Meet The Diving Expert: Camille Laquerrière From Cancun – Part II

Cancun is constantly advertised as a scuba diving Mecca, but why would this place be any better than any other in the Caribbean? Camille Laquerrière, course director at Phocea Mexico in Cancun, tells us why: “Firstly, because of the diversity of diving options. From diving in cenotes to doing it in Cozumel or in the reefs alongside the Riviera Maya.” Obviously, the fact that you won’t have to travel very long distances to find a completely different diving scenario is fundamental to optimise your time whilst on holiday in Cancun.

For those who are wondering what a cenote is, they are limestone caverns featuring stalagmites and stalactites, and were believed by the Mayan to be a connection with the underworld. I’ll let Camille explain what diving in them feels like: “Undoubtedly it’s a unique experience that nobody should miss, since they show us a key aspect of the Mayan culture and offer an unforgettable diving experience.” As challenging as it sounds, diving in cenotes is accessible for all levels of expertise, as long as the divers do their immersions with qualified instructors who know well the diving spots in Cancun.

Of course, when you are diving you want to see fish, and Cancun has the biggest of them all, the gigantic whale shark. How would you feel diving alongside such a creature, I wonder. “ It’s something unique, one of the few chances we have in life of being face to face with an animal that big and that peaceful at the same time,” says Camille. “The experience of swimming with these gentile giants is unforgettable.”

Whale sharks, bull sharks, manta rays, you name it, Camille has seen it all. However, not always the biggest creatures are the most impressive: “colourful nudibranchs, tiny crustaceans and coral surprise me every day,” he affirms.

If after reading this interview you have the urge to dive in a prime destination, book your holiday to Cancun with Kenwood Travel. For those who haven’t experienced scuba diving, here is Camille’s description of his first immersion: “the first time you breathe underwater and achieve neutral buoyancy is an incredible feeling. It gives you a sense of freedom and tranquility like no other activity.”