FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


Which airport is closest to you?





Cancun’s International Airport (CUN) is usually the best option to arrive at our “Cenote Land”! It is easy to get a flight virtually every day from any major city in the USA, Canada, Europe, South America and even from Australia and Asia.


Our diving areas are about one hour and a half south of Cancun’s airport.


The Riviera Maya (the area south of Cancun that starts at Puerto Morelos and ends at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere) has been developing in the sectors of tourism, communications, and transportation, mainly in terms of roads and highways, what makes renting a car the ideal option giving you freedom and mobility during your visit.


Along the coast runs Highway 307 (4 lane road) from Cancun to the city of Chetumal, close to the Belize border. All major cities/towns (Playa del Carmen, Akumal, and Tulum) are located along the Highway.


Car rentals are accessible for almost any budget. We recommend doing an Internet search to get the best deals of any season ahead of time.


Also, during the day, transportation by public “colectivo” (white mini vans) is easily accessible along Highway 307.


Taxis are also available all the time.



Where is your dive center located and what are your working hours?





Dive Cenotes Mexico (DCM) is located in Akumal Pueblo (on the town side of Akumal) which is about one and a half hours south of Cancun /

30 minutes south of Playa del Carmen / 30 minutes north of Tulum.


DCM does not have permanent working hours. As we only manage small groups of divers our dive center is not open to the public during the day but is used mainly as our technical training center and to meet with divers holding a confirmed reservation to prepare them for their dives.



Where do we meet?





Our meeting point is at our dive shop in Akumal Pueblo.


However, depending on where you are staying and which cenote you will be diving, we will arrange our meeting point in a way so it will be most convenient for you to get there.


For example, if you are booked to dive Cenotes Dos Ojos the best meeting point will be at our dive shop in Akumal Pueblo if you are staying in the northern area (Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, etc.). But if you are staying in the southern area (Tulum) then we will arrange our meeting point directly at the ticket counter at the entrance of the Cenotes Dos Ojos Park which is easy to get to by rental car, taxi, or public “colectivo” (white mini vans) which run along the Highway 307.



Can you pick us up in our hotel?





We are not providing hotel pick-up services due to an agreement between the taxi and the diver unions but we provide transportation from our dive center, or arranged meeting point, to the dive sites and back.



What is the best way to get to your dive center or meeting point?





If you do not have a rental car the easiest way to get to our dive center in Akumal Pueblo or meeting point is either by taxi or public “colectivo” (white mini vans) which run along the Highway 307. For your information, the colectivo system works very well in this area, is safe, and only costs a few dollars. You just have to tell the driver where you want to get out and pay when you get off the colectivo.


If you are planning to take a taxi there are taxis available in front of most hotels. Just make sure to agree on a fare before getting into the taxi.


If you are planning to take a colectivo, in Playa del Carmen there is a Colectivo Terminal on Calle (Street) 2nd between 15th and 20th Avenues. If you are staying in the town of Tulum you can easily flag down a colectivo directly on the Highway. However, if your hotel is along the beach you will have to make your way up to the Highway.


If you are coming from Cancun we recommend to rent a car.




Can I dive in a cenote with my Open Water Diver certification?





Yes, you can! In fact, if you are a certified diver we highly recommend to dive in our mesmerizing cenotes while visiting the Riviera Maya! The reefs along the coast are okay but nothing to compare with the ones you find in nearby Cozumel. What is unique to this area is our underwater world in the cenotes. So diving in the Riviera Maya without exploring our cenotes would be like visiting Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower!


With your open water diver certification, basic, one star, or any equivalent first level certification we can show you many of our spectacular cenotes as long as you can show us proof of certification and that you have dived within one year.


If you have not been diving over a year we will require that you first complete a Refresher before we will be able to take you into the overhead environment.



I am a certified diver but have not dived in a while. Can I dive in a cenote?





If you have not dived within one year we require that you take a Refresher before we will be able to take you into the overhead environment. This is for your own safety as well as for the conservation of our very delicate cenotes which require total buoyancy control.


You can do a Refresher before coming to Mexico or do a Refresher here with us depending on the availability of an Instructor.


We can offer a Refresher in the open water area of a beautiful and uniq1ue cenote followed immediately by a cenote cavern dive.


The whole experience takes about 5 hours.




My spouse/friend does not dive can s/he join me?





Your spouse/friend is very welcome to join you.


Our guides are allowed to take a maximum of four divers. So divers have priority in the car.


However, if the group is not full your partner is more than welcome to join the group and ride along in the car. If the group is full your partner can follow our guide either in a taxi or with a rental car.


Not all of our dive sites are suitable for snorkeling. Cenotes for snorkeling are Chikin Ha, Dos Ojos, Casa Cenote, Cenote Eden. Cenote entrance fees are paid directly at the entrance of the cenotes and do not include snorkeling gear or guide.



Can I dive a deep cenote with my Open Water Diver certification?





As an Open Water Diver your maximum allowed depth is 18m/60ft which will allow you to discover many of our mesmerizing cenotes.


However, you will not be allowed to dive in our deeper cenotes such as The Pit and Angelita, which require a minimum of an Advanced Open Water Diver certification or Deep Diver Specialty.




We are staying in Cozumel but would like to dive in the cenotes for a day. What is the best way to get to you?





If you are staying in Cozumel you will first have to take the Ferry from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen and then continue either by taxi or public "colectivo". For your information, the colectivo system works very well in this area, is safe, and only costs a few dollars. You just have to tell the driver where you want to get out and pay when you get off the colectivo.


We recommend to check the ferry schedules (ferry companies: Ultramar ; Winjet ) as departure times might change though ferries are crossing almost every hour year round. Also, click on the link to read more about How to take a Ferry from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen.


If you are planning to take a Taxi from Playa del Carmen to Akumal Pueblo:

Taxis are available as you exit the ferry dock. The most important is to agree on a fare before getting into the taxi. To Akumal Pueblo, most of the drivers charge about 550-600 pesos each way. Some drivers also offer to stay with you for the duration of your dives for about 650 pesos each way.


If you are planning to take a public “colectivo” from Playa del Carmen to Akumal Pueblo:

Once you have arrived in Playa del Carmen you can easily walk from the ferry dock to the colectivo terminal which is about a 10 minutes walk (located on Calle (Street) 2nd between 15th and 20th Avenues).

Colectivos are departing from the terminal constantly. Although lines might sometimes seem long you should not expect a long wait to get into one. From the ferry dock in Playa del Carmen it will take you about 45 minutes to get to Akumal Pueblo.



I have never dived but would like to give it a try! Can I do a Discover Scuba Diver (DSD) experience in the cenotes?





Yes, you can do a Discover Scuba Diver (DSD) experience in one of the cenotes depending on the availability of an Instructor.


We perform the DSD in the open water area of a very beautiful and unique cenote. We start with the theoretical part on land followed by a short underwater skills session. As soon as you can manage the learned skills we will take you on a dive in the open water area of the cenote.


The whole experience takes about 4 hours.



What is included in your diving price?





Our diving rates include a professional guide (maximum four divers per guide), tanks, weight, water, and transportation from our dive shop, or meeting point, to the dive site and back.


Not included in our diving price are equipment and light and cenote entrance fees.



Can I pay with Credit Card?





We do not accept credit cards! Only deposits can be made via Pay Pal payment to confirm your reservation.


The balance will be due in cash on the day of diving either in dollars, pesos, or euros.



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© 2023 Dive Cenotes Mexico


Av. Gonzalo Guerrero, Akumal, 77780, Quintana Roo, Mexico


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