Dive Review of XTC Dive Center/Playa Sonrisa in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Xcalak, Mahahual Peninsula

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XTC Dive Center/Playa Sonrisa, Apr, 2010, by Ken New, SD, US ( Contributor 18 reports with 11 Helpful votes). Report 5439.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The bad (very little!): Nitrox $14 a fill, due to difficulty of obtaining it in this remote location. No rinse tank on board. The good: The most complete, friendly, professional concierge service for our gear we have encountered anywhere -- complete care of everything from beginning of first dive to end of last dive, including a final rinse & hang-to-dry. Knowledgeable, enthusiastic dive masters, willing to let us set the pace -- no hurrying of the photographer! Small groups -- one day it was just the 2 of us, two days we were 4. VERY accommodating about taking us to sites we'd read about, even one that meant using more fuel; also great suggestions about other sites. This is a great operation doing a wonderful job in a somewhat difficult location logistically. Both coral & fish life were much more abundant & healthy than we'd expected. Black coral (big "forest", very healthy), Staghorn (small as it's regrowing after hurricane several years ago). Several large groups of Tarpon that swam around us; Barracuda. Turtles; one curious one came to "visit". Wide variety of reef fish. Nudibranchs, shrimp, conchs. Sadly, Lionfish. This was easy diving but very interesting. Small chop, very little current (one drift dive). Lots of dramatic structure to the reef -- swim-throughs, canyons, overhangs. Most dives were close to or over an hour, even on air. Xcalak has a rustic, end-of-the-earth feel & the beach is absolutely gorgeous. We wish we could have stayed longer; and we will be back!
Websites	XTC Dive Center Playa Sonrisa
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Most recently St. Vincent & the Galapagos
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy	Seas	calm, choppy
Water Temp	79-81°F / 26-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-80 Ft/ 15-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Generally, everyone ascended when one person reached 750 psi (there was a max of 4 divers); but when I had lots of extra air on one dive, the dive master stayed down with me.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	No rinse tank on the boat, the captain did keep my camera in a safe location during travel. Rinse tank at the dive shop. Boat trips were short so the camera was not un-rinsed for long; I took a big bottle of fresh water to use in between dives.

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Dive Review of XTC Dive Center/Playa Sonrisa in Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Xcalak, Mahahual Peninsula

XTC Dive Center/Playa Sonrisa, Apr, 2010,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of XTC Dive Center/Playa Sonrisa in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Xcalak, Mahahual Peninsula