Good diving in Mexico other than Cozumel?

[BTravlin]

You might find this trip report interesting. I'd like to try diving some of this area after reading the report.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mexico/374672-report-mahahual-chinchorro-xcalak-sian-kaan.html

 

[DandyDon]

I've never been there but just read some more on Veracruz, history, local sites, etc. after reading this thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ge.../379584-diving-around-vera-cruz-new-post.html We haven't invaded them in wartime since 1914 there, but I think I'd still keep a quiet mouth about that part of history - sticking to the humble visitor mode, but the diving sounds interesting.

Canada never has invaded Mexico I don't think, a claim many countries cannot boast.

 

[firstdive2005]

Canada never has invaded Mexico I don't think, a claim many countries cannot boast.

Will be invading June 12th my friend, watch out.......

 

[DandyDon]

Will be invading June 12th my friend, watch out.......

Don't fire any weapons this time. We want to go back.

 

[ncwreckjunkies]

You can dive the entire east coast of the yucatan. My son and I took a road trip last year from cancun to xcalak. We dove in akumal, tulum, mahaual, and spent three days in xcalak with xtc divers. Fun trip, we liked the road trip aspect. Didn't book in advance, as we had no set plan. Although it was a holiday week we were able to find accomodations each night, some better than others. I can recommend costa de cocos in xcalak. This may not work for you, but if you are a flexible traveler and like to explore the road less traveled then you might enjoy a trip like this. Good luck happy divin.

Mahahaul = We are staying 2 weeks in Cancun in October. We have dove that area quite a bit and wanted to go South. We are looking at Maya Palms diving resort in Mahahaul. How was the diving there when you went with your son? We have read the barrier reef is extremely close to shore as well as more virgin than anything near Cancun/Cozumel. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[tback]

My GF and I went to Cozumel and Porta Maya on a cruise ship in March 2011. Dove Cozumel as a ship excursion and chose to find my own way in Porta Maya. After research we chose Maya Palms. Let me begin by saying we were so impressed with the "off-grid" location and hospitality and DIVING that we're going back the full week of Aug 6.

You can see the resort at Costa Maya Scuba Diving so I won't elaborate much about that ... We're new divers and we probably just got spoiled by the Cozumel dive and Maya Palms dive sites. The resort/compound with rooms/restaurant/pool/cabanas/etc sits on a couple of acres and has the dive shop right there too. The reef is a set of 3 reefs with the first being 30-50 yds directly offshore. The furthest is not more than 200-250 yds offshore. We dove two dives (remember we were on a 1 day port of call). Since there were just the two of us (and the DiveMaster) we went out in a small 12' center console motor boat. The DM navigated thru the shallow area between the coral reef to the location and over we went (one of the dive hands manned the boat and followed our bubbles as we dove for pickup later). The reefs are pristine and there wasn't another dive boat to be seen anywhere (this is BIG contrast to Cozumel). The two dives were FANTASTIC ... btw, between dives we motored into the resort and had lunch waiting on us in the Cabana and did our surface interval by the pool. We headed out for an equally impressive dive two ... came in and rinsed and stowed our gear ... had a couple of cold coronas and a cab waiting on us for a departure back to the cruise ship.

Highly Recommended

I'll post back after our week.

Terry

 

[DandyDon]

Sounds interesting, and I've long wanted to drive down there out of curiosity anyway. What kind of rates did you get from Maya Palms? Know of any scuba pics online?

 

[Sepul]

Cozumel its amazing, but if you are coming to Mexico, got to dive cenotes. Its a unique experience, million years old fossiles, human remanis and in some cases acid clouds (just dive one two days ago, mind blowing )

 

[tback]

Sounds interesting, and I've long wanted to drive down there out of curiosity anyway. What kind of rates did you get from Maya Palms? Know of any scuba pics online?

I thought the rates to be reasonable (keep in mind my experience in diving -- and therefore fees -- is limited).

They run an advertisement in ? Sport Diver ? Magazine where you pay for one diver and get the second at the "non-diver" rate. This is for a week long stay with 5 days of 2-tank diving (unlimited off the beach).

When I have time I'll try to figure out how to post pictures to the forum.

Terry

 

[scubafanatic]

The only other "great" warm-water diving is southern Baja, specifically the Sea of Cortez accessible by liveaboard or day boats out of La Paz, or the Soccorros Islands.

Mossman is sooo right !!! I've done Sea of Cortez (Don Jose liveaboard) and the Socorros (Nautilus Explorer liveaboard) and the diving on both of these trips was LIGHT YEARS better than Cozumel, especially --post 2005/ hurricane Wilma-- Cozumel !