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Dive Review of XTC Dive Center/Casa de suenos in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Xcalak

XTC Dive Center/Casa de suenos: "Southern Yucatan", Jan, 2019,

by eric williamson, MT, US (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 9 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 10830 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 2 stars Food N/A
Service and Attitude 2 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling 5 stars
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments XTC has a large staff, and offer all PADI certifications. They had 4 Dive Master Trainees, 1 or 2 who accompanied dive groups along with the divemaster. Singles could be paired with a DMT. My wife and I did 7 and 12 dives respectively, in the area just beyond a barrier reef. XTC offer's 3 dives per day, with the surface interval spent back at their resort. Distance to dive sites was 5 to 15 minute boat ride. We had more help at all stages of the dive than I have ever experienced.
Dive sites have good topography. The coral didn't seem unhealthy, but lacked color. The amount of reef fish seemed low, although not in all cases. Despite a long history of fishing, continuing in the area, we saw fair size snapper, sometimes large schools, and more lobsters than I have seen almost anywhere, on every dive.
I have given the area somewhat low marks, but there were a few dives that were mind blowers. One dive seemed ho-hum until a single male dolphin showed up and came within 15 feet of me. The great dive, however is at a site called La Poza. We saw snapper up to 70 lb. Grouper to 90 lb. several green morays, and 25 Tarpon, 30-90 lb. The tarpon just moseyed around us for 10 minutes while we just idled on the sand. That dive rates in my top 5 ever, and we repeated it the next day.
Another plus is that XTC is nearly the only dive operator using the sites. We have dove better places in recent years, but crowding was common.
XTC has a permit to visit
Chinchorro Banks, which is world class, but wind often thwarts trips there, and it tends to be a boat ride of 2 hours. It is well worth the cost and discomfort however. I have submitted a separate report on our Chinchorro excursion.
Websites XTC Dive Center   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Hawaii, Cabo San Lucas, Chinchorro Banks, Belize, Honduras Bay Islands, Panama, Costa Rica, Alaska, GBR, Tasmania, Ningaloo, Bali
Closest Airport Cancun Getting There Rent car or take bus from Cancun. 5-6 hr. drive.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy, no currents
Water Temp 77-79°F / 25-26°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 70-90 Ft/ 21-27 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Safety stop during ascent(3 min. at 5m.)
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins 1 or 2 Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

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

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 1 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities 3 stars
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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