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The Complete Guide to Scuba Diving in Tulum, Mexico

Last Updated: February 22, 2023 · Mexico, Riviera Maya

Scuba diving in Tulum is a must-do on everyone’s tropical adventure bucket list!

Tulum is arguably one of the best places in the world to scuba dive because it has both incredible cenotes and the Mesoamerican Reef (the second largest after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef).

You have both options when scuba diving in Tulum and it’s nothing short of amazing.

Not only can you scuba dive in any deep open-air cenote, but you can also experience cave diving in Tulum’s labyrinth of underground flooded caverns and tunnels.

When moving to this beachside pueblo in the Riviera Maya, I knew I had to jump at the opportunity to explore Tulum’s scuba diving scene.

So far, I have been able to scuba dive three times in one of Tulum’s cenotes (Casa Cenote), twice in the Tulum reef, and twice in the Akumal reef. And now I have completed my PADI Open Water Certification!

With so many opportunities to explore Tulum’s aquatic wonderlands, I wanted to create this ultimate guide so you can find have the best scuba diving experience during your trip to Tulum.

Here is my ultimate guide to scuba diving in Tulum, Mexico. It includes Tulum’s dive shops, the best cenotes for diving, and diving on the Tulum reef.

P.S. If you’re a dive shop in Tulum or have dive experience here, please drop any additional recommendations in the comments below!

Table of Contents show
Scuba Diving in Tulum, Mexico
Best Dive Shops in Tulum
Agua Clara Diving
Infinity2Diving
Koox Diving
La Calypso Dive Center
Private Instructor
Best Cenotes in Tulum for Diving
Tulum Reef Diving
Last Tips for Scuba Diving in Tulum

Scuba Diving in Tulum, Mexico

reef diving tulum

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Best Dive Shops in Tulum

If you want to book with a dive shop, here are the best diving shops and tours in Tulum that I’d recommend.

Agua Clara Diving

Agua Clara is a PADI 5-star center and comes highly recommended by fellow divers. They call themselves an eco-friendly diving center featuring zero waste, small-group tours.

Not only can you book excursions for scuba diving in Tulum, but you can also book reef dives in Cozumel. They also offer eco-tours for snorkeling, cenote Tankah, and Sian Ka’an.

Prices: Their prices are typical of most scuba dive shops in Tulum. The PADI Open Water course costs $490-525 (book/e-learning), $130 for Tulum reef dive ($230 for Cozumel), and their discovery dives for beginners are $115 x 1 dive or $160 for 2 dives.

They also have cenote dives priced at $150 for 2x dives and $195 for 3x.

🤿 Check Agua Clara tours & reviews on GetYourGuide

Infinity2Diving

Infinity2Diving offers all types of tours like cenote diving, multi-day diving packages, PADI courses, technical diving, and more.

Though I haven’t been diving with these guys (yet), I could tell they were really laid-back, friendly, and passionate about diving when I went in to buy my Beuchat dive mask.

Mario and Diego were both there to entertain and Mario specifically helped explain to me all about dive masks, showed me how to burn my first mask, and talked about his love for cenote diving.

Prices: Their prices are $120 x 1 discovery dive ($175 for 2), $450 x PADI Open Water ($350 with e-learning), and $450 for Advanced Open Water.

The cenote dives range from $150-200 USD. They also offer a range of snorkeling and cultural tours like a day trip to float in the canals in Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.

Check Infinty2Diving ratings on Tripadvisor

Koox Diving

The team over at Koox Diving knows a thing or two about scuba diving in Tulum, considering they’ve been doing it for over 16 years!

They offer a range of diving tours and courses like technical and deep-sea diving, cave diving, and can arrange all diving excursions whether you’re based in Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Cancun.

Of all the dive shops, it seems that Koox offers the most in terms of tours and excursions (not just for diving). They also offer freediving, fishing, swimming with whale sharks, Mayan ruins tours, and visits to tourist attractions throughout Quintana Roo.

Prices: At $139 and $169 for 1x or 2x discovery dives and with the PADI Open Water at $539 (with e-learning), Koox Diving prices are a bit steeper.

Check reviews & tours with Koox Diving

La Calypso Dive Center

If you’re looking for a French-speaking dive center in Tulum, then La Calypso Dive Center is your place!

They have notable mentions in French media including Le Monde and Le Routard (which is basically the French version of Lonely Planet).

