Dive Shop Mexico: Playa Del Carmen's Best Dive Shop

You can't swing dead cat in Playa del Carmen without hitting a scuba shop, because of its proximity to some of the worlds best diving. Some are huge, impersonal operations running crammed "cattle boat" tours, while some are teeny, tiny, slightly dodgy shops. Then there is Dive Shop Mexico, a perfect balance of personable, attentive, courteous, family run business with good equipment and extremely knowledgeable staff.

I arrived in Playa with no particular dive shop in mind. My traveling companion wanted to get an open water diver certification and I just wanted to get wet and try out my new dive equipment. The employees of the first few shops I checked out seemed annoyed that I had pulled them away from whatever they were doing on the computer to ask questions.

I slid open the glass door of the fourth shop and was greeted by an actual, genuine smile. "Hello, what can I do for you?" asked the owner's sister Sybil. She had answered all of our questions about diving and scheduling as well as dinner and nightlife suggestions. Manuel, the owner, had walked in and briefed my buddy a little more on what to expect in the certification class, and invited me to tag along to refresh my skills and try-out my new equipment in their pool. Manuel's wife Natalia was the PADI instructor. She was extremely knowledgeable and patient ,especially considering how the unseasonably cool weather had left the pool pretty chilly. The cavern/cave diving guide ,William, did a great job leading me safely through my first two awe-inspiring cenote dives. The shop's boat was small yet comfy, perfect for the small tour sizes, with a canopy to provide shade to and from dive sites to prevent over heating and those oh so attractive wet-suit tan lines.

Dive Shop Mexico also offers snorkeling tours and kiteboarding rentals and lessons for non-divers and those looking for more ways to appreciate the bright blue waters of the Riviera Maya

It gets easy to view customers as walking dollar signs in a town with this much tourist traffic, but not at Dive Shop Mexico. Although it is a well run responsible business, you can tell that the staff is motivated more by the love of what they do than by squeezing tourists for their dollars.

Located just a half block from the bustling shops, hotels and restaurants of the pedestrian only 5th Avenue on 20th Street In Playa del Carmen , Mexico. You can find more info at www.diveshopmexico.com