resort diving

This is the one hundred and eighty-seventh in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on great white shark tours. In addition to this series on diving destinations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been great white shark diving before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

There is probably nothing more terrifying and at the same time intriguing than great white sharks.  Today many people are finding that they are widely misunderstood.  To get a close look without any real threat or danger, several locations are available to see them from the safety of a shark cage or even on the deck of a boat if that suits you better.  Several dive operations in South Africa offer half-day and full-day cruises with the opportunity to see them from surface shark cages suitable for certified and non-certified divers.  In South Australia and off Baja California, liveaboards provide full service 2-6 day tours that not only offer surface cages but mid-water and seafloor cages as well that permit a much different viewpoint.  All use chumming and bait lines and are in areas where the sharks are common due to natural feeding opportunities on the likes of seals, fish, or penguins.

Below are descriptions of the five best known and most popular shark cage sites.  Please review the information and take a glance at the videos to get a real feel for the excitement of the experience.

Top Great White Shark Tours

• Gansbaai, South Africa
• Mossel Bay, South Africa
• False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
• Guadalupe Island, Mexico
• Neptune Islands, Australia

 Gansbaai, South Africa

Often called the “Great White Shark Capital of the World”, Gansbaai is located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa two hours southwest of Cape Town.  This small fishing town has become a major tourist attraction due primarily to a large number of great whites that are there year-round focusing on the area called Shark Alley between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock where they feed on the 5,000 African penguins and 60,000 Cape fur seals in residence there.  In addition, southern right whales and several species of dolphins are commonly sighted.

The diving is done in cages attached to the boat at the surface after chumming and the use of baited lines to bring them close.  Divers and non-divers can participate and it is offered to people who just want to stay on deck, as well.  Eco-awareness and training in preparation are emphasized.

One operator also offers day cruises 2 hours outside the bay for mako and blue shark dives in open water.  These are guided dives for those with at least an open water certification at 5-10 meters (16-33 feet) of depth.

• Seasons and Conditions – While shark cage diving leads to sightings all year, the best time is from April through September when they more consistently come to the Shark Alley area for feeding.
• Air temperature is mild with average daily highs from 18°C (64°F) in June through September to lows of 23°C (73°F) in January and February.
• The water temperature runs from lows of 14-16°C (57-60°F) from April through September to highs of 18-20°C (64-68°F) from October through March.  Outfitters provide you with adequate thermal protection for the cage dives.
• Rainfall is low all year and it rarely is a factor influencing diving.
• Currents are generally mild to non-existent in the Shark Alley site.
• Visibility is typically 5-10 meters (16-33 feet).

All diving is done from small to medium-sized boats on half-day and day trips.  No liveaboards are possible.

• Gansbaai Lodging Options

For my full review on shark cage diving in Gansbaai, please check out this post:

• Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai South Africa

Mossel Bay, South Africa

Mossel Bay is a middle-sized city also in the Western Cape Province 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Cape Town and the same distance from Port Elizabeth.  This area has a lot of interesting diving on diverse undersea terrain with many of the region’s colorful invertebrates, fish, small sharks like catsharks and shysharks, a couple of historic 19th-century wrecks, the possibility of whales and dolphins from June to November, and the occasional mantas, turtles, and ragged-tooth sharks.  There is also a place called Shark Island about 10 minutes from the dock where great white sharks often congregate for feeding.

One dive shop runs regular baited cage diving tours there much like the ones in Gansbaai where chumming and baited lines are used to lure them to the cage mounted to the boat at the surface.  Again, participants may decide to remain outside the cage on deck.  No diving certification is required to get in the enclosure.

Aside from cage diving, there are dive sites and conditions suitable for all levels of diver.  The dive shops are fully equipped to provide a range of training, equipment rental, guiding and boat tours.

• Seasons and Conditions – Diving is possible all year in Mossel Bay.  The best time for great whites is from April through November but some are always in the Bay.
• Average daily air temperature highs range from 17°C (63°F) in August and September to 23°C (73°F) in January and February.
• Water temperature lows reach 15°C (59°F) in July and highs in January of 22°C (63°F).  Most divers will want a 5-7mm wetsuit when the water is warmest and a drysuit with hood and gloves when it is at its coolest.
• It is relatively dry with low rainfall year-round and rain is not often a factor in the diving.
• Inside the bay, currents are usually mild.  At deeper sites, it may be strong on occasion.
• Visibility is variable and has a range of 4-30 meters (12-100 feet).

All diving is done from shore or small to medium-sized boats on half-day and day trips.  No liveaboards are possible.

• Mossel Bay Lodging Options

For my full review on shark diving in Mossel Bay, please check out this post:

• Shark Diving in Mossel Bay South Africa

False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa

False Bay is a large body of water just to the southeast of downtown Cape Town.  There is a lot of interesting diving there with rocky terrain on the west side and sandier bottoms on the east side.  Lots of good sites are not far from shore on the west side with a nice array of cool water corals, sponges, kelp, and other invertebrates to go with a large variety of colorful fish and major attractions including catsharks, pyjama sharks, gully sharks, seven-gill sharks, a number of wrecks, resident African penguins near Simon’s Town, and a massive colony of Cape fur seals numbering 60,000 on Seal Island in the north-central portion of False Bay.  A number of operators run shark cage dives, a few outside of the bay, but many near Seal Island where the great whites congregate for feeding.

The conditions are very similar to those of the other two South African shark cage regions with chumming, baiting, and divers on the surface within the cage attached to the boat.

The dive shops are fully equipped to provide a range of training, equipment rental, guiding and boat tours.