These guys have over 15 years of experience scuba diving in Tulum. Don’t worry, they also speak English and Spanish too (and also apparently a fourth language per their website!). 🙂

Like other dive shops, they will take care of everything so you can focus on having fun in a safe way. Instead of offering a bit of everything, the folks at La Calypso specialize in cenotes, caves, reefs, and PADI courses.

Their cenote packages are pretty cool because the prices vary based on which cenote you dive in. For example, you can combine two dives with both shallow and deep cenotes.

Prices: Cenotes $100-160, Reef $100-110, PADI Open Water $500, Advanced OW $500

Check La Calypso ratings & prices on Tripadvisor

Private Instructor 

I completed 2x discovery dives (1 cenote dive and 1 reef dive) and I received my PADI Open Water with David, a freelance dive instructor.

I realize this isn’t how the majority of people do scuba tours but if you want 1-on-1 instruction with a pro, then I highly recommend you seek out a private instructor. It was pretty awesome to have just us and our instructor instead of going with a large group.

If you’d like David’s contact info while you’re in Tulum, he can be reached by email at damat85@gmail(dot)com. (He doesn’t have a public social account or website for now.)

His rates are fair and competitive ($390 for Open Water, $120 for 2x discovery dives, or $90 for 1) and you won’t be disappointed with the experience!

Best Cenotes in Tulum for Diving

casa cenote aerial view
Casa Cenote aerial view | PC: Canva
divers in casa cenote mexico
discovery diving in casa cenote

Casa Cenote: Casa Cenote is a beautiful open-air cenote that is used as a training site for new divers.

Its long, snake-like shape carves out the mangroves and creates an awesome aerial picture. On the other side of the sandy road lies the Caribbean sea.

In this cenote, you can see both freshwater and saltwater wildlife, fish, algae gardens, and even Pancho the crocodile! Max depth: 20-25 ft (6-8 m)

Also Read: Diving in Casa Cenote with “Pancho” the Crocodile 🐊

Cenote Carwash: Cenote Carwash, on the surface, looks like a large lagoon or pond but below its water is also a gateway to easy caverns where new cave divers can try out their skills.

There are lots of lily pads, aquatic life, rock formations, and fallen trees which together make for a stunning cenote dive. Max depth: 45 ft (15 m)

Cenote El Pit: Cenote Pit is a cenote that is exactly what it sounds like. It is one of the best cenotes for diving in Tulum as it is essentially a huge pit or underwater chamber perfect for exploring (for advanced divers). At around 400 ft (121 m), it is one of the deepest cenotes in Quintana Roo.

The light rays shining through the water create insane visuals that will make you want to go diving immediately! Max diving depth: 130 ft (40 m)

Cenote Angelita: Cenote Angelita is a favorite cenote for advanced divers in Tulum because it features a spookish thick cloud of hydrogen sulfide gas created by decaying trees and vegetation that gathers in the layer of the cenote where fresh and saltwater meet (halocline).

You can pass through this layer to a deeper, darker part of Angelita. Max diving depth: 130 ft (40 m)

Cenote Angelita with the halocline | Photo credit: Infinity2Diving

Cenotes Dos Ojos: Cenote Dos Ojos is one of the most popular cenotes in Tulum for snorkeling and diving alike. Dos Ojos, meaning Two Eyes, refers to the two neighboring cenotes that both flow with an enormous subterranean river – one of the longest cave systems (Sac Atun) in the world at ~193 miles (310 km).

It is a great option for new divers since you stay relatively near the surface and don’t dive down more than 30 ft (10 m). If you dive at Dos Ojos, you’ll either follow the Barbie Line or the Bat Line circuit (both entrances and lines give way to wildly different diving experiences).

Gran Cenote: Gran Cenote is another hugely popular cenote in Tulum. You used to be able to dive here, but either due to the increase in popularity or tourism, you no longer can.

You can still visit and arrange a snorkeling tour, though. Entry cost is one of the highest in Tulum – around ~350 pesos per person. There are equipment rentals, showers, bathrooms, and a rest area/garden on site.

Cenote Dream Gate: If you want to dive in crystal clear water rich with marine life and cave formations, then go diving in Cenote Dream Gate (often written as Dreamgate). This cenote is unique because you can take two diving routes – either upstream or downstream.

