No — these are certified cavern dives that stay in daylight zones and follow fixed lines; cave diving training is not required.

What certifications are required?

Divers must be Advanced Open Water and Nitrox certified (Nitrox training can be arranged as an add-on if completed online first).

How many dives are included?

The trip includes 10 dives spread across cenote and cavern sites as described in the itinerary.

What is included in the price?

Price includes airport pickup, local transport, all diving, air and nitrox, weights, lunches on dive days, cenote fees, and shared villa lodging.

Are solo rooms available?

Rooms are based on double occupancy; solo rooms are not guaranteed unless you pay for an extra spot as noted in the trip terms.

Yes — divers must carry DAN or equivalent dive insurance and the operator highly recommends trip cancellation insurance.

Yucatán Cavern Expedition: Ancient Cenotes & November 2026

This eight‑day Cavern Tour travels to the Yucatán Peninsula, starting at Cancun Airport and moving through Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the Mérida region of Yucatán, Mexico. For advanced divers who want more than clear blue reefs, the trip opens a different kind of underwater world: limestone cenotes and submerged caverns carved over millennia, haloclines that shimmer between freshwater and salt, and chambers that hold Mayan pottery and human remains dated between 2,000 and 9,000 years old. The itinerary balances technical diving with downtime—two-tank days in celebrated cenotes like Zapote, El Pit, Choc-mool, Kin-Ha, and Dreamgate, then a deep, roped descent into an off-grid well at a jungle hacienda where a guarded cavern dive reveals artifacts and skeletal remains. This is cavern diving, not cave diving: dives remain within daylight zones and follow strict lines, guided by certified cave divers who float between groups to film and photograph. The group is limited to seven divers, with three certified cave pros in the water and a historian, Tristian, offering a primer on cenote geology and Maya history. Logistics include private transfer from Cancun Airport, shared villa lodging, nitrox for every dive, lunches on dive days, local transport, cenote fees, and an expert team handling rope operations. Divers must be Advanced Open Water, Nitrox certified (or complete Nitrox e-learning before the trip), current, comfortable in remote sites, and skilled at precise buoyancy—this itinerary demands restraint and finesse underwater. Above water, character emerges in the Merida hacienda where the jungle reclaims stone and the entry is a fifty‑foot rope lower into a narrow well. The rock here is Yucatán limestone—karst formations pocked with stalactites and thin daylight shafts that make the caverns both delicate and visually dramatic. Expect small freshwater fish, bats in entry chambers, and a sense of archaeology as you glide past pottery fragments and human bone. Practical notes: water temperatures hover near 76°F—bring a 5mm or mixed 3/3 setup—plan for imperfect facilities at remote sites, and carry DAN or similar dive insurance. The trip’s small size and specialized access make it an unusually intimate way to connect with the region’s geology and pre‑Columbian past. For divers seeking something remote, ritual, and tightly managed, this November departure promises rare lines, quiet cenotes, and a close team that treats each cavern like a fragile archive. Bookings are limited—trip price is $3,500 per diver and travelers must be at least 18 years old. Lodging is shared rooms in private villas and haciendas; solo rooms are not guaranteed without payment. The operation enforces a zero‑drug policy and bans DSMBs, gloves, and snorkels on dives. Check‑in details include private pickup from Cancun Airport with villa check‑in around 3pm; contact Cindy with flight changes and questions.

About Scuba Women

Scuba Women, based in Avalon, California, runs scuba diving courses and guided dives on Catalina Island. The operation offers a range of Catalina-centered programs, including specialty courses, hands-on workshops, multi-day training, and guided kelp forest dives. Course options listed include Catalina Deep Diver Specialty (private course), Catalina Advanced Open Water, Catalina Nitrox Specialty (dry and two-dive options), Catalina Rescue Diver Course, Catalina Trim and Buoyancy Workshop, Catalina Dry Suit Specialty, Catalina DSMB Workshop, Catalina Sidemount Training, and Catalina Guided Dives.

Programs emphasize practical skills such as deep diving to 130 feet, Nitrox computer setup and log review, dry-suit buoyancy and cold-water techniques, delayed surface marker buoy deployment, sidemount configuration and gas control, and rescue and emergency skills. Several offerings provide hands-on training and small-group guided dives through Catalina’s kelp forests and underwater scenery. The business provides both dry training options and supervised open-water dives where applicable, with structured courses aligned to specialty training objectives.

Scuba Women is featured on The Adventure Collective, which lists the business and its Catalina experiences. The listing highlights the available specialty courses and guided dives from Avalon, California, for divers seeking technical skills, safety training, or recreational exploration around Catalina Island. Prospective participants can review specific course summaries and select private or small-group formats where indicated. All program descriptions specify the training focus and the practical skills covered, enabling informed selection of courses and guided dives. Detailed course summaries and booking details are available through the Adventure Collective listing and direct contact channels for divers.