In the last several years, news reports indicate white shark sightings in False Bay are way down.  Let’s hope it is not permanent.  You can see from the video above published on July 10, 2019, that there was a fair number on that cruise.   This article indicates something else:  Something Fishy in False Bay as Great White Sharks Disappear 

• Seasons and Conditions – Diving is possible all year in False Bay with the possibility of great whites historically best from October through March.
• Average daily air temperatures are mild with highs in February at 26.5°C (79.7°F) and lows in July 17.5°C (63.5°F).
• The water temperature range is 12-16°C (53.6-60.8°F) on the surface but can be 1-3°C cooler at depth.  A 7mm wetsuit, hood, and gloves may suffice for some, but a drysuit is the best bet.
• Rainfall is only 515 mm (20 inches) per year and not often a factor in diving.
• Inside the bay, the current is not much of a factor.
• Visibility is variable from season to season.  With northeasterly winds in winter, the visibility is often from 5-10 meters (16-35 feet) but can extend to 20 meters (68 feet) or beyond.  During the summer, southeasterly winds can result in some surface chop and decrease visibility to less than 5 meters (16 feet).  At the same time, the dirty surface water on the east side can be blown out actually creating better visibility there.

All diving is done from shore or small to medium-sized boats on half-day and day trips.  No liveaboards are possible.

• Cape Town Lodging Options

For my full review of scuba diving in Cape Town, please check out this post:

• Scuba Diving Cape Town South Africa

Guadalupe Island, Mexico

Located 265 kilometers (165 miles) off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico, Guadalupe Island is accessible on 5-6 day liveaboard cruises from August through October before the rains start.  The 18-hour trip puts you on a site rich with tuna, Guadalupe fur seals, and sea lions, all of which attract large numbers of great white sharks looking for feeding opportunities.

The liveaboard yachts are well-equipped for diving and photography and run a very professional and full-service operation.  Each vessel has several cages with air supplied from the surface through hoses or with tanks.  Some cages remain at the surface and there is the possibility of non-certified divers in those.  Other cages are submersible and in some cases, it is even possible to leave the cage with only a rail between diver and sharks.

In the off-season, these liveaboard yachts do safaris to the Socorro Islands.

• Seasons and Conditions – The shark cage tours only happen from August through October.
• Water temperature at that time is in a range from 19°C to 22°C (66°F to 72°F).   Divers will likely be most comfortable in 7mm wetsuits or drysuits with hood and gloves.
• The rainy season begins in October toward the end of these cruises.
• Visibility is typically 30-45 meters (100-150 feet), great for photography.

For my review of Guadalupe cage diving liveaboards, please check out this post:

• Guadalupe Island Shark Diving

For pricing and details on the liveaboard yachts that do shark cage diving on Guadalupe Island and cruise to the Socorro Islands in the off-season, please check out these links:

• Nautilus Belle Amie
• Nautilus Explorer
• Nautilus Under Sea
• MV Solmar V
• Socorro Aggressor
• Socorro Vortex

Neptune Islands, Australia

The 4 Neptune Islands are in the mouth of the Spencer Gulf off Port Lincoln, South Australia.  They are the home of albatross, rock parrots, sea eagles, sea lions, and Australia’s largest fur seal colony.  The great whites are around all year with females which are larger arriving from April to August when they have the opportunity to feast on recently born seal pups.

The Princess II is a 23-meter vessel accommodating a maximum of 12 guests that runs 2-5 day cruises year-round.  Two-day trips typically are for non-certified divers who use surface cages.  The 3-5 day tours include the possibility of floor cages for certified divers only.  Floor dives have average depths of around 18 meters (60 feet).

• Seasons and Conditions – Liveaboards run year-round with the peak time for sharks from April to August when the females arrive.
• The water temperature range is 14-22°C (57-72°F).  7mm wetsuits or drysuits with hood and gloves are recommended.
• Visibility is great at more than 20 meters (68 feet) at the surface and on the ocean floor, great for photography.

For pricing and details for the Princess II, the only yacht diving on the Neptune Islands, please check out this link:

• Princess II

Cold Water Gear

For my reviews of cold water scuba equipment, please check out this post:

• Best Cold Water Scuba Diving Equipment

Photography on Great White Shark Tours

With the interesting close-up shots of sharks and attractive seascapes, as well, there are excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on great white shark tours interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

This is the one hundred and eighty-sixth in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Gansbaai, South Africa. In addition to this series on diving destinations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Gansbaai before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Shark Cage Diving Gansbaai

Background – Gansbaai (Bay of Geese, in English) is in South Africa’s Western Cape Province 165 kilometers (103 miles) to the southeast of Cape Town on the southern shoreline.  Home to the Khoi people when westerners first arrived in the late 18^th century, the settlers followed the Khoi method of nomadic herding and farming initially.  Over time fishing and whaling developed as the main economic factors in the small settlement.  Today the population of over 12,000 is ethnically somewhat diverse with 53% speaking Afrikaans, 40% Xhosa, and 3% English as first languages.  English is taught in schools and widely used.  In 1995 great white shark cage diving started in Gansbaai and it is now often referred to as the “Great White Capital of the World”.  In addition, the southern right whale, huge colonies of African penguins and fur seals, and several species of dolphins are major tourist attractions.  Whaling is now outlawed but fishing is still an economic driver, as well as tourism.  Visitors love the variety of habitats on the Danger Point Peninsula for birds and mammals including six antelope species, with indigenous forests, hills, mountain peaks, and small rivers to explore in addition to the marine environment.

For further demographic, historic, and cultural information, please check Wikipedia-Gansbaai.

Undersea World – Dyer Island just 8 kilometers (5 miles) offshore from Gansbaai to the southeast, is the home to 5,000 African penguins.  Just a few hundred meters to the south of there, 60,000 fur seals use Geyser Rock as their base.  The channel between the two is known as shark alley for the great whites that frequent the area year-round but are especially numerous between April and September looking for a meal of those two species.  Considered the most reliable location in the world to see great whites, numerous charters are busy taking snorkelers and divers to that area to observe them from surface cages attached to the boat or from the deck.  The area is chummed and usually, the great whites appear within minutes.  Individuals are lured right up to the cage with baited lines such that they literally bump into it on occasion in an attempt to snag the bait.  The operators are known for their eco-awareness and the training and preparation they provide for participants.

