Cheap place in carribbean/Bahamas/st. Thomas etc area with great diving for newbie?

[johnnyscience]

johnnyscience,

Cozumel flights are typically higher. You will get a better deal going into Cancun, but you will need to add a bus ride to Playa and the Ferry to Coz to that.

I have a 2 bedroom 2 bath condo w/ pool on the beach in Akumal that I can rent you real cheap (recession special - $75 a night/non holiday). Things have been slow...usually rents for $180+.

You are w/in walking distance of 3 dive shops, one of which I got my cert at many years ago. You can do reef dives off of Akumal or you can hit Coz for a 2 tank which I do often and that only burns 3/4 of a day R/T.

The Tulum ruins are 30 minutes south (pics in previous post), or there are several others w/in 1-1/2-3 hours (Coba & Chichen-Itza).

FYI... We are doing Akumal to Ambergris Caye for a week of dives in Feb. and you burn about a day taking the bus from Tulum to Chetumal...taxi or bus to Corozal...puddle jumper Corozal to San Pedro.

Ok I dont mind going through Cancun Airport if its cheaper.

But once you include a bus ride & ferry fee, is it still cheaper?

How much do Bus rides usually cost? Is there only 1 ferry & how much is it one way?

Your place seems to be located in a great spot and that is a great price! As I'm planning this I will keep you high on the list, thanks.

I would want to visit Cozumel regards of where I stay... since its right in that area & everyone said its amazing clear water & great diving.

Are any of the dive shops PADI certified so I can do a referral?

 

[the4brewers]

ADO bus Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen = $106 pesos
ADO - Compra de boletos --> Horarios

Ultramar Ferry to Cozumel = $140 pesos
ULTRAMAR

12.2 exchange rate today.

Akumal Dive Shop is PADI
Akumal Dive Shop, Riviera Maya, Akumal, Caribbean Scuba Diving, Mexico

 

[johnnyscience]

ADO bus Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen = $106 pesos
ADO - Compra de boletos --> Horarios

Ultramar Ferry to Cozumel = $140 pesos
ULTRAMAR

12.2 exchange rate today.

Akumal Dive Shop is PADI
Akumal Dive Shop, Riviera Maya, Akumal, Caribbean Scuba Diving, Mexico

Wow thats pretty cheap, seems to convert to about $8 for the bus ride & $11 for the ferry one way. Thats really cheap. And both that bus line & ferry seem like they are very nice to ride on.

How long is the bus ride from the cancun airport to say Akumal?

And the ferry ride is about 30 minutes to cozumel isnt it?

So is bus more than likely how I would be getting around to see all of the ruins? (I still havent narrowed it down to what ruins I want to see yet) Is it $8 every time I would want to take the bus? Does that include both ways so I can get back home? Still seems like a cheap way to travel to tour all the ruins.

 

[the4brewers]

No bus from the airport to Akumal. You would need to take a taxi from Playa.

I would suggest renting a car if your going to be doing diving in Akumal/Playa/Coz and ruins. You will have a more enjoyable time vs. ruin tours, taxis, and buses.

 

[johnnyscience]

If you are interested in visiting the Mayan ruins on the Mexican Yucatan, you need to order this:
Mayan Adventure map & travel guide
this shows all of the ruins within a day trip of Playa del Carmen.

So this is the map/tour guide to get for sure? I have a free $10 coupon on amazon and would only have to pay for shipping, but I want to make sure I use it on the right thing.

Is there perhaps a book with a map like this that I should consider?

I would like to get a book with maps of all of the ruins, but also has local info on hotels, things to do etc?

 

[robint]

Flight costs are different depending on the day of week and also the airport. We found flights to Cozumel directly were almost aways within only a few dollars difference, so we always fly directly into Cozumel. You can rent a car in Playa del Carmen for driving to the ruins.

 

[johnnyscience]

Flight costs are different depending on the day of week and also the airport. We found flights to Cozumel directly were almost aways within only a few dollars difference, so we always fly directly into Cozumel. You can rent a car in Playa del Carmen for driving to the ruins.

What airports are down there, just the one in cancun & the one on the island of cozumel?

 

[johnnyscience]

So this is the map/tour guide to get for sure? I have a free $10 coupon on amazon and would only have to pay for shipping, but I want to make sure I use it on the right thing.

Is there perhaps a book with a map like this that I should consider?

I would like to get a book with maps of all of the ruins, but also has local info on hotels, things to do etc?

I found this one also:

Amazon.com: Cancun, Cozumel & the Yucatan (Regional Guide) (9781741794144): Greg Benchwick: Books: Reviews, Prices & more

Do you think that would be a better choice over the Mayan Adventure Map & Travel guide, or just a good addition to the Mayan Adventure Map & Travel guide?

This one also happens to be the most up to date with Oct 1, 2010 as print date.

 

[robint]

I found this one also:

Amazon.com: Cancun, Cozumel & the Yucatan (Regional Guide) (9781741794144): Greg Benchwick: Books: Reviews, Prices & more

Do you think that would be a better choice over the Mayan Adventure Map & Travel guide, or just a good addition to the Mayan Adventure Map & Travel guide?

This one also happens to be the most up to date with Oct 1, 2010 as print date.

the book is fine, but I think the maps made by MapChick are far better for many reasons. First, the map can go in your pocket. Second the map has restaurant recommendations with menu items and prices, much more current and I trust their opinions because I know they have similar tastes to most divers who visit the area. The map has all the gas stations marked, toll road prices, little details that the book doesn't have.
I have been using the MapChick's maps for 10 years now - got my first one after we got back from our first trip to Cozumel. I wish we had gotten it BEFORE that trip! So much information on it. After that we got the Playa map. Then when a new Cozumel map came out we got it, showing new restauarants, changes to roads, etc. Now we have all of them... yes, we have all of their maps.
www.cancunmap.comMapChick's maps/travel guides
I think you can get them on Amazon now.

The Maya Adventure map is a great map, whether you buy the book or not. It will give you all types of information on local places to see that MapChich visited herself (with her husband). Many of those places you wouldn't find without the map. She really does fantastic research. Also, her restaurant recommendations are spot on. We might not have attempted the drive to Chichen Itza without that map. It made the trip easy.

robin

 

[johnnyscience]

the book is fine, but I think the maps made by MapChick are far better for many reasons. First, the map can go in your pocket. Second the map has restaurant recommendations with menu items and prices, much more current and I trust their opinions because I know they have similar tastes to most divers who visit the area. The map has all the gas stations marked, toll road prices, little details that the book doesn't have.
I have been using the MapChick's maps for 10 years now - got my first one after we got back from our first trip to Cozumel. I wish we had gotten it BEFORE that trip! So much information on it. After that we got the Playa map. Then when a new Cozumel map came out we got it, showing new restauarants, changes to roads, etc. Now we have all of them... yes, we have all of their maps.
cancunmap.com-Your information sourceMapChick's maps/travel guides
I think you can get them on Amazon now.

The Maya Adventure map is a great map, whether you buy the book or not. It will give you all types of information on local places to see that MapChich visited herself (with her husband). Many of those places you wouldn't find without the map. She really does fantastic research. Also, her restaurant recommendations are spot on. We might not have attempted the drive to Chichen Itza without that map. It made the trip easy.

robin

Hmm ok I guess I'll get the Map for now. But I'm going to wait until they come out with an updated version... I'm not going right away, so hopefully I'll get lucky with an updated copy. (any idea when they update them?)