Cardumen Diving
Cardumen Diving
5
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
When it comes to diving we are your best choice! Breath underwater for the first time with our specialized courses and our team of experts. And if you are already a certified diver don't miss the wonders hidden under Caribbean waters. Sharks, Sunken ships, cenotes, and more. And the best part, we have accommodation for all our adventurers.
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles55 reviews
Excellent
54
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
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JC L
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019 • Solo
All right. Let me just say first that I wasn't entirely sure about starting this new adventure/experience at this point in my life but I decided to give it a go anyway on my trip to Playa del Carmen. I was with the wife in a nice big hotel for a while, then she had to go back to work and I went to my element to a really cool hostel that had a diving center in its premises. I'd research and read reviews on Cardumen diving school already so after talking to the main man for a bit ( Bernardo) I was in, ready for business. Next day, my first day of PADI training I met the coolest dude, my Scuba diving instructor, Mr. Ricardo himself. He spoke perfect English, perfect Spanish, and I assume perfect Portuguese cause he's from Portugal. Right from the start he was friendly, cordial, and made me feel at ease. We took off to the swimming pool for the first day of training and that's when I really appreciated his talent as a diving instructor not only because he was able to read my hidden worries, my anxiety, but by the way in which he made me calm and able to follow his instructions properly. The guy obviously loves what he does for a living and he wants you to have the same experience. Second day, as expected was a bit more challenging but Ricardo was right by my side, even thought there were other trainees on our group that day. He payed full attention to all our concerns and made sure we succeeded on every required exercise.
I was also instructed by Gastón on the last day and my goodness, lucky for me, I was able not only to learn all the staff I was supposed to but to enjoy the whole thing. Just like Ricardo he was very thorough and found he truly cared about my concerns, mainly my inability to equalize properly. That day I saw amazing reefs and breathtaking schools of beautiful and colorful fish. After I took the final written test and passed of course, I am ready, able and eager to enjoy this beautiful and amazing hobby/sport. If I get my certificate on time I'll be in Palau Sipadan looking for green turtles in a month.
I've heard that if you get the wrong instructor you might be discouraged from diving all together. So, what can I say, I'm a lucky guy.
Written 11 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review. We are very glad you enjoyed your experience, we will keep working to always give the best service. I am working on your certification you should be expecting it soon. Best regards.
Written 12 March 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ryszard W
Swindon, UK48 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2018 • Solo
I was waiting for this moment for years. But the dreams can come true. I did it with Cardumen Diving. It was the best choice ever because Emilio Gutierrez was the best underwater guide I ever had. He showed the whole beauty of Chac Mool and Kukulkan cenotes caves. Moreover, we experienced this wonderful nature only in two of us on the last Sunday morning. I did divings in most of the best best spots in Asia, few in Africa and Europe. But Mexican cenotes are once of the best. by the way I learned a lot from Emilio about Mexican culture and nature. Thank you, Amigo! I never forget it and always be recommending Cardumen Diving to my fellow divers and friends as the best services in tghe area of Playa del Carmen!
Written 27 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! Thank you very much for your message my friend we definitely enjoyed diving with you! Thanks for trusting us and we hope to dive together again soon! Cheers from the Caribbean!
Written 2 October 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Wandering_DB
Chicago, IL5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Solo
I highly recommend this group. I don't think I've had a better diving experience. A quick rundown:
—Shared coffee and continental breakfast at the shop, included.
—Sized and assembled my gear.
—Picked-up lunch for in-between dives, included.
—Had a lively and energetic discussion about our destination Cenote, Chikin-Ha.
—Grabbed tanks on the way.
—Rode for a very short 40 minutes, which felt more like 15, as we were talking about the history of Cenotes, our destination, and the details of cavern diving, including the various hand signals.
—Entered the park, admission included.
—Prepared our gear and suited up.
—Went down to the Cenote where Luis, my personal guide this day, talked me through all of the details once again and made sure I was weighted properly for this freshwater dive.
—Began our first dive.

—Yes, we saw fossils.
—Yes, we saw bats.
—Yes, we saw the really cool local bird whose name I can't remember.
—Yes, we experienced the halocline, caused by the mixing of fresh and saline waters.
—Yes, we surfaced twice (once on each of our two dives) for additional incredible views.
—Yes, these photos are from that day.