Cape gannets and Cape cormorants are also residents of Dyer Island and southern right whales are common in the area from June to December.

Currently one of the operators also runs a mako and blue shark open water safari.  Their 11-meter catamaran makes a 2-hour journey 50-70 kilometers (31-44 miles) out into the open sea from the Dyer Island area.  The water is chummed and divers accompany a guide into 5-10 meters (16-33 feet) of water and watch for the cruising oceanic makos and blue sharks.  Frequently penguins, dolphins, fur seals, and whales are seen on the journey out as an added attraction.  The operator insists on an open water diver certification to participate.

Seasons and Conditions – Shark cage diving is possible year-round in Gansbaai.  The best time is from April through September when feeding patterns more consistently bring them to the Shark Alley site.

• Air temperature average daily highs range from 18°C (64°F) from June through September to 23°C (73°F) in January and February.
• The water temperature runs from 14-16°C (57-60°F) from April through September to highs from October to March of 18-20°C (64-68°F).  Outfitters will make sure you have adequate thermal protection.
• Rainfall is low all year and it rarely is a factor influencing diving.
• Currents are generally mild to non-existent in the Shark Alley site.
• Visibility is typically 5-10 meters (16-33 feet).

The cage diving is done at the surface and is offered to divers and non-divers.  Dives on the mako and blue shark runs are guided dives in 5-10 meters (16-33 feet) of open water.  It is open to divers with a minimum of an open water certification.

For information on cold water scuba gear, please check my post:

• Best Cold Water Scuba Diving Equipment

Indian Ocean Liveaboards

None of the major liveaboard yachts travel to Gansbaai.  However, there are quite a few that cruise the relatively nearby Madagascar and Seychelles dive sites.  Please click here for my reviews:

• Best Diving Vacations – Madagascar Liveaboards
• Seychelles Best Scuba Diving Holidays

SY Sea Bird, Seychelles Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price & Details

MV Galatea, Madagascar Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price & Details

For my reviews of some other top Southwest Indian Ocean diving destinations, please check these posts:

• Shark Diving in Mossel Bay South Africa
• Scuba Diving Cape Town South Africa
• South Africa Scuba Diving Port Elizabeth
• Protea Banks Diving South Africa
• Aliwal Shoal Scuba Diving South Africa
• Diving Sodwana Bay South Africa
• Best Diving Mozambique Reviewed
• Scuba Diving Mombasa Kenya
• Zanzibar Scuba Diving Review
• Scuba Diving Mauritius Review
• Scuba Diving Reunion Island

Gansbaai Lodging, Transportation, and Dive Shops

• The closest major airport is Cape Town International which is the second-largest in the country with connections to some international destinations and to most domestic airports.  From there taxi, mini-bus, and bus services are available to deliver you directly to Gansbaai.  Car rental at the airport is probably the most convenient option.  Check with your hotel for the most current transit advice.  The drive from Cape Town typically takes two hours.
• In Gansbaai, taxi, shuttle, and transport services are available for transportation around the immediate region.

For further details on transportation and tourist information, please check Wikitravel-Gansbaai.

Lodging and Dive Shops – There are a dozen or more charters in operation in Gansbaai offering great white shark cage diving experiences and at least one doing the offshore mako and blue shark safaris.  All the necessary equipment is available through them.  The numerous lodging options in Gansbaai run from $27-$326 per night.  The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking for accommodations.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Gansbaai Lodging

Things to do in Gansbaai (aside from scuba diving)

The outdoor sights and activities are the main draw for Gansbaai but there is a cultural, food, and entertainment scene that also offers some interesting options.  Here is a shortlist of some of the highlights to look into:

Walker Bay Nature Reserve, Mountain Biking, Flower Valley Trust, De Uijlenes Tractor Rides, Guided Horse Trails, Guided Botanical Trails, Danger Point Lighthouse, Strandveld Museum, 4×4 Trails, Frauskraal Beach, Stanfords Bay, African Penguin and Bird Sanctuary, Dyer Island Cruises (Big 5 – Fur Seals, Great White Sharks, African Penguins, Dolphins, Southern Right Whales), Klipgat Caves, Platbos Forest Trails, Kleinbaai Tidal Pool, Seafood (Fish, Crayfish, Abilone), Baardies Food Wine Art, Grootbos (Restaurant), Benguela (Restaurant), BBlonds Restaurant, Blue Goose Restaurant, Ciro’s Restaurant, Golf, Owl’s Pub, Nightlife & Music.

Here are a couple of short videos that provide a small taste of what you can find in Gansbaai.

Photography in Gansbaai

With the interesting wildlife, landscapes, and other scenic natural and historical sites, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Gansbaai shark cage diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

This photo of White Shark Africa is courtesy of TripAdvisor

This is the one hundred and eighty-fifth in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Mossel Bay, South Africa. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Mossel Bay before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Shark Diving in Mossel Bay

Background – On the Southern Cape, also known as the Garden Route, Mossel Bay is a medium-sized harbor city of 130,000 situated 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Cape Town and 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of Port Elizabeth.  With a mild climate and sandy beaches, it was the site of the first landing of the Europeans in South Africa when Bartolomeu Dias went ashore there in 1488.  The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch who erected the first permanent structures and later the British.  It has long been a fishing and farming area whose economy had a major boost with the discovery of offshore gas in 1969.  Today there is strong general commerce and developing tourism which is driving the economy along with gas refining and the aforementioned farming, fishing and harbor activities.  It is an ethnically mixed area with Afrikaans the first language of 57%, Xhosa of 31%, and English of 7%.

For further demographic, historic, and cultural information, please check Wikipedia-Mossel Bay.