Either or, you will have a blast in this cenote! It is often talked about as being one of the best cenotes for cave diving in Tulum. To dive here, you need to have excellent buoyancy skills and your Open Water certification. Depth: 30 ft (9 m)

Also Read: 9 Best Eco Boutique Hotels in Tulum

woman cave diving in cenote dreamgate aguaclara diving tulum
Cenote Dream Gate | Photo credit: Agua Clara Diving

Cenote Calavera: Cenote Calavera is a fun, skull-shaped cenote with one big hole and two smaller holes (hence the name). At first, it looks just like a big swimming hole to jump in but in fact, you can enter the Sac Actun cave system here.

This dive features cool cave formations and the cloudy halocline layer. It is recommended for advanced divers since there are some dark and narrow spots. Max depth: ~50 ft (16 m)

Cenote Escondido: Cenote Escondido is a large pool-like cenote hidden in the jungle just south of Tulum. It is great for swimming, snorkeling, and also diving! When we were there, we saw two divers resurface after an adventurous dive in the underground cavern.

The entry fee is $120 pesos if you combine a visit with Cenote Cristal just across the street (great for jumping/swimming/snorkeling, but not diving). The price for divers for Escondido is around $200 pesos.

Cenote Nicte-Ha: Cenote Nicte Ha can be found within the Dos Ojos cenotes park. This cenote is both an open-water underwater garden dive and a cavern line.

As a diving cenote, it’s definitely on the less popular side but it still offers cave divers a short and sweet thrill. Max depth: ~25 ft (8 m)

As you can see, there are TONS of opportunities to go diving in a world-famous Tulum cenote. Just ask your diving instructor or dive shop about their various packages and what they’d recommend based on your diving experience.

If you also want to dive in the sea for a whole new experience, then you could also scuba dive into the Mesoamerican reef just offshore of Tulum!

Tulum Reef Diving

woman scuba diving in tulum reef
school of fish tulum reef dive
women scuba diving in tulum reef

Scuba diving in Tulum is so incredible because the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef lies just off the warm coastal waters of Tulum and is the second largest after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

There are several reef diving sites in Tulum that will give you the chance to see lots of rich, colorful marine life including reef fish, crabs, lobsters, and maybe even the passing turtle, stingray, or bull shark! Here are just a few!

Cuevitas: Cuevitas, meaning “Little Caves”, is where we got to do our first reef dive with our private instructor David. It is appropriately named Little Caves because there are several small arches that you can swim through.

On this dive, we saw lobsters, a blowfish, and many blue, yellow, and neon-speckled reef fish swimming around the corals. The dive site is 10-minutes north of Tulum in the sea just across from Casa Cenote. We dove around 25-30 ft (8-10 m).

Stingray: The Stringray dive in front of Tulum ruins is a great option for new divers (on calm sea days) because it is a fairly shallow dive of ~ 8-24 ft (2.5-10 m).

It is often called the Stingray dive because of the possibility to see stingrays exploring the sandy floor.

Coquitos: Coquitos is another Tulum reef dive worth doing. It is nicknamed Little Coconuts because of the coconut-filled palm trees lining the beach.

You can see lots of colorful sea life on this dive. Max depth is ~ 40 ft (12 m) at the bottom of the corals.

scuba diving in tulum in cuevitas reef site

Last Tips for Scuba Diving in Tulum

  • ✈️ Don’t fly for 12-18 hours: You shouldn’t board/fly in a plane for a minimum of 12-18 hours after your last dive. As David told us, little nitrogen bubbles can build up in our bodies and blood system when we dive and it needs to be released. If we fly just after a dive, we are at risk of decompression sickness aka “the bends” and this can cause injury or even be fatal.
  • 💧 Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: The more water you drink, the better. When we hydrate, we clear our sinuses and boost blood pressure. Without good hydration, you may feel too weak or poor to dive and you’ll have a hard time equalizing underwater.
  • 👙 Wear comfortable bikinis: Diving wetsuits are extremely tight. Ladies, make sure to wear a comfortable bikini or one-piece swimsuit and avoid anything that you need to tie with knots as this will stick out and be uncomfortable. Men should wear comfortable boxers/briefs rather than loose-fitting swimming trunks.
  • ☀️ Have fun! Scuba diving is one of the best adventure activities and the more you relax and just “go with the flow” the more you’ll enjoy the experience!

