Belarusian Dives 30 Meters Deep in Mexico Without Equipment. All for Stunning Photos

Ready to dive 30 meters to capture an underwater shot in the sun's rays? Ulad, a Belarusian, has real experience with this. At the end of last year, he traveled to Mexico — he says it's where freediving enthusiasts flock. These are the daredevils who descend dozens of meters without oxygen tanks or any other equipment, relying primarily on their body's capabilities. It turns out that at such depths, people lift dumbbells and even use a "taxi." By the way, some truly amazing shots are coming out, which haters might attribute to AI work, writes "Onliner".

"Every person can hold their breath for 5 minutes. The rest is psychosomatic."

Vladislav is 31 years old. At one point, the young man graduated from Gomel Medical University but did not work in his specialty – as a general practitioner. Instead, immediately after graduation, he set off to conquer fashion runways in China, Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

But this story quickly ended, the interviewee recounts. The reasons were competition, lack of prospects, and unstable earnings. Next came training as a programmer, and now the Belarusian has his own media company in Georgia. The business opened up travel opportunities for Ulad — his list of visited countries already includes around 40.

"I don't have a goal to visit all countries — there's not much to do in some of them, and going just to tick a box feels strange. So I go where there is something interesting, unique. For example, if you see an Instagram Reel from a beautiful place that looks like a fairy tale — that's for me."

Top 5 most beautiful places, according to Ulad:

1. Namibia. Many think it's just a desert there. In reality, this country looks like another planet with unusual landscapes.

2. Madeira. Eternal spring: mild climate all year round, mountain views, levadas, and a fantastical forest in the clouds — as if you've stepped into a fairy tale.

3. Japan. A contrast of tradition and future: serene temples and gardens, neon cities, sakura — aesthetics at every turn.

4. Cape Town. Unique panoramas, penguins, good climate. An ideal place for sports: surfing, cycling, hiking, and so on.

5. Mexico. Vibrant and lively: fantastic turquoise cenotes, jungles, and Mayan ruins.

Through one beautiful Instagram video, Ulad developed a passion that became the reason for this interview — freediving. Essentially, it's underwater diving with breath-holding — naturally, no equipment is used.

"I saw a Reel with super beautiful underwater shots from Bali: people, corals, fish, and a sunken ship. I decided I also wanted to dive and wrote to the freediving school on whose page the video was published. However, I didn't want to become a freediver; I just wanted to get similar shots," the young man smiles.

But it turned out that merely wishing to be photographed at depth was not enough. He had to complete a course and become a Level 1 freediver. The training, costing approximately $300, was conducted in an express format — just 2-3 days.

"After completing the course, I received an international PADI certificate as a Level 1 freediver. It granted me the right to dive up to 20 meters. If you wish to dive deeper, it's advisable to continue training. A year later, I earned my second level and was able to dive 27 meters — that was a personal record."

What's the most challenging part of freediving? According to Ulad, when it comes to diving to depths of up to 20 meters, the hardest part is dealing with the psychological factor. He explains: at that moment, you need to compose yourself and not panic, and overall, the process is somewhat similar to meditation.

"At the courses, we were told that without submerging in water, every person can hold their breath for 5 minutes — provided psychosomatics are 'turned off'. The main thing the classes gave me (I was already a good diver before this) was correcting mistakes."

Knowledge of the "ear equalization" technique (or, more simply, clearing clogged ears) and breathing rules before and after dives allowed Ulad to dive deeper. And at the same time, to overcome that very "internal" fear of great depths.

A little later, Ulad went to Raja Ampat — an archipelago in Indonesia — in the company of other freedivers.

"Untouched nature, you alone on a wild island — it's like being in a Discovery channel episode!"

Dumbbells at a Depth of 12 Meters? No Joke!

At the end of last year, Ulad traveled to Mexico, with cenote dives being one of the purposes of his trip. Essentially, these are natural sinkholes in the earth (there's a legend they appeared after meteorite impacts), formed by the collapse of limestone cave ceilings where underground rivers flow. This is precisely what makes the Mexican city of Tulum attractive to freedivers from all over the world.

By the way, Ulad recounts, you can meet the reigning freediving world champion Alexey Molchanov there. He often dives in Tulum with popular (over 5 million followers) freediver Tavi Castro.

"It turned out that we were diving in the same cenotes at the same time!" Ulad says enthusiastically.

In Mayan, ts'onot (pronounced approximately as 'tsonot') means 'well' — cenotes were used, among other things, as a source of fresh water. The Mayans also considered cenotes to be 'gates to the underworld', and their waters sacred.

"The most beautiful diving shots were taken precisely in Mexico. First, in the Kaan Luum lagoon, which looks like a lake — it even reminded me of a Belarusian landscape. Inside, there's a huge hole where everyone dives — it looks epic on video, like an abyss!

The first layer is cloudy, making it impossible to see what's below. But after diving 5-10 meters, the water becomes perfectly clear, and you can see all the beauty. Then, when you manage to reach a depth of 25-27 meters, a second underwater cloud begins — you can also dive into it. It's incredibly beautiful!"

