2010 World's Best Diving & Resorts: Riviera Maya

Home to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere, and straddling 125 miles of Caribbean shoreline, the Riviera Maya is a Mecca for divers of all interests and skill levels.

The Riviera Maya cannot be beat for its number and variety of diving locations. The region offers not only shallow and deep-sea dives near coral reefs, but also dives to explore decommissioned navy boats the Mexican government has sunk off the coast of the Riviera Maya near Xcaret Ecopark and off the island of Cozumel, a 35-minute ferry ride from Playa del Carmen. These sunken vessels and the rich marine habitats that have developed around them offer a more ecologically friendly alternative to reefs.

But divers around the world are perhaps most attracted to the Riviera Maya's hundreds of miles of crystal-clear underground ponds (cenotes) and the rivers that feed them. Cenotes are geological formations unique to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and created naturally some 6,500 years ago. Some are found in caves full of stalactites and stalagmites, mineral formations covering the walls and floors. Because cenotes have no currents and average about 80 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature and 35 feet in depth, diving in them is pleasant and easy. Cave diving requires special certification, but cenote diving does not, since the routes follow tunnels bathed in natural sunlight. The best cenote and cave diving locations can be found all along the Riviera Maya coast only a few minutes' drive from the hotels. The Riviera Maya also offers a family-friendly diving activity called SNUBA, which combines scuba diving with snorkeling and requires minimal instruction.

For the article in its entirety visit SportDiver.com

Scuba Diving in Akumal - by Macon Gravlee

Whether you’re an experienced diver or wanting to acquire the art, Akumal provides the perfect ecological setting to view amazing specimens of natural beauty underwater. Akumal is a tourist resort located 62 miles south of Cancun, between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, with a tiny native population of 1,198.

The name “Akumal” means “place of the turtles” in Maya language. Surrounding bodies of water and beautiful, white sandy beaches provide the ideal setting for many sea turtles’ breeding grounds.Akumal was established in 1958 mainly as a location for scuba divers to experience the many species and types of turtles which call the area “home”. Akumal Bay and Half Moon Bay provide optimal opportunities to survey the land and underwater life during diving tours and expeditions.For experienced divers, local dive shops offer a variety of different diving trips to the 30 reef sites which include shipwrecks, cenotes and caverns and a breathtaking amount of marine life that you can view. The dive shop makes all the arrangements and you can lease a scuba tank and regulator, mask, flippers and anything else you want. You can book an all day diving trip or if you are more adventurous, you can visit the caves, caverns and cenotes that make Akumal unique. Travelers from all over the globe come to explore the cenotes and caves of Akumal and this small village is truly a diver’s paradise.

Dive shops also teach courses so you can get certified to dive in open sea. They teach all levels from resort course to advanced cave diving. And what better place to learn to dive than Akumal, one of the best locations in the world to go diving? These PADI Certified Instructors will guide you through the process of certification so you can enjoy exploring the wonders of the reef that awaits you in Akumal.Cavern and cave diving is a popular activity for tourists. These caves are called “cenote”, which means “sacred well” in Maya. Dive packages offer several locations and various depths of diving, group packages, equipment rental and instruction to fit varying diver needs.

For the article in its entirety, please visit travelvista.net