Playa del Carmen sits on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, on the Caribbean Sea. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can dive in a cenote, explore a reef and visit a wreck.
The seabed is varied and in very good condition. You’ll come across turtles, eagle rays and lots of tropical fish all year round.
But what really draws divers from all over the world are the female bull sharks that come back every year between November and March. Farther offshore, you can also spot Atlantic sailfish, or whale sharks in the summer.
When to Dive in Playa del Carmen
The good news is that you can dive in Playa del Carmen all year round. The water temperature ranges from 77 to 82 °F (25 to 28 °C) depending on the season, with a slight cool-down in winter that stays very comfortable.
Each season has its highlights:
→ From November to March, the bull sharks steal the show: the females spend the season off Playa del Carmen and bring other pelagic species with them. It’s high season for thrill seekers.
→ From May to September, green and loggerhead turtles come to the beaches of the Riviera Maya to lay their eggs.
As for cenote diving, it depends on the cenote. Check out this article: When to Dive in a Cenote? The Best Time
Bull Shark Diving
Every year between November and March, pregnant female bull sharks gather off Playa del Carmen, at a depth of about 79 ft (24 m), at a site known as “Shark Point”.
It’s one of the few places in the world where you can watch them up close, without a cage and in complete safety.
Despite their reputation, these sharks are calm at this time of year. They come to rest in the warm waters of the region and don’t hunt.
The approach always comes from the sharks themselves. Divers stay calm, usually kneeling or lying on the bottom, while the instructors, who are very experienced with this kind of dive, keep the encounter respectful.
Advanced Open Water, or Open Water with several logged dives, is required because of the depth (79 to 89 ft / 24 to 27 m) and the current that is sometimes present. A trip with 2 dives costs 3,400 MXN (about US$185).
Discover bull shark divingWreck Diving (Mama Viña)
The Mama Viña is a former 98-foot (30 m) shrimp boat, deliberately sunk in 1995 to create an artificial reef off Playa del Carmen.
Today, it’s one of the most popular wreck dives in the Riviera Maya.
The wreck rests at 82 to 92 ft (25 to 28 m) and is almost intact. In more than 30 years underwater, it has been covered in coral and sponges, and it is now home to abundant marine life: schools of jacks, barracudas, snappers, moray eels and sometimes sea turtles.
You can explore the inside of the hold and the cabin, with several rooms and passageways you can swim through.
The current on the site is often moderate to strong, which makes it a drift dive for experienced divers only. Advanced Open Water or equivalent is required. The trip is usually combined with a second dive on a nearby reef.
Discover the 5 best wrecks in the Riviera Maya!Cenote Diving
Cenotes are natural sinkholes filled with fresh water, formed when the limestone ground of the Yucatán Peninsula collapsed. Sacred to the Maya, today they are among the most spectacular dive sites in the world.
There are 3 types: open, semi-open and underground cenotes. Each one has its own atmosphere and level of difficulty.
The diving conditions are exceptional: water at 75 to 79 °F (24 to 26 °C) all year round, visibility often over 130 ft (40 m), no current or waves, and stalactites and stalagmites that make the caverns look like stone cathedrals.
Some sites also have haloclines, the layer where fresh water and salt water meet, creating a striking visual effect.
Open Water is enough for most cenotes open to the public. Expect to pay 3,400 to 4,000 MXN (about US$185 to 215) for a two-dive trip, gear and guide included.
Discover our cenote dives!Try Diving
You don’t need to be certified to discover diving in Playa del Carmen. A try dive lets you experience your first dive safely, with an instructor by your side from start to finish. You just need to be at least 10 years old, in good health and comfortable in the water.
In the ocean, you’ll dive on the reefs of the Caribbean coast, among tropical fish, turtles and colorful corals. It’s an ideal first experience if you want to discover the marine life of the Riviera Maya without any prior training.
In a cenote, the experience is completely different and unique in the world. The fresh water is exceptionally clear, with no current or waves, and spectacular plays of light between the surface and the rocks.
The cenotes chosen for try dives, like Casa Cenote or Cenote Jardín del Edén, are open, shallow and perfect for beginners.
Expect to pay 3,000 MXN (about US$160) per person for an ocean try dive, and 2,800 MXN (about US$150) for a cenote try dive. The price includes your instructor, all the gear and, for cenotes, transportation from Playa del Carmen.
Discover our try dives!Why Dive with Triton Diving
At Triton Diving, we dive the way we’d like to be taken diving: in small groups, with no pressure, with passionate people.
We’re based in Playa del Carmen, and our team knows every corner of the reefs and cenotes in the area.
Our groups are usually 4 divers per guide, because we want every trip to stay a real experience, not a crowded tour. We take the time to explain, to show you around and to adapt to your level.
New to diving? We’ll take you on a try dive in the ocean or in a cenote. Already certified? We’ll take you to explore the reefs of Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, the most spectacular cenotes in the Riviera Maya, or to dive with bull sharks. Want to go further? We offer PADI certifications for every step of your diving journey.
Transportation, gear, tanks, snacks: everything is included. You show up, you dive, we take care of the rest.
Book your dive with Triton Diving!