Tulum has so many incredible diving opportunities. If you are ever on the coast of the Riviera Maya you must come to Tulum to dive.

Between the cenotes and the Mesoamerican Reef, Tulum has got to be one of the best places in the world to scuba dive.

If you don’t have your Open Water certification, you can still do a cenote or reef dive on a discovery tour.

But you should definitely consider staying 4-5 days to get your PADI certification and go on a thrilling cenote cave dive or deeper ocean dive.

Enjoy scuba diving in Tulum! If you have any questions about my experience scuba diving in Tulum feel free to reach out in the comments or shoot me an email.

Discover more of Tulum with these guides:

  • 12 Epic Day Trips From Tulum You Can’t Miss
  • Floating Down Ancient Mayan Canals in Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve
  • 9 Awesome Things to Do in Tulum, Mexico
  • Tulum Street Art: Exploring the Pueblo’s Muralism Culture

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By: Bri · In: Mexico, Riviera Maya

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. James says

    September 6, 2023 at 12:52 am

    I would love to go diving with David. please send me his contact for further diving information My family of 4 want to get PADI certified.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      September 12, 2023 at 1:42 am

      Email is mentioned in the post 🙂

      Reply
  2. Ariel says

    May 18, 2023 at 10:50 pm

    Stumbled upon this blog looking for a map of the reefs in front of Casa cenote, but as a local diver would also like to add that if you are advanced/have good buoyancy skills, Taak bi ha and tak be luum are also amazing cenotes to dive in. The first is highly decorated and quite shallow, the second has an epic swim through near the end of the dive

    Reply
  3. Nisha says

    February 12, 2023 at 11:08 am

    Could I have Davids’ contact number? I am in Tulum now, would love to speak to him.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 13, 2023 at 12:20 pm

      Hey Nisha! His email is provided in the content above 👆 he prefers email

      Reply
  4. Door says

    October 10, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    Hi! Thanks for all the info! Can you share David’s details with me? 🙌🏼

    Reply
    • Bri says

      October 11, 2022 at 12:11 pm

      On its way 🙂

      Reply
  5. Mili says

    September 4, 2022 at 2:07 pm

    Could I have the contact info for your private instructor? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      September 7, 2022 at 2:29 pm

      Hi Mili! Could you shoot me a quick email? x

      Reply
  6. Hussain says

    August 17, 2022 at 3:18 pm

    Hi,
    Thanks for the information. Very helpful. I would love to have David’s information ? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      August 25, 2022 at 8:18 pm

      Hi Hussain! Sending you an email.

      Reply
  7. Nicole says

    July 31, 2022 at 5:04 am

    Hi Bri,

    Super useful post, thanks for the info! Can I please follow suit with the requests for David’s details?

    Many thanks x

    Reply
    • Bri says

      August 15, 2022 at 1:26 pm

      Hello Nicole! Could you pop me a quick email?

      Reply
  8. Tina says

    May 31, 2022 at 8:37 pm

    Hi Bri, hope you are doing well. Can I get your free land dive instructor, David’s contact info if he’s still taking customers in Tulum? My boyfriend and I are going there in two weeks so want to book some dives with him. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      May 31, 2022 at 8:54 pm

      Hi Tina, thanks for writing! Sounds fun. I’ll send you an email with his info. Cheers

      Reply
      • Juliette says

        June 7, 2022 at 4:06 am

        Hello !
        Can you sent it to me to please ?
        Thank you 🙂

        Reply
        • Bri says

          June 16, 2022 at 1:53 pm

          Hi Juliette! Did you get my email?

          Reply
  9. Frank says

    April 22, 2022 at 1:29 pm

    Hello!

    Can I please have David’s details as well?

    Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Bri says

      April 26, 2022 at 9:20 am

      On its way, Frank 🙂

      Reply
      • Alexandra Power says

        May 2, 2022 at 7:40 pm

        Me too please?

        Reply
        • Bri says

          May 5, 2022 at 3:55 pm

          Yes! Sending an email about diving in Tulum right now : )

          Reply
    • Toree says

      August 15, 2022 at 3:12 pm

      Hi! I love your blog, I’ve learned so much. THANK YOU! Can I please get the contact information for David? Thanks in advance (:

      Reply
      • Bri says

        August 25, 2022 at 8:20 pm

        Email sent!!

