La Cieba shore dive question

[JustJules]

I've dived the airplane at La Cieba, and it is a nice shore dive. I'm going to be back in Coz next month, but won't be staying at that resort.

How does the resort/shop feel about nondivers coming in for a shore snorkel there (since they get no revenue from renting tanks)? I want to show some nondivers a good shore dive (snorkel), and that site seems like a good one to me.

 

[ggunn]

I've dived the airplane at La Cieba, and it is a nice shore dive. I'm going to be back in Coz next month, but won't be staying at that resort.

How does the resort/shop feel about nondivers coming in for a shore snorkel there (since they get no revenue from renting tanks)? I want to show some nondivers a good shore dive (snorkel), and that site seems like a good one to me.

Nobody owns the ocean; you can snorkel anywhere you want, including the airplane site at La Ceiba, and no one will bother you.

That said, however, there are better places to do it. There is a little beach bar just south of Chankanaab called Playa Corona that has an excellent close-in section of reef. There's also Chankanaab itself, but there's a $10 cover charge and it can get really crowded.

 

[JustJules]

Thanks for the suggestion. I was thinking of La Cieba because I'm vaguely familiar with the site and because there may be some restrictions on our time. The beach bar sounds promising, though, and we may head there instead.

Nobody owns the ocean; you can snorkel anywhere you want, including the airplane site at La Ceiba, and no one will bother you.

I guess I didn't explain myself too well... it's using El Cid's property to access the water in that spot that I was thinking of. I figured they expected some revenue of some kind from people using their stairs into the water.

 

[GPdiver]

Thanks for the suggestion. I was thinking of La Cieba because I'm vaguely familiar with the site and because there may be some restrictions on our time. The beach bar sounds promising, though, and we may head there instead.



I guess I didn't explain myself too well... it's using El Cid's property to access the water in that spot that I was thinking of. I figured they expected some revenue of some kind from people using their stairs into the water.

Also try Paradise shallows;(free) enter through the Marina and stay to the right
Dzul ha,and just south of Chankanabb, look for the mooring buoy's and some old foundation that enter's the water

 

[diveborg]

There's also Chankanaab itself, but there's a $10 cover charge and it can get really crowded.

Just to update the entrance fee for the park, it is $12 for adults and $6 for kids, cash only no plastic for the entrance fee, though plastic is accepted inside the park for gifts and such.

Agree with you on the really crowded part. It is directly proportional to the number of cruise ships visiting the island that day.

Have you given thought to Dzul Ha? That is supposed to have very good snorkeling, located just a bit north of Fiesta Americana.

 

[ggunn]

I guess I didn't explain myself too well... it's using El Cid's property to access the water in that spot that I was thinking of. I figured they expected some revenue of some kind from people using their stairs into the water.

No one owns access to the water, either; I have gone into the water from many places on Cozumel, including the La Ceiba complex, and I have never had anyone challenge me.

 

[sharky60]

Yeah, it's one of my favorites too, It shouldn't be a problem, from what i understand the dive op at the hotel is no longer associated with La Ceiba anyway, you can access the area by walking up the sidewalk at the north end of the hotel without passing thru the lobby.
you can probably rent your tanks right there if your doing a dive, if only a snorkel just access thru the gate at the sidewalk and go to the pier and jump in.
If by any chance someone did give you a hard time you could always access the beach area by Senor Frogs at the international pier's shopping area, Dive with Martin has a shop right there, (great op!!!). they'll rent you tanks and the swim to airplane flats is just about the same as it is from the La Ceiba pier.
I just got back a couple of weeks ago, but I'm jealouse anyway, have a great trip and happy diving!!

I've dived the airplane at La Cieba, and it is a nice shore dive. I'm going to be back in Coz next month, but won't be staying at that resort.

How does the resort/shop feel about nondivers coming in for a shore snorkel there (since they get no revenue from renting tanks)? I want to show some nondivers a good shore dive (snorkel), and that site seems like a good one to me.