Beginning Divers and Snorkel Trip

[bgsnmky]

We have 10 family members and will be staying in Akumel. We are planning on taking a trip to Cozumel to dive and snorkel. WE have 3 divers in the group and 7 snorkelers
I have emailed some diving operators that have offered us a private dive/snorkel trip. And they sound great... - most of them two stops at Palancar Gardens and Colombia Shallows. (what the required stop in between on the boat.
One operator would go to 3 - El Cielo as well as Palancar Gardens and Colombia shallows
Another one would go to 3 - Paradise Reef as well as Palancar Gardens and Colombia shallows
I just wanted to ask if anyone has done a private trip like this with an all day - maybe even stop on the beach (but not sure if that is possible in cozumel). - I have some suggestions for the El Cielo stop. or is it better to just stay with the boat and dive/snorkel.
(we will be snorkeling and a shore dive in Akumel bay - and though we would head to Cozumel for the day).

As new divers we do not need to / want to go real deep anyway. The goal is to be with the whole family.
Would love recommendations for other operators to check as well as what your perfect family trip would entail? Which reefs stops etc. Also ages range from 17 to 53.

 

[halocline]

Palancar gardens and Colombia shallows are both truly excellent shallow dive sites and both would be terrific for snorkeling. There are beach clubs in the area as well as a pier on an undeveloped strip of beach that dive ops use for the surface interval, but those places are a bit north of palancar and colombia. I would imagine as long as you're paying for the whole boat they could easily bring you up to one of those spots and back down, although generally the dive ops don't like to do that.

Paradise would not be as attractive a site IMO but others may have a different opinion.

You'll have to get up pretty early to get from Akumal to playa, catch the ferry, then get a cab or shuttle down to the caleta or wherever the boat will pick you up. With three dives and lunch it will be a long, but fun day.

 

[bgsnmky]

halocline -- thanks so much. Yeah..we were trying to even decide if we should just do the day in Akumel/Playa. I actually thought about posting to see what people thought if it was worth the trip..or find the same type of snorkel/dive trip in Riviera Maya.

 

[Ron Lee]

Contact Aldora (aldora.com) and see if you can reserve their big boat (Felicity). You determine the sites visited.

Stop at a beach club between dives to eat.

 

[bgsnmky]

Thanks guys, keep em coming...I have contacted those suggested

---------- Post added December 9th, 2014 at 10:11 AM ----------

halocline..have you been diving in Akumel/Playa area...

your opinion worth it to go to Cozumel?

 

[Ron Lee]

I see that the Playa Palancar option was mentioned in Trip Advisor. That is good as well.

Big hint: only buy one way ferry tickets. Trust me and I will see if you realize why if you make the trip to Cozumel.

 

[Midge907]

Paradise is not a great dive during the day, I would do Columbia Shallows twice before going to Paradise. The draw of Paradise is that its a good night dive, and close to the Caleta. Who cares if the operator wants to go to far, and then go back in order to get food, just pay extra for the fuel. Getting a Taxi at the ferry pier will be easy if you need transported to the Caleta, some shops may be willing to pay the Taxi for you once you show up. Have fun, would be a good time to get someone talked into a intro dive??? Good luck and have fun. Don't forget a Cenote dive and snorkel, I highly recommend Centote eXperience for another day along the Maya.

 

[cvchief]

Paradise is not a great dive during the day, I would do Columbia Shallows twice before going to Paradise.

I so totally disagree. While I have not join the ranks of "Oh please NOT CS again," I do like Paradiso during the day. You can meander and poke a head in here and there and see some cool stuff. Used to be a couple of nice sea horses. I like it. It is one of the wife's favorites and we usually hit is once a visit. It is a cool night dive too. Might not be as good as CS for snorkeling though. (And don't tell anyone, but I like CS too. I might get tossed from being one of the cool kids.)

Then again, I have a hard time finding a not great dive in Cozumel. I am easy, I guess. Closest was probably the C53. Did it a few years ago and thought it was kinda cool. Went back this year and I thought, "This place is kinda boring." Still, I found some garden eels to play with....

 

[Midge907]

I liked the C53 the one time I dove it, but it doesn't seem like its anyones favorite? Don't get me wrong I like Paradise, I just don't think its a great day dive, but LOVE the activity of the marine life at night that is jumping from one area to the next across the sandy bottom. One of these days it would be fun to do a night dive on one of the farther out sights, but that doesn't seem to happen very often, my favorite part of Paradise is that its just deep enough to need to dive, yet shallow enough to make it a really long dive Kind of like CS.

 

[bgsnmky]

Paradise is not a great dive during the day, I would do Columbia Shallows twice before going to Paradise. The draw of Paradise is that its a good night dive, and close to the Caleta. Who cares if the operator wants to go to far, and then go back in order to get food, just pay extra for the fuel. Getting a Taxi at the ferry pier will be easy if you need transported to the Caleta, some shops may be willing to pay the Taxi for you once you show up. Have fun, would be a good time to get someone talked into a intro dive??? Good luck and have fun. Don't forget a Cenote dive and snorkel, I highly recommend Centote eXperience for another day along the Maya.

ok checked out the Centote eXperience.

Question as we have never dove or snorkeled in a cenote...don't think this is stupid. But is it deep? and is there stuff to see for snorkelers. AND isn't the water freezing!


And what did you mean by who cares if the operator wants to go to far and then back...are you just saying for a good day out and on the beach etc pay the extra fuel?