Tell us more....the wife and are looking to go somewhere to dive this coming June. I am actually going to make a thread getting suggestions. Cozumel is a consideration. How are the dives overall, food, lodging etc? Is it safe?
Cozumel is my very favorite diving location. I love the drift diving, just letting the current cary you along while you see soaring coral spires, abundant sea life, sea turtles, morays, big groupers, lots of Parrot Fish, Queen and French Angels, the Splendid Toadfish (well, you do have to hunt a bit for those - they are pretty shy and hide in little holes), huge Spiny Lobsters, big crabs, even Octopusses, and the occasional shark. It has nice wall diving at Santa Rosa Wall, or at the deep end of Palancar Bricks or Palancar Caves, great coral formations, or easy shallow dives. There is a lot of variety, and many excellent Dive Operators. I also love the food, from the great high-end places like La Cocay, Kinta and Kondesa, to the wonderful little locally owned places, like Pescaderia San Carlos - a little hole-in-the wall that serves up some great fresh seafood for lunch, and El Moro, where the owner Ray greets everyone like a long lost friend, and serves up some really awesome Yucatan food. I have so many favorite restaurants on Cozumel that I can't get to them all in a one week trip. And everyone on Cozumel is genuinely warm and friendly. And Cozumel is extremely safe. It's an island that relies on tourists, so it doesn't put up with criminals. Sure, there is property crime - if you leave your expensive camera or your purse in the back seat of your rental jeep while exploring the blow holes on the east side, they are likely to be stolen. So just exercise some care and don't be stupid. Cozumel is a very affordable location, with a lot of choices for lodging. There are several AI Resorts on the South end of the Island, a ways out of town, but since I don't do AI on Cozumel (see my raving about the restaurants), I really don't know them. You can stay in a nice Hotel in Downtown, Casa Mexicana, for about $65 a night, including a breakfast buffet, or you can find very acceptable lodging downtown for less. South of town, but still a short Taxi ride, by the International Pier where the Cruise Ships come in, the Superior Rooms at Casa Del Mar will set you back about $90 a night, again including breakfast. There are a lot of other choices as well. Come to Cozumel, you'll love it.
