I try to explain to people why I continuously go back to Cozumel often 3-6 times a year and they don't get it..
A huge variety of almost everything you would want to see in the Caribbean. Compared to places like Grand Cayman, the diving is very cheap with no shortage of quality dive operators on the island. Beautiful wall diving, fantastic visibility, great drift diving, lots of swim-thrus, great variety of marine line. I think everyone that posts here is familiar with this. I've been to some pretty exotic places but I have had some of my best diving in Cozumel.
The food is a huge factor for me as well and that's maybe the second reason I go to Cozumel. The island is a culinary delight. A huge cornucopia of restaurants serving local or international specialties for all budgets. I don't do the all inclusive thing; I enjoy trying new restaurants. Some of my favorite restaurants are in Cozumel.
People are friendly and genuine. Outside of the cruiseship shills and touts (who are just trying to make a living), the locals of Cozumel are very welcoming and will bend over backwards to help you. I know people that live on the island often get jaded about local attitudes but the truth is Cozumel is a very friendly place.
Cozumel is cheap. There are no question about it; Perhaps Roatan is cheaper but I still prefer Cozumel. I am not rich or retired but I can afford to go there often. I'm not trying to say Cozumel is a destination for cheap/broke people like myself but it is a very good destination for people on a budget or people with an unlimited budget. It can literally cater to everyone' s wallet.
It is cheaper for me fly/stay/dive in Cozumel than Florida. This really says a lot when I can leave the country and spend less money than staying in my own country. I'm only using Florida as a benchmark here because it is a popular diving destination in USA but after I pay for my flight, car rental (required usually), expensive hotel, and typically priced tourist trap restaurants, it is no bargain. I don't need a car in Cozumel; I can walk to everywhere I want to go. If I do need a car, daily rentals are cheap. Florida restaurants are overpriced, the diving is not as good as Cozumel.
In a nut shell, the diving is great, the food and quality of restaurants are right up there with the diving, the people and community are friendly, I know many people on the island that I call good friends, easy access from the United States and did I mention affordable?
---------- Post added August 7th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ----------
How is the shore diving in Cozumel? Or do you pretty much have to shell out the big bucks for a boat dive?
I don't really like boat dives - my buddies are never able to keep up with me in terms of air consumption, so I always feel a bit shorted on the experience when I have to come up with like 1200 psi.
If you are going to Cozumel for shore dives you will be disappointed. You can definitely shore dive and there is good marine life but the amazing reef structures and coral heads are all off shore and require a boat ride.
I wouldn't say you would have to shell out "big bucks" as you can get two tank dives from 55USD-100USD depending on the operator. (Perhaps my lower band prices are out of date but average is probably 70-80USD for a two tank dive).
If you get a quality dive operator (and there are many..) you don't have to worry about your buddies air consumption. Dive your computer limits, your buddies can ascend the divemaster's SMB and get back on the boat and you can spend another 20-30 minutes enjoying the reef.
