Diving Playa vs. Cozumel

[bosshogg357]

I'm going to be in Playa in a few weeks and wanted some of your opinions on diving Playa del Carmen vs. diving Cozumel. I have been diving in Cozumel numerous times with lots of different dive ops and hit most of the southern dive sites.

I think we will end up diving the Playa side b/c of a wedding that we are attending.

What are the major differences between the two sides? Any thoughts, recommendations about sites on the Playa side? We are considering going over to Coz. for one day, but this is doubtful.

Thanks,
B

 

[ggunn]

I'm going to be in Playa in a few weeks and wanted some of your opinions on diving Playa del Carmen vs. diving Cozumel. I have been diving in Cozumel numerous times with lots of different dive ops and hit most of the southern dive sites.

I think we will end up diving the Playa side b/c of a wedding that we are attending.

What are the major differences between the two sides? Any thoughts, recommendations about sites on the Playa side? We are considering going over to Coz. for one day, but this is doubtful.

Thanks,
B

The Playa side doesn't have the Wall or anything like the towering coral formations at the south end of Cozumel. Lots of turtles, though, and sometimes huge schools of tarpon.

 

[mississippidiver]

No walls. Mostly spur and grooves...

 

[Allen Herron]

Two good dive sites, The Mama Vina, a small wreck and Tortugas which is a great, fast drift dive , lots of turtles & if you are luck a school of tarpon, one of my all time favorite dives.

 

[PlayaCountryBoy]

No walls. Mostly spur and grooves...

I beg to differ. We have one major, long wall that we have broken into three sections, Moc-Che Deep, Pared Verde (the green wall), and Los Arcos. The first is the easiest and the last most challenging. The wall starts in 70ft and bottoms out at 110ft. It not bottomless but it IS a wall. And it's gorgoeous! The viz averages around 100ft. and its always a drift dive. These sections of this wall are impressive, not like Cozumel, but still very interesting and full of sealife.

 

[sharky60]

The owner's of my former LDS, now closed, told me several years ago that they stopped going to Cozumel on their "non-dive shop" trips and went to the Mayan Coast instead.

I have noticed also in the past few years Akumul has been picking up in it's diving activity. Maybe it always was and I just started paying attention.

the moral of the story is, it does appear that there is some nice diving over there.

 

[Christi]

I beg to differ. We have one major, long wall that we have broken into three sections, Moc-Che Deep, Pared Verde (the green wall), and Los Arcos. The first is the easiest and the last most challenging. The wall starts in 70ft and bottoms out at 110ft. It not bottomless but it IS a wall. And it's gorgoeous! The viz averages around 100ft. and its always a drift dive. These sections of this wall are impressive, not like Cozumel, but still very interesting and full of sealife.

I've dove both the Green Wall and Los Arcos...CountryBoy is right...they aren't Cozumel, but they are very healthy and really beautiful and I would say unique. I really enjoy those two dives over there.

 

[bluwolf]

Don't mean to highjack, but I think the orginal poster's question has been answered. So can I ask the same about Cancun? Too many issues with booking a trip around Thanksgiving to either Coz or Playa this late, so I have to settle with Cancun. Any feedback on the diving in that area? Recommendations? Noticed one of the Cancun Dive Op websites have a couple wrecks listed, are they worth diving? And are there also Cenotes in the Cancun area as they are in Playa?

But to the original poster. I have taken a couple of trips to Playa, although couldn't call them 'dive trips', as they were primarily for other reasons (read wife/family). And loved it. It has been a few years, so things may have changed, but biggest diff I remember....Coz ain't drift diving, not compared to Playa. I can remember passing something and there wasn't any swimming back to it. But just keep looking, reef is great. Saw numerous turtles and a shark on our first dive (in passing of course). But it was awesome.

And of course the lack of shore diving. Can't get that afternoon fix without taking a boat. But also recommend one day of Cenotes if you can.

 

[Christi]

Too many issues with booking a trip around Thanksgiving to either Coz or Playa this late, so I have to settle with Cancun.

Can I ask why you would think this? Have you tried contacting any Coz operators for Thanksgiving week? Many are already booked, but I have no doubt you could still find space with a good operator. There are 50+ to choose from.

...biggest diff I remember....Coz ain't drift diving, not compared to Playa.

That's news to me. By definition, every dive in Cozumel is a drift dive. That's not an opinion...it's a fact. The wreck dive here is the only dive that could be considered otherwise, but it's still technically a drift dive. It just depends on how the crew decides to do the dive...tied off to the mooring or drifting.

 

[bluwolf]

Can I ask why you would think this? Have you tried contacting any Coz operators for Thanksgiving week? Many are already booked, but I have no doubt you could still find space with a good operator. There are 50+ to choose from.

Nothing to do with operators, has to do with flights. Cost and having to stopover in Houston (from DFW). And for Playa it had to do with the hotel wife wanted to stay at, not available on the 17th. Nothing against Coz hotels personally, but sometimes the wife wants a little more luxury. And before I get bombarded with recommedations, sites, flights, etc. save it....I get tired head real easy.

That's news to me. By definition, every dive in Cozumel is a drift dive. That's not an opinion...it's a fact. The wreck dive here is the only dive that could be considered otherwise, but it's still technically a drift dive. It just depends on how the crew decides to do the dive...tied off to the mooring or drifting.

You read me wrong. Guess I was trying to be a little funny and missed...I know, keep the day job right. But yes, Coz is drift diving. Wasn't what I meant. Just saying Playa had a 'bit' more current in my experience. I can never remember seeing something in Coz and not being able to hover over it to take pictures, or even swim back to it relatively easilly. But the two times I've been in Playa that was generally not easily done except along one of the walls when around a corner. Don't mean to imply you need a hook or it's dangerous....just more current. But of course I haven't been to every dive site and it has been awhile, suppose things could have changed. But I do recommend diving in Playa if that's where you are staying. Ferry is just too much time wasted and not worth it....in my humble opinion.

Come up slow and blow bubbles!