IMPORTANT!!! We do not provide transportation; the meeting point is RIU Yucatan in the Playacar hotel zone.
Description
Have you always wondered what it’s like to breathe underwater? If you want to try scuba diving, but aren’t quite ready to take the plunge into a certification course, PADI Discover Scuba Diving is for you!
Schedule & prices
Runs
Tue, Thu, Sat, and Sun
Next available
Thu, Oct 15
Adult (ages 10–70)
$135
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen
What's included
Included
Drinking water
1 open water dive from the boat at a local reef in front of Playa del Carmen
Instruction & guidance by professional PADI Instructor
Full scuba diving equipment
1 theory session
1 pool session
English & Spanish, other languages on request
Not included
Food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.7
65 reviews
5
59
4
0
3
0
2
2
1
4
How it compares in Playa del Carmen
Starting price $135 is 10% below the typical $150 for tours of similar length in Playa del Carmen
Excurgo comparison of 1,367 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Minimum age is 10 years
Diving within 24 hours of flying is not recommended.
Please preview ScubaCaribe's medical questionnaire to ensure that you are fit for diving, in case you require a medical statement from your doctor.
Medical questionnaire
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen take?
PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen lasts about 4 hours.
How much does PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen cost?
Prices start at $135 per person for this Playa del Carmen experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Can I cancel PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is IMPORTANT!!! We do not provide transportation; the meeting point is RIU Yucatan in the Playacar hotel zone. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen offered in?
The experience is available in EN, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 8 participants.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Playa del Carmen worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 65 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by ScubaCaribe Mexico.
Reviews(65)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
M
marielV3409XZ
June 1, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
ScubaCaribe Yucatan made Mexico priceless for me. 🌊🪸✨️
First: Information is easily accessible; everything could be booked or reserved in advance in a relaxed manner. Ideally, book on-site, then the money goes to the right place. 👍
I completed my AWOD. Together with Dany and Lot by my side. Both were very relaxed and friendly, and I truly enjoyed it. Dany even retrieved my camera, which got stuck and broke on the ladder while climbing onto the boat. Incredible, especially at 25 meters depth, strong currents, poor visibility, and seagrass meadows. I am really grateful to him even today. 🤌
The dives on-site were done with the speedboat, often to Barracuda, Sabalos, and Jardines. I especially enjoyed Sabalos: many little creatures and beautiful corals. The crew is friendly and very competent, and there is often a lot of cash available. After 45-50 minutes, however, the dive is usually over. For my taste, one could easily extend it to 1 hour.
Overall, everything is well organized. I think that is mainly due to Rodrigo and also Dani. The two really made everything easier for me and even gave me the opportunity to spontaneously book my last dive via WhatsApp.
A trip to Cozumel was, of course, also made. Here, ScubaCaribe corresponds with a small UN in Cozumel. Since I booked directly through SCY, I ultimately had my private instructor, Narrada. We had exciting dives. The first was wild, and I enjoyed the second one even more because there was hardly any current, allowing us to explore everything more.
So far, I have only been able to evaluate the first three dives. But here are a few impressions from Barracuda. 🪸✨️
Operator response
Dear Mariel,
Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed and heartfelt review with us! 🌊🪸✨
We are truly happy to know that ScubaCaribe Yucatan was part of making your Mexico experience unforgettable. It is wonderful to hear that everything from the booking process to your dives was smooth and enjoyable.
We will definitely share your kind words with Dany, Lot, and Rodrigo. We know how much passion, professionalism, and care they put into every dive, and we are especially happy to hear about Dany’s incredible effort in recovering your camera. Moments like these truly show the dedication of our team both above and below the surface. 🤿
We are also glad you enjoyed your dives in Barracuda, Sábalo, Jardines, and your Cozumel adventure. Exploring the reefs, discovering marine life, and creating unforgettable underwater memories is exactly what we love to share with our guests.
Thank you again for choosing ScubaCaribe and for trusting our team with your diving experiences. We hope to welcome you back soon for many more adventures beneath the surface!
Happy bubbles! 🫧
ScubaCaribe Team
B
B4630OJmattw
March 21, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Great diving experience, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
Great dive, amazing experience, our instructor Mvai was very good, gave simple instructions, cool, calm and made us very comfortable. Highly recommended!
Operator response
Hi B4630OJmattw! Thank you so much for your review! 🤿💙
We’re so glad to hear that you enjoyed your PADI course with Mvai and that her professionalism, patience, and clarity made your experience excellent. We’re also pleased that the team and the boats lived up to your expectations.
We look forward to seeing you again soon for more underwater adventures. 🌊✨Customer Care Team
S
S1736AXsergiog
March 11, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
An excellent place to come back.