Luis, my personal guide on this day, was excellent. His English was perfect, which was important for me, as I'm still a relatively inexperienced diver and prefer to be completely sure about technical details. But not only that, he had a very comforting approach to everything and I always felt I was in capable hands. Like I said, I don't believe I've had a better diving experience and I'm looking forward to the next one with Cardumen Diving.
Written 17 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello!! Thank you so much for your review and for giving us the chance to take on on this amazing cenote experience! We are very happy to read that you enjoyed your dives, and that you value our effort to give the best service! You`ll always have your caribbean friends here, we hope to see you again soon to make some bubbles!
Written 21 March 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

dreamwalker17
20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Solo
I completed my open water certification here. My dive instructor Ivan was great. He was patient with me at first and calmed me down whenever I panicked in the water. He was also overall caring for other divers from different schools during the ocean dives. The whole course is flexible and allows you to choose your diving schedule with a day's notice. Ana was also super helpful with coordinating the dives. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone interested to dive and I'm already planning my second visit to the place.
Written 15 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hello, we are really happy that you have enjoyed with us. We are really grateful for your comment and we are waiting for you for more dives soon. Take care
Written 16 March 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Don S
Toronto, Canada6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2018 • Solo
A really excellent crew to deal with and would highly recommend going diving with them. I did my open water certification with Ivan and was very impressed with his professionalism and enthusiasm. I was a little nervous at first but by the end of the 4th open water dive I couldn't wait to go again. I also did a Cenote dive trip and was again impressed with our guide Emilio and the dive was fantastic. Thanks again to Ana, Ivan, Emilio, and Alexa!

Don
Written 11 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Don, thank you very much for your review and for your trust in us! We also had an amazing time with you! We will be waiting for you (and your wife) next year to visit other cool underwater places, we wish you luck in your amazing sailing trip!
Written 12 March 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Marc S
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2018 • Couples
I've been a certified diver for over 45 years, and diving with Yvonne at Cardumen was one of the best experiences I've had anywhere in the world. Anna runs top notch organization!
Written 26 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Marc for your review , it was a pleasure to meet you and to dive in this amazing places , i am happy that you enjoyed. See you next year
Written 28 February 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

tovesand
Norrkoping, Sweden1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018
Great dives and professional instructors. I would recommend the school to everyone!
I took the advanced open water and got to see some incredible things under water.
Written 27 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

fliprfly10
Bentonville, AR1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2017 • Family
My son and I did a 2 tank dive with Ivan. The first dive was a shark observation dive and the second along the reef in front of Playa del Carmen.
The service was great. All equipment provided was high quality and the dive master was excellent.
We will dive with Cardumen again!
Written 8 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! Thank you very much for your message, we hope to have you underwater again soon! We love that you share this experiences with your son, as we are a family business too! Kind regards, Ana!
Written 10 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JazAnderson
Dundee, UK6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2017 • Solo
HIGHLY RECOMMEND CARDUMEN DIVING + LOBO DE MAR (the hostel) + PLAYA DEL CARMEN (as a place to visit for diving).
I completed both the PADI open water and advanced open water as well as doing heaps of additional dives with Cardumen. Afterwards, I went on to gain employment on the Great Barrier Reef as an underwater photographer. It's thanks to this incredible crew that not only was I well prepared to step into the industry but that I had the best time diving around Playa! the possibilities of what you can do are extensive so I recommend having a chat with the coolest & sweetest mermaid you'll ever meet Ana or one of the other legends Bern, Ivan & Hans! The Cardumen crew are passionate, knowledgeable, experienced, dedicated and keeps of fun! And, in my opinion they're also the coolest crew in Playa ;) so I suggest getting amongst it and I am sure you'll leave as I did a friend with lots of great memories & hopefully some awesome photos too :) (Ivan is not only an excellent instructor & guide but really good with a camera ;))
Also, if you're passionate about such issues as shark conservation these are your people! I admire the work they do and if you're visiting in the season - would recommend joining them for a very special dive with the beautiful pregnant bull sharks.
Many thanks Cardumen & I'll be back to dive with you again!
Written 13 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you, thank you very much for your words! Comments like this make us feel like we are achieving our Dive Center goal which is not only to take everyone with us in our underwater adventures but to teach them love and respect for the marine life. We loved having you around and make bubbles with you, we had such a geat time. Hope to see you again soon! Regards from all of us in Cardumen.
Written 15 December 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

patricialvf
Mississauga, Canada20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2017 • Couples
I felt very nervous and afraid to dive but after much convincing by my boyfriend, I gave it a try. I couldn't have asked for a better team than the one at Cardumen. They taught me all I needed to know and made me feel comfortable getting in the water. My boyfriend and I got certified for open water and advance, and we had an amazing instructor - Ivan! So many laughs and unbelievable dives. Feel like we've gained a friend in him, Anna and Bernie! Highly suggest: shark feeding and Cozumel wall and shipwreck. Also suggest staying at Lobo de Mar, where they Cardumen are located. Great hostel and very convenient for the dives!
Written 6 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trish! Thank you very much for your review, we loved having you around, we had su much fun together! we miss you already! please come by and say hi when you come back in summer. Cheers from underwater!
Written 9 December 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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