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i am currently planning a trip to central america and would like to incorporate a bit of mexico too. Being very keep divers we have heard cancun and that coast are the best places...??? However i have also heard that cancun can be a bit tacky and touristy? anyone have any advide/ideas on this???

Please help!!!

It may be to some people's tastes but for me Cancun is way too tacky and over-touristy - it's one long strip of huge mega hotels and people there on package holidays.

Further down the coast is much nicer. Playa del Carmen is increasingly developed but still has a lot more character than Cancun. Cozumel island (off the coast from Playa del Carmen) is great too and has fantastic diving. One of the great things about diving in the Yucatan is you can dive in the Cenotes Cenotes as well as on the reef.

Generally the further south down that coast you go the less developed it is, and it's all easily reachable from Cancun airport.

I would have to agree with Itinerantlondoner on this one. Cancun is extremely touristy in an overly tacky and distasteful way. The streets are lined with nasty bars full of the cattle market types.

I celebrated New Year 2008 in Playa Del Carmen and had a great time. Make no mistake though Quinta avenue which is the main street in Playa Del Carmen is pricey and will suck the money straight out of your pockets.

Thought you might like some more information so check out the below:

reef diving - Playa Del Carmen

For more articles about travel visit: WorldRamblers - Travel Blog

How aboutCozumel or better yet Isla Mujeres? Great diving but not quite as crowded or touristy as Cancun.

Cozumel is dull-dull-dull topside, and it's overrun by cruise ship hordes daily. Isla Mujeres is pretty chill, and has outstanding diving. Playa del Carmen has dives on the same reefs as you'd hit from Cozumel, and is a lot more fun. If you're coming up from Belize, try to do some dives on Chinchorro reef, out of Xcalak or Mahahual.

The closest I got to Cancun was a day trip to Chichen Itza. Everything I heard about Cancun turned me off. I can go to a western resort here in the states, why go to Mexico for that?

I stayed in Merida on my trip. Although it's nearer to the beach at Progresso, I took my day trip to the ocean in Celestun, a small coast city where the Flamingos stay in a sanctuary! Not completely off the tourist trek but not over-run.

I do remember being told about diving in the Cenotes on some possible day trips from Merida I could take (didn't bite since diving isn't my thing).

I'm sure you'll find alternatives!