Diving FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm not a very experienced diver, would I be able to join Tank-Ha's morning diving trip?
My certification level is Open Water Diver, may I dive deeper than 60 feet/18 meters?
Is a check dive required at Tank-Ha Dive Center?
I'm traveling alone. Will I need to find a dive buddy to dive with Tank-Ha Dive Center?
Is diving in the National Marine Park of Cozumel considered advanced diving?
What diving experience is required for diving in the cenote caverns?
Should I worry about diving in a cenote cavern?
How deep are the dives in the cenote caverns?
I'm not a very experienced diver, would I be able to join Tank-Ha's morning diving trip?
TopDiving in the Playa del Carmen area means easy diving, generally with warm water and good visibility. Besides that, every diving program with Tank-Ha Dive Center is supervised and conducted in a calm, easy pace (you are on vacation, after all!) and, of course, we do not take decompression dives. However you must feel comfortable with the idea of diving up to 100 feet/30 meters depth.
My certification level is Open Water Diver, may I dive deeper than 60 feet/18 meters?
TopYes, you can. Even if some training agencies suggest to get Advanced Open Water diver level to dive below 60 feet/18 meters, it is not a requirement within the diving community. Remember many old divers with dozens of diving years on their backs have just their original, old and beloved Open Water Diver certification. We accept certified Open Water divers on our trips as long as they agree and feel comfortable with the dive plan.
Is a check dive required at Tank-Ha Dive Center?
TopNo, it is not. But our daily afternoon dive is designed as a "check dive" or "warm up dive", and we strongly recommend to our divers to start with this dive. However, this is not a requirement, since for many frequent and/or experienced divers it may not be necessary.
I'm traveling alone. Will I need to find a dive buddy to dive with Tank-Ha Dive Center?
TopNo, you don't. Since every dive in Tank-Ha Dive Center is conducted as a supervised dive, our guide will, together with you, organize buddy teams. If the number of divers is uneven, one diver will team up with the dive guide.
Is diving in the National Marine Park of Cozumel considered advanced diving?
TopYes and no. The depths during the dives in Cozumel are not deeper than the dives in Playa del Carmen. However, since we dive on a wall, buoyancy management becomes a critical factor, especially when there are strong currents, what can happen during a few weeks of the year. We recommend doing a dive in Playa del Carmen first and our instructors will advise you honestly about diving in Cozumel.
What diving experience is required for diving in the cenote caverns?
TopYou need to be a certified Open Water Diver to dive in a cenote cavern with Tank-Ha Dive Center. A certain number of dives or a certification level above Open Water Diver are not required. We expect you to feel comfortable in the water and have a reasonable degree of buoyancy control.
Should I worry about diving in a cenote cavern?
TopNo, you should not.. Mother nature has been very kind with the divers while creating these amazing cavern systems in shallow depths. Visibility is tremendous; tunnels and rooms are large; you will always see natural light; there are stalagmites, stalactites, flowstones, haloclines. Plus all our cenote cavern dives are lead by Full Cave Diver, who is, at Tank-Ha Dive Center, also a certified Cavern Instructor.
How deep are the dives in the cenote caverns?
TopThe maximum depth you can get to in the cenotes is 60 feet/18 meters. Most of the area caverns are not deeper than 50 feet/15 meters. So depth is no concern, but don't forget to equalize and adjust your buoyancy well, since the profile goes up and down.