Playa Del Carmen PADI Advanced Open Water: Honest Review

Getting your PADI Advanced Open Water certification is that next step many take to enhance their experience underwater, and so if you are checking out options in Playa Del Carmen, Riviera Maya, you might be at the right place! The Riviera Maya, known very much for its shores and diving sites, provides what could be described as an awesome place to get certified. This is, after all, meant to be a real look at what you can maybe expect, the course content, and tips to ensure you find a shop that is, in some respects, very good.

Why Get Your Advanced Open Water in Playa Del Carmen?

Playa Del Carmen is, arguably, a perfect spot for gaining an Advanced Open Water certification, too. The warm Caribbean waters, good visibility, and various sites give what I feel are near-perfect learning conditions. You might be exploring reefs brimming with life or drift in the currents; what’s great is that the area actually gives varied environments, great for honing skills, too. Close to Cozumel and its insane drift walls, it’s not really hard to access other dive spots from there either, which could give even more variety to a course if a shop offers trips, of course!

Another perk to earning your cert in Playa Del Carmen is, literally, its access. Direct flights fly into Cancun from most spots, meaning you’re not too far from what’s happening. Transfer times are usually, literally, less than an hour to dive shops in the region, and that could mean more time in the ocean and a super easy transition to getting stuff done and finished. This is why it is almost so great and the accessibility, as it’s nearly straightforward, so that travel headaches are possibly kept to a minimum.

Choosing a Dive Shop: Key Considerations

Picking a place that you trust is very important for this sort of class; I feel you have to look at factors, so, safety and instructor quality, just to start! Make it a thing that you look into shops with certified PADI instructors; you need to read the reviews, that is actually what they’re there for. Ensure instructors do, actually, really put safety at the top. Equipment upkeep is definitely a must, so verify all shops keep gear clean and in great shape.

Next thing to consider is the instructor to student ratio, I mean, it should tend to be small, really, for good instruction, so make sure to get individual attention. Speak to past students about the kind of experiences people report. Look at that equipment—is the equipment of seemingly high value or does it seemingly show wear? Ensure you may want to request it to ensure your personal wellbeing comes before their wallet; it almost sounds harsh but these should tend to be your standards anyway, that. Price comparisons and shop experience is important as pricing needs looking at, but focus on what a shop gives; not everything can be judged using solely cost, it turns out.

The PADI Advanced Open Water Course: What to Expect

The Advanced Open Water Course is very similar to “more open water” if you were wondering what you’re likely going to get involved in, so not a full rewrite. There are dives and, surprisingly, very little lecture or classwork to attend and complete. Some quizzes, I guess, and dives will be what fills a good chunk of your days as this gets done. This builds your skills, growing the level of experience through what you’ve probably worked through already and pushing them to that bit further forward.

This program mostly involves what a good many refer to as an underwater taste test of diving to consider more experience and maybe pick areas that become personal niche interest and, to be honest, further certifications to get that done. There’s two required dives (Deep & Navigation) alongside another three adventure dives for sampling that include such picks as night diving, search and recovery, wreck or photography, too! Underwater navigating might even become very exciting, as can diving just at a depth and so the range on offer could make for that rounded experience that gives insight on all options in the end!

Dive Site Highlights in Playa Del Carmen

Playa Del Carmen is where numerous nice dive destinations appear; what follows tend to be very common selections in area classes, even!

• Cenotes: Almost cave/cavern diving. These can be, in some respects, dives unlike anything anyone ever pictures until it’s looked into. You might just find some classes which give intro dives at very popular ones so those divers, almost the students, become more acquainted.
• Mama Viña Wreck: Mama Viña has a wreck sunk as artificial reef; this could potentially be a habitat location in this area teeming, really teeming with marine life. Great chance to explore dives inside.
• Tortugas Reef: Just offshore. Great spot you may tend to be used, like your pool. See plenty of sea turtles on these certain diving events too!
• Drift Diving in Cozumel: It might well be located nearby off Cozumel and you can almost catch it. Courses, just very few, may be able to offer day ventures there, so do inquire whether that remains as an open, and optional, possibility.

My Personal Experience: A Memorable Certification

I got, for example, my Advanced Open Water some time ago in Playa Del Carmen. At that moment it could be, in certain ways, my best ever scuba destination (though I say that, to be honest, frequently, because who wants to be bored). I, kind of, did loads of fun dive trips just after my Open Water previously; later down the path I took what is generally perceived the step towards advanced training.

The instructors are usually friendly, knowledgeable; actually there wasn’t any feeling that the class dragged on endlessly, too! Underwater navigation might also become genuinely thrilling given what they taught; spotting green sea turtles swimming close to wrecks really seemed breathtaking as they glided on; also wreck penetration was absolutely intense. Playa’s oceans almost made this something quite outstanding, truly; you cannot seem to pick, actually, any better than such spots which add a dimension with which classes would struggle.

Tips for a Smooth Certification Experience

• Book in Advance: Well known courses become popular quite swiftly so getting spots sealed saves distress near term.
• Check Weather: This has the capacity to impact sea conditions a bit. So, keep alert just a little!
• Consider Seasickness: Boat voyages may affect seasickness tendencies somewhat so ready whatever’s needed upfront just a bit.
• Gear Up: Buy maybe your gear if the funds, to be honest, could stretch to that. Fit makes scuba enjoyment all much richer; think regulators, computers.
• Be Ready: Advanced needs certain health too so consult the physician about anything there that becomes a hindrance at times.

Budgeting for Your PADI Advanced Open Water Course

Spending may probably fluctuate dependent, really, on dive retailers so always find pricing beforehand, yet generally calculate around $300–$500 bucks probably. Add in material, supplies and kit rentals maybe with spending on this one! Ask around just slightly and figure how money may spread from spot to spot that varies with reputation of shops also which often have that bearing as per where, how long those folks do hold certification or work status wise or perhaps student turnover counts likewise given the reputation with the ocean that is that location!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What qualifications should I gain before Advanced?

Get Open Water, honestly. You’ll need, typically, at least this for Advanced qualifications because most centers actually have certain experience guidelines on divers; generally Open is the thing almost that remains key! Also this allows at the start just basic practice underwater without skipping essential lessons also at shallow parts near coasts at places that have no deep waters so lessons are well implemented!

Should non-swimmers expect certification, and would this become tough going?

Actually scuba might involve certain comfort just within seawater. Being incapable just here would cause safety hurdles though, therefore you actually might not gain that scuba pass right off but I think this gets well addressed right off so those concerns could potentially decline right over longer run as this evolves at sea with you slowly when taught.

Would some find deep scuba frightening?

Indeed for several this could seem quite worrying particularly that beginning instance in that darkness far at very base but instruction ensures safe experience throughout as what instructors prepare at beginning and I feel also I always stress it myself what can trigger stress upfront; and so from the beginning just by following steps thoroughly everyone seems comfortable deep within waters always without anxiety and any issues from deep seas that seems more scary when looked from topside; than what actually turns the diving outing, to be a really special time ever that goes really fine throughout!