Undersea World – From April through November when great white sharks are more common in the bay is the best time for baited shark cage diving.  At a site only 10 minutes from shore, chumming is used to attract them.  After chumming sharks usually arrive within a few minutes but can take hours with no guarantees.  Then baiting with a line on the surface is used to bring them close so people onboard can get a pretty good view without leaving the deck.  For those that want to get up close and take some photos, they can climb into the cage which is attached to the boat and mounted at the surface.  Check out the video below for a more graphic idea.

The reef dive sites in Mossel Bay are mostly pretty shallow with a nice diversity of terrain including overhangs, gullies, trenches, caverns, swim-throughs, and rocky formations.  On the reef and in the nooks and crannies are a number of attractive macro critters like anemones, crabs, lobster, ghost and long-snouted pipefish, nudibranchs, tunicates, feather worms, and octopus along with sea fans, basket stars, and many species of colorful sponges.  The latitude is such that there are some reef tropicals there with colder water fish.  Look for big schools of zebras and Hottentots, Cape Knifejaws, horsefish, two-tone fingerfins, rockcods, butterflyfish, and small sharks like leopard catsharks, and pyjama and puffadder shysharks.  Other attractions are the possibility of whales and dolphins between June and November, turtles, mantas, and ragged-tooth sharks.  In addition, there are two 19^th century wrecks, the Galera and the Santos.

Seasons and Conditions – Diving is possible year-round in Mossel Bay.  The best time for great white shark cage diving is from April through November.

• Air temperature average daily highs range from 17°C (63°F) in August and September to 23°C (73°F) in January and February.
• The water temperature ranges from 15°C (59°F) in July to highs in January of 22°C (63°F).  Most divers will want a 5-7mm wetsuit when the water is warmest and a drysuit with hood and gloves when it is at its coolest.
• Rainfall is low all year and it rarely is a factor influencing diving.
• Currents are generally mild on sites inside the bay.  Some of the deeper sites may also experience strong currents.
• Visibility can be poor at times and has a range of 4-30 meters (12-100 feet).

Generally, there are dive sites and conditions suitable for all levels of diver.  The dive shops are fully equipped to provide a range of training, equipment rental, guiding and boat tours.  One shop currently is doing the great white shark cage diving near Shark Island about 10 minutes from the dock.

For information on cold water scuba gear, please check my post:

• Best Cold Water Scuba Diving Equipment

Indian Ocean Liveaboards

None of the major liveaboard yachts travel to Mossel Bay.  However, there are quite a few that cruise the relatively nearby Madagascar and Seychelles dive sites.  Please click here for my reviews:

• Best Diving Vacations – Madagascar Liveaboards
• Seychelles Best Scuba Diving Holidays

SY Sea Bird, Seychelles Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price & Details

MV Galatea, Madagascar Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price & Details

For my reviews of some other top Southwest Indian Ocean diving destinations, please check these posts:

• Shark Cage Diving Gansbaai South Africa
• Scuba Diving Cape Town South Africa
• South Africa Scuba Diving Port Elizabeth
• Protea Banks Diving South Africa
• Aliwal Shoal Scuba Diving South Africa
• Diving Sodwana Bay South Africa
• Best Diving Mozambique Reviewed
• Scuba Diving Mombasa Kenya
• Zanzibar Scuba Diving Review
• Scuba Diving Mauritius Review
• Scuba Diving Reunion Island

Selected Mossel Bay Dive Sites

Santos Reef: 2-8 meters (6-25 feet), off the edge of a swimming beach, small walls with sea fans, feather worms, basket stars, sponges, schools of blacktail, Red Romans, octopus, and sand dollars, suitable for all levels

Santos Wreck: shallow site, 1874 ship that ran aground in a storm, mostly broken apart and covered in sand, the chain, mast, and anchor are still visible, suitable for all levels

Mitch’s Reef: 2-8 meters (6-25 feet), huge orange sponges, fields of seagrass, and big Red Romans are the main attractions, suitable for all levels

Phluffy Reef: 17 meters (56 feet), known for the nicest corals in the area, look for several species of sea fan, and basket stars, suitable for all levels

Dolosse: shallow shore entry site, coral-encrusted concrete structures supporting the harbor walls, look for crabs, crayfish, octopus, Cape Knifejaws, rockcods, butterflyfish, schools of blacktails and strepies, and long-snouted and ghost pipefish, shark feeding is also done to attract small leopard catsharks, and puffadder and pyjama shysharks, suitable for all levels

Sponge Reef: 22-25 meters (72-82 feet), good site for macro critters, suitable for experienced levels

Windvogel Reef: 33 meters (108 feet), a large colorful reef with a system of overhangs, crevices, canyons, and caverns, look for big schools of Hottentots and zebras, strong currents and surge are possible which can bring in pelagic fish, sharks, and seals, suitable for experienced levels

Mossel Bay Lodging, Transportation, and Dive Shops

• Plane – The closest major airport is George Airport (GRJ) 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of downtown Mossel Bay.  It has scheduled connections to Cape Town International Airport, Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, and Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport.  Taxi and transit service is available at the airport.
• Minibus taxi service is available to Cape Town and to points along the Garden Route.
• Car rental from a variety of name brand agencies is available online, at the airport, and in Mossel Bay.

For further details on transportation and tourist information, please check Wikivoyage-Mossel Bay.

Lodging and Dive Shops – There are a handful of dive centers in operation in Mossel Bay offering full services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding and boat dive cruises.   Currently, there is one specializing in great white shark cage diving.  The more than 70 lodging options in Mossel Bay run from $23-$122 per night.  The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking for accommodations.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Mossel Bay Lodging

Things to do in Mossel Bay (aside from scuba diving)

With a history of western contact dating to the fifteenth century, the natural scenic beauty, and outdoor sports and adventure activities, there is a lot to take in.  Here is a shortlist of some of the highlights to look into:

Parasailing, Tandem Skydiving, Pinnacle Point Golf Course, Sandboarding, Surfing, Hike St. Blaize Lighthouse and Oystercatcher Trails, Diaz Express Train Ride, Wine Tasting, Diaz Waterpark, Big 5 African Safari, Mountain Biking, Boat Ride to Seal Island, Mossel Bay Beach, Ocean Views from the cliffs in the southern part of town, Market at Hartenbos Beach, Bartholomeu Dias Museum Complex, Café Gannet, Carol Ann’s, Kaai 4 Braai Restaurant.