        Reply
  10. Juliette says

    April 7, 2022 at 11:25 pm

    Can I please have David’s details as well?

    Reply
    • Bri says

      April 21, 2022 at 9:10 am

      Hey Juliette! Sure thing! Sending it your way

      Reply
  11. Michael Masters says

    February 22, 2022 at 3:40 pm

    Hello! Awesome post! Can you send me David’s contact info?

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 24, 2022 at 6:09 am

      Thanks Michael! Sure!

      Reply
  12. Randy says

    February 22, 2022 at 10:18 am

    Hello, love love loved your info on Tulum/ helpful as I’m going in a month. Can I also please have Davids information, going to do my first Dive while in Mexico- thanks

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 24, 2022 at 6:10 am

      Thanks Randy! Email and info is on its way 🙂

      Reply
  13. Anne Marie says

    February 13, 2022 at 4:56 pm

    You seem to have quite the buzz about Tulum and the great vibes there. This is making me very excited for my travels in 2 weeks! Can I please be one of the many others who have asked about David the diving instructor? I’m hoping he is available for something similar to you (1x cenote and 1x reef discovery dives). That sounds perfect. Thanks for the fabulous information!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 14, 2022 at 4:45 am

      Hi Anne Marie! Thanks for reaching out and reading my guide! I’ll send you his info shortly✨

      Reply
  14. Jo says

    February 13, 2022 at 12:43 pm

    Hi!! Thank you for sharing!
    Could you please send me David’s contact information?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 14, 2022 at 4:47 am

      Hey Jo! Thanks! Will send it soon!

      Reply
  15. Sia says

    February 4, 2022 at 1:31 am

    Hiii! Could you please share Davids contact with me? Thank you!! Also, Love the page!!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 7, 2022 at 9:12 am

      hey Sia! of course!

      Reply
      • Jo says

        February 13, 2022 at 12:06 pm

        Hi!! Thank you for sharing!
        Could you please send me David’s contact information?
        Thanks!

        Reply
  16. Gabriel Tucker says

    February 1, 2022 at 9:25 am

    Hello! Thanks for the tips. Would appreciate David’s info!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 2, 2022 at 4:20 am

      Email on its wayyy ✨

      Reply
  17. Caroline Mikolajczyk says

    January 30, 2022 at 10:50 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing! I’ll be solo traveling to Tulum and have never dived before. Is there any way to do a cenote or coral reef dive without any certifications? Also, can you please share David’s information with me?

    Reply
    • Bri says

      January 31, 2022 at 7:00 am

      Hey Caroline! Sure, would be happy to! You can do 2 “discovery” dives with David and/or a dive shop in Tulum. These discovery dives don’t require any previous experience. You’ll be assisted every step of the way and in fairly shallow water from 5-8m. We did our discovery dives in the Casa Cenote and then one reef dive in Akumal. X sending you an email!

      Reply
  18. Mateus says

    January 19, 2022 at 10:17 am

    Hi! Nice post, thanks for all the info! Could you please share David’s contact with me? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      January 20, 2022 at 4:13 am

      Thank you! Just sent you the details by email. Have fun!!

      Reply
  19. Ryan J. says

    January 3, 2022 at 12:55 am

    Hello,

    Thanks for the information- super helpful! Do you mind sharing David’s information with me? Appreciate it!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      January 3, 2022 at 6:24 am

      Hey Ryan! Would be happy to! Email incoming in 3, 2, 1.. 🙂

      Reply
  20. Madhav says

    December 7, 2021 at 6:35 pm

    Hi thanks for the great guide on diving in Tulum. Could you provide me the contact info for David? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      December 7, 2021 at 7:52 pm

      Sent! 🙌

      Reply
  21. Danielle Ferree says

    November 8, 2021 at 6:16 pm

    Hi can I have the contact information of david please?

