for shared transportation. Just know that if traveling to Riviera Maya or Tulum you’ll be making quite a few stops before your hotel.
- Keep the reefs safe and healthy by using reef safe sunscreen. Yes, you’ll spend a few extra dollars but it’s worth it to keep the reefs healthy and thriving.
- After diving in the morning, be sure to book a trip or take a drive to the Mayan ruins. I loved my tour of the ruins. If you love history you’ll be enthralled. The cities the Mayans built were amazing! This tour of the ruins provides the opportunity to take a bike tour around the ruins, ride a zip line and swim in a cenote. I guarantee it’s like no other bike tour you’ve been on.