This short video gives a small taste of what awaits you in Mossel Bay.

Photography in Mossel Bay

With the interesting undersea terrain, beautiful corals, sponges, gorgonians, a variety of fish, sharks, and scenic natural and historical sites, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Mossel Bay scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:   >>comments<<

This photo of XTC Dive Center is courtesy of TripAdvisor

This is the one hundred and eighty-forth in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Banco Chinchorro, Mexico. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Banco Chinchorro before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Banco Chinchorro Diving Mexico

Background – Banco Chinchorro is the largest coral atoll in the Northern Hemisphere situated 35 kilometers (22 miles) offshore from the towns of Mahahual and Xcalak on the southwest Caribbean shoreline of the Banca Maya close to the Belize border.  It consists of three main islands and is 40 kilometers (25 miles) long and 16 kilometers (10 miles) wide at the widest.  Made part of a biosphere reserve in 1996 there are no permanent settlements, only quarters for government caretakers and a few stilt huts occupied by fishermen off the shoreline of the central island 60-100 meters (200-330 feet).  The shoreline is embraced by mangrove forests which give way to open woodland 20-30 meters (66-100 feet) inland.  The islands are home to a large number of land crabs with the occasional manatee and around 700 indigenous saltwater crocodiles in the shallows.

Mahahual was a pretty sleepy town of less than 600 that has been undergoing a metamorphosis and growth with the addition of a cruise liner terminal to the north of town.  The southern section still has a more rustic flavor catering to sun tourists and people interested in Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and the nearby Mayan Ruins, while in the north there are faster-paced attractions designed to catch the fancy of passengers of the large cruise liners that are often there two at a time.

Most of the dive shops with access to Banco Chinchorro are in Mahahual with one major shop in Xcalak, a smaller more completely traditional town to the south.

Undersea World – Part of the Meso American Barrier Reef system, the sites just offshore from Mahahual and Xcalak provide excellent scuba diving and snorkeling.  Especially in the Xcalak Reef National Park there are top sites with many attractions including tarpons and numerous manatees worth a special trip to dive sites like La Poza, Alejandros Reef, La Pozeta, Chiminea, and Poza Rica.

Both towns are gateways to the main attraction at the Biosphere Reserve of Banco Chinchorro, about an hour and a half away by dive boat.  Outside the shallow central lagoon, the fringing reef descends offering a diverse undersea terrain with unusually rich corals, including black corals at 9 meters (30 feet), huge barrel sponges, gorgonians, big sea fans, and other encrusting invertebrate life.  On the east side are 44 referenced historic wrecks, most of which met their fate in the wave break zone in 5 meters (16 feet) of water or less and thus have sustained a lot of deconstruction.  On the west side, conditions are smoother on the surface and there is diving suitable for all levels with a number of good sites for drift diving.

Aside from the saltwater crocs and occasional manatees in the shallows near the mangroves, major attraction include nurse sharks often found under ledges, in caverns, and swim-through, Caribbean reef sharks, southern and yellow-spotted stingrays, loggerhead, green, and hawksbill turtles, tarpon, whale sharks most prevalent in the summer months, dolphins, and pilot whales.   There is a rich variety of reef tropicals with beautiful French and queen angelfish, schools of grunts, snappers, and porkfish, big groupers, jacks, barracuda, and macro favorites like spiny lobsters, crabs, shrimps, moray eels, and conchs.

For my reviews of other regional diving on the Yucatan Peninsula in Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun, and Cozumel, please check out these posts:

• Scuba Diving Playa Del Carmen
• Scuba Diving Tulum Mexico
• Scuba Diving Cancun Mexico
• Cozumel Scuba Diving Review

Seasons and Conditions – Diving is possible all year in Banco Chinchorro.  Whale sharks are most prevalent from May to mid-September.

• Air temperature average daily highs range from 29°C (84°F) to 32°C 90°F).
• The water temperature in summer is 28-30°C (82-86°F).  In winter it can be a little cooler at 25-27°C (77-81°F).  A 3mm wetsuit will be sufficient for most divers when the water is at its coolest.
• The strongest rains come from June through October and that is also the season when there is a possibility of hurricanes.
• Currents are often present and can be strong at times.
• Visibility is pretty good in the 15-30 meter (50-100 foot) range.  The best is from May to mid-September.

There are sites suitable for all levels of diver.  A handful of dive shops are operating in Mahahual and only one in Xcalak, some associated with hotels, that offer a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises to local sites and to Banco Chinchorro.

Liveaboards

There are not any liveaboard yachts diving at Banco Chinchorro, however, there are several world-class dive safaris to relatively nearby Belize, Roatan, and the Caymans.  Here are links to the vessels followed by my reviews of diving and liveaboards at Caribbean destinations including these three:

Belize Aggressor IV, Belize Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

Belize Aggressor III, Belize Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

Roatan Aggressor, Roatan Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

Cayman Aggressor V, Cayman Island Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

