cheap good places to dive in Mexico?

[SusieQ]

Hey everybody,
I'm looking for a place to go diving that's not going to cost me a fortune. I'll be in Mexico next summer, and want to go diving with 2 buddies of mine, but we're always low on cash. Do you have any suggestions for some good areas to dive in?
We were really hoping to go to Cozumel, but it seems to be more expensive.
Thanks for the input.

 

[sharky60]

SusieQ,
You might want to check into a condo in Cozumel, they are a lot cheeper than some of the hotels. sometimes you can get them for as little as $75 a night! but then your airfare won't be part of the package like it would be on a charter trip.
Dive with Martin has the best prices on diving that I've found, on Coz if you are paying with cash, he's about $50 cheaper than the rest for a 3 day package. also has a very good rep.
also check with FunJet or MLT for charter packages to get you there. Casa del MAR AND THE Fiesta Americana are both nice clean hotels that aren't very expensive. Casa del Mar caters to divers and is close to town so the cab fares aren't much. it's across the street from the beach and only a 3 story structure but the price is right and the location is good.
TRAVELZOO.COM also is a good travel site with lots of good deals.
Playa del Carman or somewhere on the Mayan coast might be cheaper than Cozumel, but other than that places like Cabo, Mazatlan aren't and the diving isn't as good.
Don't do Cancun, there's no real diving there, you need to go south on the Mayan coast or to Cozumel.
best wishes, hope you make it,
sharky

 

[Tekdiver10]

When we went to Cozumel we paid about 1000$ for everything, all diving, food, hotel and airfair from Atlanta. It was an amazing deal. Also Baja in Mexico is spose to be amazing deep water diving, and if your into cave diving Mexico has more unexplored caves than almost any other place on Earth.

 

[jaymi]

If you're looking to go to Cozumel, try looking at the charter flights. Casa del mar does cater to divers. There is also a place next door that is relatively inexpensive and offers dive packages with Scuba Shack. There are about ten rooms in the complex. I think you can find the site through Scuba Shack, Cozumel. The place is called Village Tan Kah, or something like that.

 

[donooo]

The cost of diving is going to be about the same anywhere you go in Mexico. You might think about what you are getting for you money.
Cozumel has a million inexpensive places to stay. I can't say that about any other diving spot in Mexico. Then airfare, all of Mexico is cheaper to fly into in the summer because most people don't want to be there (storms). So look for your best airfare direct into Cozumel, make a reservation for your first night in some place recommended on this board and then spend your first day looking for one better. My wife and I spend $400 a month for an apartment during the winter, by myself I could do less. Shoot for $20 a night. Split three ways, thats cheap.

Don't pre pay a dive operator, it's a smorgasboard. Write down a bunch of operators off of this board and go visit them. Look for a package/quantity you like.
The longer that you stay, the cheaper that it gets.

adios don O

 

[SusieQ]

thanks for all the help...this'll help a bunch

 

[Dan Kom]

Check out this link:

http://cozumel.net/

 

[travelem]

Instead of flying into Cozumel, you can fly to Cancun, take the coach bus and ferry to Cozumel. Budget hotels around US$30-50 area easy to find in town.

 

[Stivo]

or... you could go to the pacific side. puerto vallarta rocks! mantas, turtles, sharks, dolphins... even whales at the right time of year. the dive sites are excellent as well. el morro and chimo are my favorites. if you were to go, late summer is the time. actually fall is better... after october. during may/june the water is colder and the vis isn't so hot. after summer though, vis is usually great and temps in the upper 70's low 80's. plus, vallarta is a much better hang and generally less expensive that the other spots. however, it depends what you're into.

 

[travelem]

If you look for a budget place to stay, check out:
http://www.cozumel-hotels.net/index.htm

I recommend Palma Dorada Inn.

Other budget hotels are:
Hotel Aguilar
Hotel Bahia
Hacienda San Miguel
Hotel Colonial
Hotel Costa Brava

I would like to know where to book the $400 a month apartment. Please PM me.