Steve Miller
Guest
Just returned last Thursday from Coz and wanted to relate my experience. It was GREAT! We flew with American Airlines and stayed at the Fiesta Americana Hotel on the all inclusive plan. There have been some questions on the other forum pages concerning checking dive equipment on the airlines and baggage limits. I flew with two 27 inch hard sided bags that were about 35 pounds each and had no trouble. I carried on my reg. and first stage and had no trouble with TSA. In fact they opened my bag on the return trip because of my wifes jewelry case (x ray could not see through it) and did not have any problem with the equipment. We did experience about an hour delay both ways with American out of Dallas, first because someone had tampered with some air condition vents and on the return trip because of a late arrival from the Bahamas. No problems with customs anywhere.
Fiesta American is the typical Mexican Resort. It is very clean, the food is only mediocre and the alcohol is a cheap local brand. The hotel is located next to Chankanaub so all of the dive operators pick you up at the hotel pier. Believe me that is worth something, not having to schlep yourself and equipment to the pier every morning in a taxi. The beach is a short man made area with a bar and beach chairs. The kids enjoyed snorkeling in front of the beach. They saw a few fish but nothing outstanding. Be aware that the entry into the water is very rocky. So if you have someone with you that has mobility problems getting into the water would be difficult. If you do decide to stay at this hotel I have a few tips. Try to stay on the second flour, that is ground level with the lobby and bar and you will have a deck with a rail so that you can dry your equipment. I hate climbing stairs or waiting for an elevator. Second tip dont let them fool you into buying water from the little shop next to the pool or from the honor bar. If you are using the all inclusive option just ask at any of the bars and they will give you a litter bottle. As far as the food at the restaurants like I said it is only mediocre, kind of bland and repetitious. They do cook omelets to order and will let you order off the menu. Be aware that on three different nights the grill cook at the restaurant next to the pool was using the same tongs to put the raw meat onto the grill and to serve the cooked meat to the guest. I also saw him drip raw meat juices into the cooked meat pan while putting chicken onto the grill. I am in the food business so I know how unsafe and unsanitary this is. The hotel needs to improve on the entertainment and kids program. We stayed at the Paradisus on our last trip and the beach in natural and much bigger and the kids program has more activities during the day. Paradisus also puts on a very elaborate show in a theater unlike Fiesta Americana which only has a bare stage in the restaurant. But be aware that Paradisus is on the other side of town and you will have to take a taxi to the pier to meet the dive boats.
Now for the dive report, Great, Great, Great! All week we had wind and almost no current. On Monday the wind switched to out of the north and the pier was closed so I missed a day of diving. I enjoyed every dive and every reef offers something different. Of all the reefs I saw last week Santa Rosa was the best with Delia a close second. I had not heard anything about Delia and that is a shame. This is a very nice dive and talking with another dive master who had done this reef as the first dive of the day it was alive with large marine life. Sharks, rays, eels and turtles were named as being seen that morning. Punta Tunich would be my least favorite reef of the week. Tunich is not a bad dive, there are no bad dives but Tunich that day was very monotonous, the reef looked exactly alike everywhere you looked.
We booked with Aldora and I only have great things to say about them. My wife and 13 year old daughter both dive and my daughter is a great diver very relaxed and confident in the water on the other hand my wife is not a relaxed diver and was rusty so she needed extra help during the dive. When we were picked up at the pier the first morning it was only us three and the dive master Vollrath. Aldora had rented a boat just for us. Vollrath spent lots of extra time working with my wife on her buoyancy and breathing. He was very supportive and positive and helped make the diving enjoyable for my wife. The first dive was at Palancar Horseshoe, almost no current. We saw turtles, lobster, crab and of course all of the usual fish. After the surface interval at Playa Mia we completed our second dive at Dalia Reef again no current and the usual great marine life. Remember my comment above, dive this reef if you get a chance.
I wanted to do a night dive but Aldora schedules their night dives for Saturday and Wednesday, and due to flying the next day I was unable to follow their normal schedule. Aldora came thorough again! I talked the father and daughter that was diving with us the second day to do a night dive and Memo with Aldora was able to put it together for us on short notice. The night dive on Chankanaub was fantastic! We saw a lobster on the open sand that was so large I still dont believe it was real.