After many years, I returned to ScubaCaribe from RIU Yucatan to repeat a comforting experience and everything as planned, this is my third time with you. I contracted the day before with Cecilio’s excellent recommendations on the ScubaCaribe RIU Tequila site. In the morning I took ReActivate 2 for OW with Jorge, it was a great opportunity to review after so many years, thank you Jorge. In the afternoon we went with Lot, Jorge and the crew to visit "Sabalos", near there, and we could see the great diversity of flora and fauna of the reef. With the knowledge of our instructors we could enjoy seeing hidden in the caves, a shark and a brunette among so many others. The golden clasp was a puffer fish watching us, there suspended, with great attention and a large sea turtle that approached us, curious, for the farewell.
Another unforgettable experience in this wonderful site, to continue adding experience and anecdotes. Highly recommended to visit and hope to be back in no time.
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Hola S1736AXsergiog! ¡Muchas gracias por tu reseña! 🤿💙
Nos alegra muchísimo saber que disfrutaste tu curso PADI con Jorge y que su profesionalismo, paciencia y claridad hicieron que tu experiencia fuera excelente. También nos complace que el equipo y las embarcaciones hayan estado a la altura de tus expectativas. y que esplendido la forma en que nos describe la vida marina que pudo percibir
Será un placer volver a verte pronto para más aventuras submarinas. 🌊✨Customer Care Team
J
juansL3523GU
December 12, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
First dive
An amazing experience, delighted with the attention of our guide Jorge!! Very attentive at all times, excellent person and guide!
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Hola ! ¡Muchas gracias por tu reseña! 🤿💙
Nos alegra muchísimo saber que disfrutaste tu curso PADI con Jorge y que su profesionalismo, paciencia y claridad hicieron que tu experiencia fuera excelente. También nos complace que el equipo y las embarcaciones hayan estado a la altura de tus expectativas.
Muchas felicidades por su primera inmersión
Será un placer volver a verte pronto para más aventuras submarinas. 🌊✨Customer Care Team
1
19DJP76
August 2, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Wonderful first time dives in Mexico’s beautiful reefs.
I booked the Discover Scuba for my stepson and me in the hope that we would see some of the wonderful sea life Mexico has to offer. The whole experience was beyond my expectations. Jorge lead our dives and showed us the true wonders of the deep (well 10m anyway). His knowledge of the area and keen eye under the water allowed for a truly magical experience. As I have dived in the UK and am relatively competent, it allowed Jorge to spend time with my inexperienced stepson to help make his time under the water far more enjoyable. I cannot recommend this experience enough, it is exactly the reason I wanted to learn how to scuba dive in the first place. If you are lucky enough to have Jorge as your dive lead, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Thank you ‘Master’ 👏
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that your first-time dives in Mexico's beautiful reefs exceeded your expectations and that you and your stepson had such a magical experience with Jorge.
Jorge is indeed an exceptional dive leader, and we're delighted that his knowledge and keen eye made your time underwater so enjoyable, especially for your stepson's first experience. It's fantastic to know that he could provide personalized attention to ensure everyone felt comfortable and had a truly memorable dive.
Your recommendation means a great deal to us, and we're so glad that this experience reaffirmed your passion for scuba diving. We will be sure to pass on your kind words to Jorge, who will be very happy to hear your appreciation.
We hope to welcome you back for more underwater adventures in the future!
F
Fabi_Mmm
July 9, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Great experience with Muni
We did the diving discovery with Muni and it was an incredible experience!!! We felt very comfortable at all times, we saw a lot of wildlife and the treatment was incredible! We don't have time to take the course but we really want to do it with him, it's something we still have to do, thanks Muni for making us have an incredible day 🙌🏻
Operator response
¡Muchas gracias por tu reseña tan amable y por compartir tu experiencia con Muni! Nos alegra enormemente saber que tu descubrimiento de buceo fue tan increíble y que te sentiste cómoda en todo momento.
Es fantástico que hayan podido ver tanta fauna marina y que el trato de Muni haya sido excepcional. Nos entusiasma saber que se quedaron con ganas de hacer el curso con nosotros en el futuro. ¡Estaremos encantados de recibirlos cuando estén listos para su próxima aventura submarina!
Agradecemos tus palabras y esperamos verte de nuevo muy pronto
M
mikecC8920ER
June 26, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Unforgettable experience - Fantastic people - Superb instructors - Great fun!
Returned from a brilliant holiday recently where my family and I had the fantastic experience of SCUBA diving with these guys. It was my wife’s and 11 year old daughter’s first time and Dany our instructor was fantastic. Patiently training us in the pool followed by us all jumping off the boat into the crystal clear sea to explore a reef and just enjoying the experience. It was so good in fact that I decided to continue and do the full course to get qualified. Dany and Jorge are superb SCUBA instructors – super knowledgeable, they have excellent teaching styles but importantly make it really fun and interesting. I couldn’t recommend these guys more highly if you just want to just experience a dive in an absolutely beautiful location; or if you want to take it further and become a qualified PADI SCUBA diver. Something memorable to take home from your holiday! Many thanks also to Rodrego in the dive centre office for arranging it all and of course all the guys on the equipment side. I hope to see you all again soon! Muchas gracias amigos!
