Shark diving is a bucket list scuba experience for many of us. But shark diving in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico is one of those dreams that is so much more accessible and affordable than you may think! We recently headed over to Playa Del Carmen, in Yucatan Mexico to dive with a ton of beautiful bull sharks! Here’s what we learnt, and why we think you should go shark diving in Mexico.
Scuba diving in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
If you’ve followed Girls that Scuba here and on our Facebook group now for sometime you’ll know how much we love scuba diving in Mexico. There is a huge variety of marine life to see. We’ve been swimming with whale sharks, manatees, crocodiles(!) hammerheads, mobual rays, manta rays and so much more. Mexico is just the dream!
We mainly spend time in Playa del Carmen discovering the cenotes, or hopping over to Cozumel. We didn’t think Playa del Carmen was that great for scuba diving – until the bull sharks came!
Every year, female bull sharks return to their breeding ground in the shallow waters of Playa del Carmen in Mexico. The dives look a little something like this…
Who to go bull shark diving with in Playa del Carmen
Bull sharks are usually found in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers – and while the most famous bull shark dives are in Fiji, the bull shark dives in Playa del Carmen are more easily accessible and cheaper. When it comes to bull shark dive season in Playa there are always new companies that pop up but there is only one – in our opinion – you want to dive with.
Our friend Octavio at Octavio Bull Shark Diving is a local diver who not only knows the area but knows the sharks’ behaviours. He has years of experience and is one of the original divers to first dive with the bulls in Playa. Give him a big high five from Girls that Scuba! You can also check out his Facebook page.
When is bull shark season in Playa del Carmen?
The bull sharks aren’t always in and around Playa del Carmen they are only in the shallows between November and March. So make sure you plan your dive between those months.
Things to know about bull shark diving in Mexico
Please note that these dives are baited dives. What that means is that the shark feeders go down with ‘bait” aka dead fish to entice the sharks a little closer to the divers so the divers get the chance to really admire these beautiful animals.
We don’t want to get in a debate about baited dives, some agree some don’t but all we will say is a shark is worth more alive than it is dead. Shark eco-tourism not only keeps sharks alive but even tourism. We believe each diver that gets the chance to see a shark up close in the wild will be one more person on our plant petitioning to save sharks.
- You are required to wear a full wetsuit to go shark diving.
- Divers have to stay together with the other divers on a line away from the shark feeder, you are not allowed to swim where ever you want and around the shark.
- It’s important to stay calm and still throughout the dive.
- You are allowed to bring cameras and GoPros etc.
You can hire a professional photographer like our GTS girls Marianna and Valentina who took all these amazing shots. Contact Marianna via Instagram here or Valentina here and get either of them to come on your dive to get some incredible photos to last a lifetime.
Have fun scuba diving with bull sharks in Mexico!