    Reply
    • Bri says

      November 8, 2021 at 7:42 pm

      Hey Danielle! Just sent the info your way 🙂

      Reply
  22. Wojciech says

    September 9, 2021 at 10:44 am

    Hello, I would be very grateful for sharing David’s contact details. Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      September 9, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      No problem! Email incoming 😊

      Reply
  23. Xenia Lazareva says

    July 25, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    Thanks for this comprehensive guide! I’d love David’s contact info! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      July 26, 2021 at 4:31 am

      Email on its way to you 🙂

      Reply
  24. Jelle says

    July 7, 2021 at 6:37 am

    Hey – please share David’s details. Would be great. I’m there next week 🙂 Cheers

    Reply
    • Bri says

      July 7, 2021 at 8:23 am

      Hi Jelle! Just sent you an email. Check your inbox or junk folder 🙂

      Reply
  25. tyler Van says

    June 22, 2021 at 7:26 pm

    Howdy, would love to dive with David. Could you share his contact?

    Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      June 23, 2021 at 7:57 am

      Hey Tyler! Awesome. Sending an email your way 🙂

      Reply
  26. Joseph says

    April 27, 2021 at 12:33 pm

    Wow, so much fun to read this! I could not be more excited about my trip now! What is David’s, contact information and did working with him feel professional? I really want to make sure the PADI certification is 200% legitimate because I plan to take it with me and use it in many other places. Have you used your certification anywhere else? Thanks so much for writing this, your impacting real lives!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      April 27, 2021 at 1:13 pm

      Hi Joseph! Thanks SO much for your comment! Really so nice of you to say. I’m so happy you are going diving! David is 100% professional and has been diving since he was a child. He is truly a master in his craft and has dived all over the world. He will make you feel so comfortable while driving home the theory + safety + technicalities of diving. I haven’t yet used my PADI elsewhere (currently in Guatemala), but I quickly received my official email from PADI with a temporary ID card and then shortly thereafter received my permanent card and certificate at home in the mail. I will send you an email with his contact info! 🙂

      Reply
  27. Rusty says

    April 26, 2021 at 2:40 am

    Hi Bri,

    Thanks so much for the great write up. Can you please provide me with David’s contact information so I can ask about a private PADI certification?

    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      April 26, 2021 at 10:55 am

      Hi Rusty! Yes, of course. Sending you an email right now! 🙂 Have fun!

      Reply
  28. Ava says

    April 9, 2021 at 12:41 pm

    This looks so fun, can you share David’s contact? Much appreciated!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      April 9, 2021 at 1:54 pm

      yes absolutely! I will send you an email 🙂

      Reply
  29. Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi says

    April 2, 2021 at 4:53 pm

    Hello, I would love the contact information for the private dive instructor. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      April 5, 2021 at 10:15 am

      Hi Ayeshah! Of course, I’ll send his contact in an email. Be on the lookout for it!

      Reply
  30. Danica says

    April 1, 2021 at 10:40 pm

    Hi there! I would love the contact for your private dive instructor! Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      April 2, 2021 at 10:16 am

      Hi Danica! Thanks for reaching out! I will send you a quick email with his number and email 🙂

      Reply

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Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confi Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confidence & sense of self (at the risk of sounding cliché), of “my essence” and inner Knowing, and where my compassion and passions mingle and thrive. I was reading some of your comments on my recent Reel about solo travel and how I put myself at great risk/in danger. But as I was telling my Tibetan friend, Sonam, tonight (yes, the new one I made last week!), I inform my decisions mostly by 1. Asking myself, “Would this make a good story?” and 2. Listening to my body and emotions. Yes, it’s risky to travel solo, to be a female in a male-dominated culture, to go out after hours with people you just met, etc. But doing that — and all the magic that followed by “allowing” — reminded me exactly of who I am at my core: Curious and open to the world, willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of finding magic and serendipity. Some of you said, “I’m too scared to do this, how do you overcome that fear of personal safety?” And to this I say, I don’t! Fear accompanies me along the journey. Living life is one big risk. It’s uncomfortable to be open, vulnerable, and unsure. But once you accept that and once you begin to let compassion and curiosity guide you rather than your fear, the real magic starts to happen in all areas of life, not just travel. I find these moments most in travel though, when I’m confronted with contrast and am left vulnerable to the world and the kindness of my fellow humans. My Reels are not meant to romanticize or gloss over very real risks/threats in life, but rather to share a real account of what’s possible (adventure, connections, love, etc) when you worry less about societal norms and what’s “safe not safe” “right not right” and allow your over-active fears to take a backseat. 
This is your reminder to trust your inner compass to guide you in writing your epic life story. ✨✨

To sum it up: 

1. Choose a life of adventure 
2. Stay curious
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (otherwise said, seek discomfort)
4. Let love and light flow in and out 
5. Change is the only constant 

#solotravel #nepaltravel #solofemaletraveler #soloadventure #localtravel #trekkingnepal #adventurethatislife
The strength of women 💛 These ladies were lau The strength of women 💛 

These ladies were laughing so sweetly while filling up their water jugs at the Manga Hiti fountain in Patan. I watched them for a while and then plucked up the courage to ask if I could take their photos, which only made them giggle more. 