Operator response
Hello Mike
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words and for sharing such a detailed review of your SCUBA diving experience with us! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you and your family had an unforgettable holiday and that SCUBA diving with our team was a fantastic part of it.
It brings us immense joy to know that your wife and 11-year-old daughter had such a positive first-time experience, and we're especially proud of Dany for making their introduction to diving so patient and enjoyable, from the pool training to the reef exploration.
We are also delighted that you decided to continue your journey and become a qualified PADI SCUBA diver with us! Dany and Jorge are indeed superb instructors, and it's wonderful to hear that their knowledge, teaching styles, and ability to make learning fun contributed so much to your experience. We truly believe in making diving both educational and exciting.
Your recommendation means the world to us, whether for those just wanting to try a discovery dive or those looking to pursue full certification in our beautiful location. We strive to create memorable experiences for everyone.
We've also passed on your thanks to Rodrego in the dive center office for his excellent arrangements, and to all the team on the equipment side.
We sincerely hope to welcome you and your family back again soon for more underwater adventures!
Warmly Customer Care Team
M
MatthewW0902
February 17, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Muni is amazing
Booked the discovery scuba and what an experiance! When i went to book the dive i got told if it was possible to wait a few days due to windy/choppy weather so i took their advice and im sooooo glad i did!!!
Muni was a brilliant instructor, he took his time to make sure i was comfortable with all the gear and underwater.
I was fortunate to be the only diver under Muni's care while underwater that made it so much better, while under we saw a number of different marine life! Moray eels, lion fish, rays, parot fish, every where i looked a different school of fish appered!
What an amazing trip thank you so much Muni and all the team at scubacaribe, im definatly coming back to get certified!
Operator response
Hi Matt, Thanks for your feedback on your Discovery Scuba experience! We're thrilled you had such a fantastic time with Muni.
We're glad you took our advice and waited for calmer weather conditions. We prioritize ensuring our customers have the best and safest experience possible. Muni is a fantastic instructor; we're delighted he made you feel comfortable and confident throughout your dive.
It's terrific to see so much marine life during your dive! The waters around Isla Mujeres are teeming with diverse species, and we're happy you got to experience that firsthand.
We're so glad you enjoyed your trip and plan to return to get certified with us. We can't wait to welcome you back!
Thanks again for choosing Scuba Caribe. Customer Care Team
M
Melli S
October 27, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
I would definitely stay again. A must if you want to go diving as a complete beginner.
The course "Discover Scuba Diving" is highly recommended if you want to try diving for the first time.
My Instructor Narada was super calm and patient and explained everything to me in the theory and in the pool. Diving in the reef was just incredible! Would definitely come back!
Operator response
Hi, Melli; thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the DSD course and that it provided an excellent introduction to diving. Our team takes great pride in ensuring each guest feels comfortable and confident, and we're glad they could help make your experience memorable. Exploring the reef is a unique experience; we're delighted you had a fantastic time.
We look forward to welcoming you back for more underwater adventures!
J
jloscoz
September 9, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Unforgettable experience
An unforgettable experience that if you can be worth doing, we have been left wanting to do another dive so do not leave it to the end. Do a practical theoretical course with pool dive and then you do the sea dive where you will see diverse amount of marine life and hopefully a batfish like we saw. Our instructor Jorge highly recommended, explains everything very well and has a lot of experience with new people, reassures her and is very patient, we leave delighted with the experience and eager for more. Jorge if you read this THANK YOU VERY MUCH
2 people found this helpful
Operator response
José Luis, nos llena de satisfacción saber que vivieron una experiencia inolvidable y que Jorge hizo que se sintieran tan tranquilos y confiados durante su primera inmersión.
En ScubaCaribe, nos aseguramos de que nuestros instructores estén capacitados para guiar a buzos de todos los niveles, desde principiantes hasta los más avanzados. Su enfoque siempre es crear una experiencia divertida y, sobre todo, segura para cada persona que se aventura con nosotros bajo el agua.
Nos encanta que hayan podido disfrutar de la increíble diversidad marina y hasta ver un pez murciélago, ¡qué suerte! Jorge estará encantado de leer su mensaje, y nosotros estaremos aquí para recibirlos con los brazos abiertos para esa próxima inmersión que están deseando hacer.
¡Gracias a ustedes por elegirnos y hasta la próxima! 🌊🐠
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