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Dive Review of Aldora Divers in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Isla Mujeres

Aldora Divers: "Amazing Whale Shark experience", Jul, 2018,

by Cynthia Cook Boling , TX, US (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 10 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 10504 has 4 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation N/A Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling 5 stars
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments As most would already know, the whale shark experience is not a scuba diving experience - strictly snorkel BUT certainly worthy of a review in Undercurrent. Howard Kaiser, another U/C reader turned Mark and me on to this experience. We went out with Rafael de la Parra, a marine biologist who specializes in Whale Sharks. His sons started Cancun Xtreme as his "excursion" website but it is best to call - Rafael doesn't look at the website much. We arrived on July 11 and it was certainly a peak time for the Whale Sharks. We chartered Rafael's boat so we had a full day experience unlike an excursion experience where you may be in the water for 15 minutes. Also, Rafael was testing a new tracking device and it was amazing to watch him work; he's hoping for a grant from National Geo. Note, however, Rafael's boat is large, shaded and comfortable for us but there is no marine head - just the open water. He did provide a light lunch and lots of water. Because we were staying at a small place (not in the very crowded downtown area) he picked us up from our hotel pier on Isla Mujeres at 8 a.m. and we returned by 4 pm. It's a two hour boat ride to open water. There were at least 20 whale sharks around us at all times and right up to the boat - IT WAS AMAZING.

So for our accommodations. Howard had recommended a place that had since changed owners and has horrible reviews SO I explored staying at the small villa/hotel next door with a small private beach - Maria's KanKin. 10 rooms and amazing. The staff was incredibly helpful; even arranged for a golf cart to be delivered to us and picked up so we didn't have to hassle with getting one from town - charged an extra $10. And the food - so good. The four of us were the only guests at Maria's until the last day - our own privately staffed villa - and that was so fun. Food is cooked to order so don't sit down with "fast food" in mind and it was delicious. I had fresh caught fish every dinner. I was very (very) surprised at how small our final tab was - including alcohol. We did visit some other eating places - via golf cart - and tooled around one whole day. Folks it has been 30 yrs since Mark and I were on Isla - only a few beer stands for day trip snorkelers from Cancun. Well it has changed a LOT - we're still asking how so much can be built on such a small island without the tip falling off into the sea. But Maria's is away from the crowd and the sunsets were amazing. Well worth the trip. Oh almost forgot - the Mantas were everywhere too during our whale shark experience - we knew one was swimming up when we saw a bright blue florescent light coming to us - it was their mouth open and feeding reflecting off the water!
Websites Aldora Divers   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Caymans, Bonaire, Turks Caicos, Honduras, Costa Rica, Cozumel, Belize, Jamaica, DR
Closest Airport Cancan Getting There Easy flight from Dallas/FTWorth to Cancun then transport to ferry.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 78-82°F / 26-28°C Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility 65-90 Ft/ 20-27 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions Number of people in the water restricted to two with guide
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available?

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas Squadrons
Dolphins None Whale Sharks > 2
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals N/A Tropical Fish N/A
Small Critters N/A Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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