Pro Dive International Occidental Xcaret

Based at the Occidental at Xcaret in Playa del Carmen, this PADI 5 Star dive center runs two locations on the resort — one by the main pool and another near the lagoon by the main restaurant. It's a Riviera Maya operation built around variety, offering adventure dives to the cenotes, the local wreck, and excursions to Cozumel, plus whale shark safaris from June to September and bull shark diving from December to March.

Courses and dives

Divers can train through the PADI Discover Scuba Diving beginner program, the PADI Scuba Diver course, and the Nitrox Enriched Air Diver course, with multi-dive packages and half-day two-tank trips available. Equipment rental and an onsite training pool round out the setup, and staff speak both English and Spanish.

The cenote caverns are a genuine highlight — two tanks in different areas, a picnic between dives, and small groups of four divers per cavern instructor. Water sits around 24°C/75°F, so a 5 mm wetsuit is recommended. The minimum age for cenote diving is 15.