But the main feature of this place, Ulad says, is a rock located at a depth of 12-13 meters. For an impressive shot, you can even stand there — though it all depends on the diver's skills.

"It's not very difficult, but it all depends on the depth and your buoyancy point — whether you float up, sink, or feel neutral, as if in weightlessness. It was easy for me to stand at 12 meters deep. By the way, I even shot a video with dumbbells there. The famous freediver Castro, who uses the Aquaman persona, left them there for fun.

"The dumbbells are there all the time, so anyone can dive down and take a photo with them. But you have to be careful — they are quite heavy. When I first picked them up, I was simply shocked at how slippery it was there — at one point, I started 'sliding' down the rock. But the biggest fear was dropping the dumbbells into the abyss. After all, they weren't mine, so I didn't want to lose them," Ulad laughs.

By the way, how are all these photos and videos taken underwater? The content, the interviewee explains, is created either by other freedivers (who can also be hired as instructors) or by specialized operators. For maximum quality, everything is shot with good equipment — Ulad assures that such an effect cannot be achieved with action cameras alone.

"The second cenote I went to was Maravilla, located near the city of Playa del Carmen. Its uniqueness lies in the magnificent views at depth under the sunlight. Another feature is its depth of about 70 meters, and in certain directions underground, it extends for hundreds of meters, although its surface diameter is only 6-7 meters.

I managed to take many beautiful shots there, but it required serious effort. Firstly, you need to be lucky with the weather; secondly, this cenote must be booked, as it is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, making it very popular."

According to Ulad, all cenotes in Mexico are privately owned and belong to specific individuals. They can be bought like a dacha plot or rented temporarily from the current owners. Prices vary — the average cost is around $20-50. Sometimes they are rented for a whole day, but the popular Maravilla can realistically be booked for just a couple of hours.

"That's enough time to dive and get cold," Ulad smiles. "The average water temperature is +26…+28 degrees Celsius, which sounds quite comfortable. But for the sake of the shots, I dived without a wetsuit, so I froze instantly."

For his dive into Maravilla, Ulad hired a female instructor who monitored what was happening. And alongside the young man, a cameraman — also a freediver — descended, who captured many impressive shots.

"We dived to a depth of 12 meters — that was my buoyancy point, where I neither sank nor floated up. As a result, it felt like hovering in weightlessness — these are strange and incomparable sensations. You literally feel nothing, all around is darkness, the only reference point — rays from somewhere above."

"First attempt to dive 30 meters failed"

An instructor, by the way, is a safety net in case of an emergency. So, if the diver's strength runs out, the instructor will pull them to the surface.

"The third cenote in Mexico where I dived was Angelita; it looks like a white underwater lake. Initially, I didn't plan to dive there, as the main beauty is at a depth of 30 meters, and my personal record was 27 meters. I decided to go for a training session with an instructor and try to reach 30 meters. It was important to understand how comfortable I would be at such a depth, because I needed not only to dive but also to spend some time at depth, take shots, and ascend."

During training, he managed to dive 30 meters, but with a caveat: Ulad was wearing a wetsuit, meaning he didn't get cold. As a result, the young man decided to take the risk and went to Angelita.

"This is a super beautiful place — one of the few untouched by humans. This time, a female operator from a scuba diving club was with me — she descended with oxygen tanks, reached the 30-meter depth, and waited for me there. For everything to look beautiful in photos and videos, I, as usual, dived in trousers and a shirt, and that's when the problems started. The water was colder than in other places; I was simply shivering! In such moments, it's harder to hold your breath: the body cannot relax and expends more oxygen."

Plus, the young man explains, there was limited time, and with it, a limited number of attempts — only 6 times. The option to speed up also wasn't suitable: according to freediving rules, after each dive, you need to stay on the surface for at least 5 minutes. This is not just a requirement, but a precaution against decompression sickness. This is a dangerous condition that occurs with a rapid decrease in external pressure when dissolved nitrogen in the blood forms bubbles, as if frothing the blood and blocking blood vessels. In rare cases, it can even result in death.

"How freedivers dive: there's a buoy you take with you, place in the water, and then a rope hangs from it. Then you clip yourself on — this is necessary so you don't get lost at depth, or you can descend or ascend as if on a rope," Ulad explains. "First, I tried to dive to a depth of 30 meters along the rope; the goal was to reach a beautiful tree branch. But during the process, I realized I couldn't hold my breath and wouldn't make it, so I ascended.

Then the instructor and I decided to act differently: she took an underwater scooter with her (you hold onto it, and it pulls you underwater) and arranged an 'underwater taxi'. I would descend to 10 meters, then she would pick me up, I would hold onto her leg, and we would dive to a depth of 30 meters. For me, it was complete madness!

Mentally, it was also not easy: when someone is pulling you to such a depth, and you still need to spend some time there... Fear also kicked in: what if I can't ascend on my own? These are very strange sensations."

The maximum time Ulad spent at depth was 2 minutes. He calls diving to 30 meters a real challenge and an attempt at self-overcoming. By the way, what's all this for?

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