• Best Dive Trips to Belize & Cocos Island Liveaboards
• Best Roatan Honduras Liveaboard Reviews
• Scuba Diving Roatan Honduras
• Best Diving Cayman Islands
• Best Caribbean Liveaboard Dive Trips (several locations)
• Scuba Diving Ambergris Caye Belize
• Best Guadeloupe Scuba Diving
• Anguilla Scuba Diving
• Scuba Diving in Antigua and Barbuda
• Scuba Diving Cuba Best Dive Sites Cuba
• Best Cuba Scuba Diving Liveaboard Jardines de la Reina
• Scuba Diving the Dominican Republic
• Best Scuba Diving Panama
• Best Scuba Diving Puerto Rico
• Scuba Diving St Vincent and the Grenadines Review
• St. Lucia Scuba Diving Review
• St. Martin Scuba Diving Review
• Turks and Caicos Scuba Diving Review
• Best US Virgin Islands Vacations Scuba Diving
• Best Trinidad and Tobago Vacations Scuba Diving
• Best Caribbean Beach Vacations Curacao Scuba Diving
• Best Caribbean Diving Destinations Aruba
• Best Caribbean Dive Vacations Bonaire
• Best Tropical Island Vacations Dominica Scuba Diving
• Best Caribbean Scuba Diving Los Roques Venezuela
• Barbados Scuba Dive Vacations
• Grenada Scuba Diving Review
• Best Scuba Diving Caribbean – Martinique
• Best British Virgin Island Diving Liveaboard
• Best Bahamas Liveaboard Scuba Vacations

Selected Banco Chinchorro Dive Sites

The Garden: 18-24 meters (60-80 feet), northwest of Cayo Centro, rich soft corals and sponges, invertebrates and reef tropicals in the fringing reef and a patch reef, suitable for all levels

Punta Gonzalez: 15-30 meters (50-100 feet), to the southwest of Cayo Centro, numerous large sponges and gorgonians, highlights include lobsters, turtles, and eagle rays, current is common, suitable for experienced levels

La Boya: 10-30 meters (33-100 feet), a reef wall slopes from a sandy flat with rich hard and soft corals to another sandy flat with elephant ear and barrel sponges, and yellow tube sponges, look for macro critters like squat lobsters, and arrow crabs, southern stingrays can be found in the sand, with eagle rays cruising above, suitable for experienced levels

40 Cannons (Cuarenta Canones):  3-4 meters (10-12 feet), to the north of Cayo Centro, many artifacts including numerous brass cannons up to 3 meters (10 feet) long, and a large cast-iron anchor, speculation is that it is a pirate ship or Dutch wreck from the 17^th century, lots of corals and marine life with queen and French angelfish, little current, great for photography, suitable for all levels and snorkelers

Far Star Wreck:  8 meters (25 feet), on the southern tip, 1970s steel-hulled cargo ship with a load of sugar that ran aground on a spur and groove reef, debris is scattered over the reef including winches, generators, a diesel engine, steel plating, and smokestacks all identifiable, well encrusted with fire, elkhorn, and brain corals, excellent habitat for blue tangs, triggerfish, and barracuda, occasional strong currents also increase the chance of seeing nurse, Caribbean reef, blacktip reef, bull, hammerhead, and tiger sharks, suitable for all levels

Banco Chinchorro Resorts, Transportation, and Dive Shops

• Air – The most common entry point is Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Cancun which connects to 20 destinations within Mexico and 30 countries.  From the airport, an ADO bus departs every 30 minutes to one hour for Playa del Carmen and points south toward Mahahual.  The trip takes about 4 hours.
• Car rental is probably the most convenient means of travel available at the airport and bookable online.
• From the port in Mahahual and at many points in town you can book organized tours to a variety of sites around Costa Maya.

For further details on transportation and tourist information, please check Wikivoyage-Mahahual.

Lodging and Dive Shops – Currently there is one dive center in operation in Xcalak, and several in Mahahual offering full services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding and boat dive cruises for local sites and to Banco Chinchorro.  The lodging options in Mahahual and Xcalak run from $29-$128 per night.  The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking for accommodations.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Banco Chinchorro Lodging

Things to do near Banco Chinchorro (aside from scuba diving)

The village of Mahahual went from a sleepy fishing village to a minor tourist destination with the installation of the cruise port.  Today aside from the seaside and beach activities, the natural beauty of the countryside, and Mayan ruins, more facilities in the food and entertainment arena have been developed to accommodate the greater mass of customers when there is a ship in port.  Here is a shortlist of some of the highlights to look into:

Mahahual Beach, Rent a Bike, Water Sports – Kayaking, Canoeing, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Snorkeling, and Jetskiing, Stroll the Malecon, Fishing, Bird Watching at Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Sunrise at the Lighthouse, Beach Clubs, Mayan Ruins – Chacchoben, Kohunlich, Dzibanche, and Kinichna, Maya Water Park, Massage on the Beach, Camping, Restaurants & Food – El Primo, Nohoch Kay (seafood), Tukano (cocktails), Suluman (seafood), Pizza Papi, Panaderia La Tartaleta, Fernando’s 100% Agave.

This short video is a brief introduction to what’s in store for you in Mahahual.

Photography in Playa del Carmen

With the interesting undersea terrain, beautiful hard and soft corals, sea fans, a variety of fish, turtles, rays, sharks, scenic beaches, forests, and Mayan ruins, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Banco Chinchorro scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:   >>comments<<

This is the one hundred and eighty-third in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Playa del Carmen, Mexico. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Playa del Carmen before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving Playa Del Carmen Mexico

Background – Playa del Carmen is located on the Riviera Maya coast of the Yucatan Peninsula 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Cancun, 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of the island of Cozumel, and 65 kilometers (41 miles) north up the coastline from Tulum.  Originally a fishing town, it developed traffic as a ferry port for trips to Cancun, the regional scuba diving and resort colossus.  Recent growth has been fast with a lot of investment in luxury condos, restaurants, and entertainment venues.  With a more relaxed atmosphere than Cozumel or Cancun, today it is a major tourist destination with a population of over 250,000.  It is the home of the Mayakoba Golf Classic, a top-level stop on the PGA Tour as a FedEx Cup golf tournament and the setting for several popular TV shows.  The coastal location in the middle of the Riviera Maya makes it a good base from which to tour and enjoy the Mayan ruins, cenotes, and other natural attractions of the Yucatan.

For additional demographic, historic, and cultural information, please check Wikipedia-Playa del Carmen.