I've always felt that not being able to communicate in the same language makes for even more interesting encounters. Without words, we have to touch each other's humanity with eyes and gestures, and most of the time it leads to unspoken mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. We three walked away with the biggest smiles on our faces. I yelled out "Dhayabad!" (Thank you!) as they hoisted their jugs up the stairs, laughing all the way. I won't forget this shared moment between us 🙏 

Check stories for the landscape orientation for some of these photos ✨ 

#nepal #nepalnow #nepalphotography #nepaliculture #nepalisbeautiful #natgeoyourshot #patan #kathmanduvalley #lifetimeexperiences #photonepal #nepaltravel
Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swi Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swirling spirituality, its raw humanity? ✨🇳🇵❤️

#nepal #visitnepal #nepalnow #travelstories #localtravel #mindfultravel #slowtravel #natgeotravel
When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay open to the randomness of life and the kindness of strangers, really wonderful memories can be made. Thank you Lama family and my new Tibetan friends for such a fun and insightful sequence of experiences 🙏 💛

#solotravel #localtravel #nepaltravel #nepaldiaries #nepali #solofemaletravel #kathmandunepal #thamel #tibetanfood #solotraveldiaries
My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 

Being back after 7 long years away has jolted my body, brain, and spirit. At first, I felt overwhelmed with the recurring thought of, "I don't know what to do with myself." It was only when acceptance knocked on my door, and I finally decided to let it in, that things began to shift and flow.
 
In Nepal, particularly Kathmandu, everything around me swarms like a hive. I have nowhere else to go but inside myself. I've discovered through years of slow traveling (and solo travel) that peace awaits me there -- a sense of independence, power, and knowing that is still, comforting, and safe. And I can tap into it whenever I need to.

Chaos and peace reside in all of us, and Nepal has a cosmic, ancient way of reminding you of just that. 

📍 Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur

#nepaltravel #patan #durbarsquare #nepalphotography #slowtravel #nepal #solotravel #lalitpur
They ask, “Why?” I was 29 when I embarked on They ask, “Why?” 

I was 29 when I embarked on the plane on the 21st, and 30 when I disembarked on the 23rd. How fitting. I spent all of my 20s abroad (except for my two final semesters in undergrad), and moved to Nepal when I was 21. 

What better way to say goodbye to my twenties than by returning to the start? I felt the desperate urge to start my 30s this way—alone on a one-way ticket with no concrete plans. I have both feared and longed to come back all these years. You see, I had made a promise to one of my closest Nepali friends that I’d see her again, but the reality is that I no longer can. 

She, along with another dear friend, passed away from cancer a couple of years back. The thought of returning to my old life here without my friends made me, well, incredibly sad. I had thought that, upon landing in Kathmandu—or taking a bite of my first momo—after so long, I’d find myself bursting into tears of both grief and gratitude. But I didn’t. Instead, I found familiarity in the chaos and chaos in the strangeness. 

Just being here—and the decisions and actions it took to get here—has reminded me of the preciousness of this one very short life. And that, by choosing to celebrate mine—at the exciting turn of a decade no less—by coming back to Nepal on a solo trip that would force me into daring discomfort when I could instead retreat to the comforts of family or my partner, is how I want to live it.

Truth is, a couple of months ago the thought of Nepal felt out of reach. It felt risky, unattainable. But the idea itself pushed open, just a crack at first, a door that had been otherwise closed. I could have more easily ignored my “what if?” daydreams—calling them off as too hard, too uncomfortable, or too far-fetched to actually pursue—and kept it shut.
But sometime in mid-July, I decided to look at flights. And I found one (truly, just one) option that could work. And it just so happened that it would fall on my birthday, or rather bridge my birthday. The idea of getting on a plane at 29 and getting off it at 30—back in Nepal—sold me. I fell in love with the story, the adventure, the unknowingness of it all. 

So, yeah. That’s why. Or as I prefer, “Why not?”
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