Cozumel = "hell on earth?!"

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mstevens

Toadfish. Splendid is implied but not guaranteed.
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A couple of weeks ago we were diving on a small boat with a very nice Scottish couple. They were friendly, good divers, etc.

During the surface interval they spoke of many interesting places they'd been. Then one of them confided that if it weren't for the diving, Cozumel would be their idea of "hell on earth!" I couldn't think of much of a response beyond mumbling "well, we like it..."

My 13 y/o, in particular, was outraged and muttered about "hail on airth" in comical faux-Scots accents every time we'd had a particularly great dive (pretty much all of them) or meal, or while lying in a hammock on the beach.

I can understand that for some the lack of certain amenities is difficult. I'm not a fan of "night life," but suspect Cozumel lacks any for the club crowd. You've got to go all the way to Playa to get to a Wal-Mart or Costco (but I have to go farther where I live), and Coz probably quickly falls flat for the shopaholics. I'll defend the restaurants unless you want non-Mexican(ish), which I haven't tried. The roads aren't at all good (but they're better than in my part of New Hampshire at the moment - jeepers!).

Perhaps living in Cozumel isn't nearly as nice as visiting (I've lived in some resort destinations that I came to loathe). However, I'd love the opportunity to find out! For "February vacation" (perhaps a unique northern New England tradition) we discussed all sorts of destinations such as London, Venice, Hawaii, and others. Each of the 3 of us, including the 13 y/o, ended up trying to be open to other places but personally wanting to return to Cozumel.

I'd be interested in other opinions. Obviously, I've got my own pro-Cozumel prejudices and suspect that others here may also. However, it would be interesting to hear from those who love the diving but not the town of San Miguel or the island itself.

P.S.: Do you think I managed to cram enough parentheses into this post? (I guess my 12-step Parentheticals Anonymous isn't working very well.)
 
A couple of weeks ago we were diving on a small boat with a very nice Scottish couple. They were friendly, good divers, etc.

During the surface interval they spoke of many interesting places they'd been. Then one of them confided that if it weren't for the diving, Cozumel would be their idea of "hell on earth!" I couldn't think of much of a response beyond mumbling "well, we like it..."

My 13 y/o, in particular, was outraged and muttered about "hail on airth" in comical faux-Scots accents every time we'd had a particularly great dive (pretty much all of them) or meal, or while lying in a hammock on the beach.

I can understand that for some the lack of certain amenities is difficult. I'm not a fan of "night life," but suspect Cozumel lacks any for the club crowd. You've got to go all the way to Playa to get to a Wal-Mart or Costco (but I have to go farther where I live), and Coz probably quickly falls flat for the shopaholics. I'll defend the restaurants unless you want non-Mexican(ish), which I haven't tried. The roads aren't at all good (but they're better than in my part of New Hampshire at the moment - jeepers!).

Perhaps living in Cozumel isn't nearly as nice as visiting (I've lived in some resort destinations that I came to loathe). However, I'd love the opportunity to find out! For "February vacation" (perhaps a unique northern New England tradition) we discussed all sorts of destinations such as London, Venice, Hawaii, and others. Each of the 3 of us, including the 13 y/o, ended up trying to be open to other places but personally wanting to return to Cozumel.

I'd be interested in other opinions. Obviously, I've got my own pro-Cozumel prejudices and suspect that others here may also. However, it would be interesting to hear from those who love the diving but not the town of San Miguel or the island itself.

P.S.: Do you think I managed to cram enough parentheses into this post? (I guess my 12-step Parentheticals Anonymous isn't working very well.)

Well, the next time someone tells me to go to hell, I'll take it differently. ;^)
 
maybe he meant if it wasnt for all the tourists it wouldnt be so hellish :wink:

considering my last dive trip was a hut with no power, no fresh water and the locals were beating drums in the jungle all night then Coz sounds like paradise to me!
 
Perhaps that "nice Scottish couple" would rather holiday and dive at the Isle of Man, instead. I'm sure it's much, much nicer than Cozumel.... :25:

:rofl3:
 
Well as a one timer to Coz (who got lots of angry reponces to my trip report) I would not consider it hell on earth..far from it. I was not as impressed as many who go but I certainly did not hate it. I could care less about night life so that was not an issue. My big gripes were the poor service in restaurants and I do mean poor, not slow-poor, street hawkers- I detest them and to be honest we did not find what I considered to be a good restaurant, regardless of service. I know everyone has their own opinions of good and bad but I tend to be pretty easy to please and never found one place I cared to go back to. This is not something I can say about Freeport Bahama, Curacao, the Keys,Bonaire or any other place I have traveled. Maybe we just got unlucky but that was our experience. Would I go back? For the diving yes but not for anything above water. One of these days I want to go back to give it a second chance but so far Coz is the only place I have not returned to a second time. Hell on earth- far from it but it's not on my most enjoyed list either.
 
Well as a one timer to Coz (who got lots of angry reponces to my trip report) I would not consider it hell on earth..far from it. I was not as impressed as many who go but I certainly did not hate it. I could care less about night life so that was not an issue. My big gripes were the poor service in restaurants and I do mean poor, not slow-poor, street hawkers- I detest them and to be honest we did not find what I considered to be a good restaurant, regardless of service. I know everyone has their own opinions of good and bad but I tend to be pretty easy to please and never found one place I cared to go back to. This is not something I can say about Freeport Bahama, Curacao, the Keys,Bonaire or any other place I have traveled. Maybe we just got unlucky but that was our experience. Would I go back? For the diving yes but not for anything above water. One of these days I want to go back to give it a second chance but so far Coz is the only place I have not returned to a second time. Hell on earth- far from it but it's not on my most enjoyed list either.

As one of those who responded to your report, I would just say don't mistake disagreeing with you as anger.
 
I know Gordon, but some of them got pretty short and the keyboard tone, IMO was less than happy. In any case, I still stand by what I wrote then and now. I always give places a second chance, Coz is no different. Someday I will give it a second chance...and do a little more research before I go.
 
I assumed the same as Almitywife, that they were talking about too many "amenities" not too few. Anyone who travels for diving ought to be used to some third world conditions.

Personally, I'm not nuts about Cozumel topside, almost exclusively because of the cruise ships and tourist traps. Other than that, I love it. I go for the diving.

BTW, my favorite Coz restaurant is Las Palmas, a cocina economica that's only open during the day. That place reinforces my cardinal rule of Mexican tourist-town dining: There is an inverse relationship between menu price (or even menu existence) and tastiness.
 
I know Gordon, but some of them got pretty short and the keyboard tone, IMO was less than happy. In any case, I still stand by what I wrote then and now. I always give places a second chance, Coz is no different. Someday I will give it a second chance...and do a little more research before I go.

Well, "keyboard tone" a lot of times is in the eye of the beholder. ;^)
 
I think hell on earth is a little extreme, although I didn't find much on Cozumel to draw me back (except some VERY good food). It was a pleasant trip -- I enjoyed being able to walk most everywhere, and I enjoyed window shopping the jewelry stores. We had delightful lodgings and the managers were very nice people. The diving was good but not great. I was glad I went, but I have to say the people who make trip after trip there baffle me a little.

You'll find me across the channel . . . :D
 
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