Underwater World – The centralized location on the Riviera Maya of Playa del Carmen gives divers access to a nice variety of reef and wreck dives very close by just offshore.  Along the coastline both to the north and south are many outstanding sites like Banco Chinchorro possible on day trips, as well as the Cozumel sites 30 minutes to an hour away to the east.  In addition, most of the top cenotes require only a short drive to get to.

For my reviews of diving in Tulum, Cancun, and Cozumel, please check out these posts:

• Scuba Diving Tulum Mexico
• Scuba Diving Cancun Mexico
• Cozumel Scuba Diving Review

The nearby local sites are mostly on the rich fringing reef with more than two dozen coral species consisting of sea fans, gorgonians, and hard and soft corals along with colorful vase and tube sponges.  There are crevices, canyons, swim-throughs, and caverns with limestone outcrops and sandy bottoms.  Megafauna highlights that Playa del Carmen is famous for are bull sharks that reliably come from November through March, whale sharks from May to mid-September, and green and loggerhead turtles that nest from May through September.  Otherwise, macro photographers will enjoy the crabs, shrimps, morays, seahorses, octopus, spiny lobsters, and many others in the nooks and crannies.  500 or more species of fish are reef residents like butterflyfish, angelfish, sergeant majors, parrotfish, trumpetfish, surgeonfish, porkfish, grunts, snappers, batfish, Caribbean reef and nurse sharks, huge southern stingrays, marble rays, eagle rays, groupers, and tarpon.

Of the 6,000 cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula, 9 of the world’s best for scuba diving are within a driving range of an hour or two from Playa del Carmen.  Unmatched anywhere, they offer spectacular chambers of stalagmite and stalactite formations, intricate passageways, historical remains, wildlife, and unusually clear water.

Seasons and Conditions – Diving is possible all year in the Playa del Carmen area.  December through April is the busiest time.  Early booking is advised.  Whale sharks are most prevalent from May to mid-September and bull sharks from November through March.

• Air temperature average daily highs range from 28°C (82°F) to 33°C (91°F).
• The water temperature in summer is 28-30°C (82-86°F).  In winter it can be a little cooler at
• 25-27°C (77-81°F).  A 3mm wetsuit will be sufficient for most divers when the water is at its coolest.  The cenotes can be much cooler in the 20-26°C (68-78°F) range.
• The strongest rains come from June through October with 10-16 days of rain per month during that time frame.  This is also the season when there is a possibility of hurricanes.
• Currents are often present on marine dives and can be strong at times.
• Visibility is pretty good in the 15-30 meter (50-100 foot) range.  The best is from May to mid-September.

There are sites suitable for all levels of diver.  Over 60 dive shops operate in Playa del Carmen, some associated with hotels, that offer a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.  Some of the shops specialize in services provided but overall they can offer local ocean dives, trips to sites along the Riviera Maya and Cozumel, and to the top cenotes in the region.

Liveaboards

There are not any liveaboard yachts diving at Playa del Carmen, however, there are several world-class dive safaris to relatively nearby Belize, Roatan, and the Caymans.  Here are links to the vessels followed by my reviews of diving and liveaboards at Caribbean destinations including these three:

Belize Aggressor IV, Belize Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

Belize Aggressor III, Belize Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

Roatan Aggressor, Roatan Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

Cayman Aggressor V, Cayman Island Liveaboard Cruise – Check the Price & Details

• Best Dive Trips to Belize & Cocos Island Liveaboards
• Best Roatan Honduras Liveaboard Reviews
• Scuba Diving Roatan Honduras
• Best Diving Cayman Islands
• Best Caribbean Liveaboard Dive Trips (several locations)
• Scuba Diving Ambergris Caye Belize
• Best Guadeloupe Scuba Diving
• Anguilla Scuba Diving
• Scuba Diving in Antigua and Barbuda
• Scuba Diving Cuba Best Dive Sites Cuba
• Best Cuba Scuba Diving Liveaboard Jardines de la Reina
• Scuba Diving the Dominican Republic
• Best Scuba Diving Panama
• Best Scuba Diving Puerto Rico
• Scuba Diving St Vincent and the Grenadines Review
• St. Lucia Scuba Diving Review
• St. Martin Scuba Diving Review
• Turks and Caicos Scuba Diving Review
• Best US Virgin Islands Vacations Scuba Diving
• Best Trinidad and Tobago Vacations Scuba Diving
• Best Caribbean Beach Vacations Curacao Scuba Diving
• Best Caribbean Diving Destinations Aruba
• Best Caribbean Dive Vacations Bonaire
• Best Tropical Island Vacations Dominica Scuba Diving
• Best Caribbean Scuba Diving Los Roques Venezuela
• Barbados Scuba Dive Vacations
• Grenada Scuba Diving Review
• Best Scuba Diving Caribbean – Martinique
• Best British Virgin Island Diving Liveaboard
• Best Bahamas Liveaboard Scuba Vacations