All in all the diving was great and Aldora went above and beyond to make our trip enjoyable and safe. Memo even surveyed us during a surface interval during the week to make sure we were happy with everything.
If there is anything that anyone has any questions about that I did not cover in this very long trip report please send me a message and I will be happy to try to answer.
Dive Safe,
Steve
Fiesta American is the typical Mexican Resort. It is very clean, the food is only mediocre and the alcohol is a cheap local brand. The hotel is located next to Chankanaub so all of the dive operators pick you up at the hotel pier. Believe me that is worth something, not having to schlep yourself and equipment to the pier every morning in a taxi. The beach is a short man made area with a bar and beach chairs. The kids enjoyed snorkeling in front of the beach. They saw a few fish but nothing outstanding. Be aware that the entry into the water is very rocky. So if you have someone with you that has mobility problems getting into the water would be difficult. If you do decide to stay at this hotel I have a few tips. Try to stay on the second flour, that is ground level with the lobby and bar and you will have a deck with a rail so that you can dry your equipment. I hate climbing stairs or waiting for an elevator. Second tip dont let them fool you into buying water from the little shop next to the pool or from the honor bar. If you are using the all inclusive option just ask at any of the bars and they will give you a litter bottle. As far as the food at the restaurants like I said it is only mediocre, kind of bland and repetitious. They do cook omelets to order and will let you order off the menu. Be aware that on three different nights the grill cook at the restaurant next to the pool was using the same tongs to put the raw meat onto the grill and to serve the cooked meat to the guest. I also saw him drip raw meat juices into the cooked meat pan while putting chicken onto the grill. I am in the food business so I know how unsafe and unsanitary this is. The hotel needs to improve on the entertainment and kids program. We stayed at the Paradisus on our last trip and the beach in natural and much bigger and the kids program has more activities during the day. Paradisus also puts on a very elaborate show in a theater unlike Fiesta Americana which only has a bare stage in the restaurant. But be aware that Paradisus is on the other side of town and you will have to take a taxi to the pier to meet the dive boats.
Now for the dive report, Great, Great, Great! All week we had wind and almost no current. On Monday the wind switched to out of the north and the pier was closed so I missed a day of diving. I enjoyed every dive and every reef offers something different. Of all the reefs I saw last week Santa Rosa was the best with Delia a close second. I had not heard anything about Delia and that is a shame. This is a very nice dive and talking with another dive master who had done this reef as the first dive of the day it was alive with large marine life. Sharks, rays, eels and turtles were named as being seen that morning. Punta Tunich would be my least favorite reef of the week. Tunich is not a bad dive, there are no bad dives but Tunich that day was very monotonous, the reef looked exactly alike everywhere you looked.
We booked with Aldora and I only have great things to say about them. My wife and 13 year old daughter both dive and my daughter is a great diver very relaxed and confident in the water on the other hand my wife is not a relaxed diver and was rusty so she needed extra help during the dive. When we were picked up at the pier the first morning it was only us three and the dive master Vollrath. Aldora had rented a boat just for us. Vollrath spent lots of extra time working with my wife on her buoyancy and breathing. He was very supportive and positive and helped make the diving enjoyable for my wife. The first dive was at Palancar Horseshoe, almost no current. We saw turtles, lobster, crab and of course all of the usual fish. After the surface interval at Playa Mia we completed our second dive at Dalia Reef again no current and the usual great marine life. Remember my comment above, dive this reef if you get a chance.
I wanted to do a night dive but Aldora schedules their night dives for Saturday and Wednesday, and due to flying the next day I was unable to follow their normal schedule. Aldora came thorough again! I talked the father and daughter that was diving with us the second day to do a night dive and Memo with Aldora was able to put it together for us on short notice. The night dive on Chankanaub was fantastic! We saw a lobster on the open sand that was so large I still dont believe it was real.
All in all the diving was great and Aldora went above and beyond to make our trip enjoyable and safe. Memo even surveyed us during a surface interval during the week to make sure we were happy with everything.
If there is anything that anyone has any questions about that I did not cover in this very long trip report please send me a message and I will be happy to try to answer.
Dive Safe,
Steve