Selected Playa del Carmen Dive Sites

Marine Sites

• Sabalos (Tarpon): 15 meters (50 feet), 10 minutes away by boat, rich hard and soft corals, sloping walls, with small caverns, and sand bottoms, schools of grunts and snappers, green and leopard moray eels, tarpon schools are possible, mild current, suitable for all levels (check out the video at the top)
• Pared Verde: 20-30 meters (68-100 feet), 25-minute boat ride to the south, walls with rich corals, sea fans, and sponges, look for crabs, spiny lobsters, moray eels, lots of reef tropicals, stingrays, sharks, and turtles, current is possible, usually dived as a drift, look for a cavern with a chimney to the top of the reef, suitable for experienced levels
• Punta Venado: 25-35 meters (82-115 feet), southernmost local site, rich in colorful sponges, and hard and soft corals, mild sloping bottom, look for schools of reef tropicals, moray eels, rays, and turtles, special site to reliably encounter numerous bull sharks in the winter season, moderate to strong current is possible, suitable for experienced levels
• Los Arcos: 35 meters (115 feet) maximum depth, northern site, deep swim-through arches encrusted with sponges, sea fans, and hard corals, look for spiny lobsters, crabs, shrimps, and morays in the nooks and crannies, in sandy areas attractions are turtles, groupers, and stingrays, strong current possible, suitable for advanced levels
• Mama Viña Wreck: 28 meters (90 feet), southern site, shrimp boat scuttled to become an artificial reef in 1995, resting upright on a sand bottom, well encrusted with invertebrate growth, rich corals, look for a big school of resident barracuda around the mast, penetration possible into lower decks and rooms, the propeller is in place, strong current is possible, suitable for advanced levels
• Jardines: 6-12 meters (20-40 feet), 5 minutes from the marina, rich coral marinescape with a small wall, expect moray eels and lots of reef fish like angelfish, butterflyfish, sergeant majors, grunts, and many others, bull sharks are possible in winter, currents are usually mild, suitable for all levels
• Tortugas:  18-40 meters (60-130 feet), 15 minutes from the marina to the southeast, can be dove shallow or deep, lots of sponges and corals, highlights are crustaceans, angelfish, nurse sharks, groupers, tarpons, and many none too shy turtles, current normally runs south to north, suitable for experienced to advanced levels

Cenotes

• Chac Mool Cenote:  12 meters (40 feet) maximum depth, three water entrances to the Chac Mool System, most of the dive is dark requiring a torch, no open water is overhead for much of the dive, through the main entrance is a large dome room with ambient light where divers can surface and find fossils and stalactites, water temperature 24-25°C (75-77°F), suitable for advanced and technical levels
• Kukulkan Cenote: 15 meters (50 feet) maximum depth, part of the Chac Mool system, lots of sunlight creates beautiful visual effects, formed from pure white limestone, many open areas, fossils, and stalactites are visible, excellent visibility from 25-30 meters (82-100 feet), water temperature usually around 26°C (78°F), suitable for experienced levels (check out the video above)
• Dos Ojos (Two Eyes):  8-10 meters (24-40 feet), two cenotes connected making one of the ten largest cave systems in the world, worth two or more dives, not completely explored with expeditions to only 61 kilometers (38 miles) of passageways, two main sections, one called Barbie with lots of light, the other called Bat Cavern which is dark with lots of bats, many stalactites and stalagmites, limestone caves, and sinkholes, several fish species and freshwater shrimp, average water temperature is 24°C (77°F), suitable for all levels

Playa del Carmen Resorts, Transportation, and Dive Shops

• Air – Playa del Carmen has a small airport.  There is also an international airport on Cozumel that requires you to catch a ferry in order to reach Playa del Carmen.  Generally, the cheapest and most convenient airport is Cancun International Airport (CUN) which connects to 30 countries and 20 destinations within Mexico.
• Bus – From the Cancun Airport, an ADO bus departs every 30 minutes to 1 hour for Playa del Carmen.  Travel time is 45 minutes to one hour.
• Rental cars are a convenient option available at the airport and in town from major agencies, especially at the north end of 5th Avenue.
• Hotels can often arrange airport transfers.  Private companies are available for this, as well.  Check with your hotel, online, and at Wikitravel.
• Taxis in Playa del Carmen are unmetered but reasonably priced based on rates from zone to zone.  Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) is a pedestrian-only zone with taxis available at major intersections for travel away from there.
• Boats to Cozumel are available from at least two companies with hourly departures for a journey of 30 minutes one way.
• Several levels of buses are available for regional trips.  There is a scheduled public bus service to most destinations.  Reasonably priced First-class ADO buses leave every hour for many major tourist destinations.  Second class Mayab buses travel along the highway to Tulum, making stops along the way.  Colectivo shared vans are a popular government-regulated alternative traveling along the coast between Cancun and Tulum.  Pricing is reasonable and they will drop you off along the route as needed but no door to door service is offered.  Organized bus tours are also available from many companies for trips to a variety of tourist destinations.

For further details on transportation and tourist information, please check Wikitravel-Playa del Carmen.

Lodging and Dive Shops – There are more than 60 dive shops in the Playa del Carment area that offer full services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding and boat dive cruises.  Some can make trips to more distant locations along Riviera Maya and Cancun and also dive the top-rated local cenotes.  There are more than 1,000 lodging options starting at $24 some of which are associated with the dive shops.  The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking for the lodging.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Playa del Carmen Lodging

Things to do in Playa del Carmen (aside from scuba diving)

Playa del Carmen is the major tourism center along the beach of the Riviera Maya offering a full package of attractions and activities whether it be nightlife, food, and shopping, the beach and water sports, beautiful natural sites, or archaeological ruins.  Here is a shortlist of some of the highlights to look into:

Sailing, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Jet Skiing, Parasailing, Jungle Buggy Tours, Golf, Xcaret, Xplor, and Xel Natural and Adventure Parks, Frida Kahlo Museum, 3D Museum of Wonders, Local Beaches – Mamitas, Playacar, Punta Esmeralda, Beach Day Trips, Xpuha, Xcacel, Nearby Cenotes, Mayan Ruins – Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza, Swim with turtles at Akumal Beach, Boat to Cozumel, Parque Fundadores, Rio Secreto Cave Tour, Taco Tour – El Gogon, Don Sirloin, Alux Cave Restaurant, Nightlife – Mandala, La Vaquita, Coco Bongo, Salsa Dancing at Zenzi, Quinta Avenida (5^th Avenue) Shopping and Nightlife.

This short video is a very brief introduction to what awaits you in Playa del Carmen.

Photography in Playa del Carmen

With the interesting undersea terrain, cenotes, beautiful hard and soft corals, sea fans, a variety of fish, turtles, rays, sharks, scenic beaches, forests, and Mayan ruins, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Playa del Carmen scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:   >>comments<<