last minute trip to Cozumel

[Pechorin]

hi there,

apologies in advance as i am sure this is a recurring question, but i would like to some feedback on my last minute plan to go diving in cozumel for 7 days from the 25 to the 31st, i have never been there before. So if anyone can give me some pointers on who to dive with, what not to miss, and places to stay(somewhere clean and close to beach, dont particularly care for luxury). Thanks in advance fellow divers

Abel

 

[Pelagicsal]

Read to your heart's content to see the wide variety of options available... Once you figure out some more details of what you want, specify your question, and you will have suggestions galore.
Bienvenidos! Have a great time!

 

[Ron Lee]

Start seeing what lodging is available. At the waters edge in this chart, if you see brown (tan is sand), that is ironshore and not a real beach.

Cozumel, Mexico map with hotel locations

Start at the southern hotels and see if anything floats your boat. They have real beaches although Iberostar has ironshore. You can probably avoid it by walking a short distance to the north.

Those hotels will have their own dive shops but you can also pick anyone you choose.

You can also pick a hotel in town to be near places to eat but you may have to taxi south to meet your dive op at the caleta (by the Presidente) unless they pick up in town (Aqua Safari, Blue XT Sea, Aldora, etc). The later two are among those who make beach stops for their surface interval so you get beach time.

At this late date over the highest demand period, I do not know which could drive your decision: Hotel or dive op availability.

 

[LoonDiver]

We just returned from Coz and stayed at the Fiestamericana. It's very clean, a little south of town ($10.00 cab ride) with a "pretend" beach walled in over an otherwise rocky shore. It's an all-inclusive, so all food and drinks are included. There is an in-house dive shop, if you like that convenience, although many dive ops will pick you up at the dock. For that you will have to make arrangements in advance -- there are many threads in the Cozumel forum where people mention their favorite dive op. Just glance at the current "December 2012" thread and you will get an idea of the dive ops people are diving with.

If you're looking for a "real" beach, the nice ones are well south of town -- Allegro, Occidental Grand, Iberostar. A taxi ride to town would be more expensive, but these are also all-inclusive so meals and drinks are provided on-site. We stayed at Occidental Grand a couple of years ago and liked it quite a bit. We actually dove with the Occidental dive op (Dive Palancar) on our most recent trip even though we stayed at Fiestamericana this time. We really like one of their DMs, Ismael Sabido -- if you end up at the Grand, ask for him and tell him hello from Rob & Ginny.

If you want the convenience of being in town (San Miguel), there are many hotel options that are not all-inclusive. I'm not sure if there are any beaches there, but I suspect not.

Do some internet research to learn more about Cozumel (Cozumel Insider is a good source). Then if you come back to this forum with more specific questions, you will probably get more answers that will be helpful to you.

 

[scubafree]

What a nice Christmas present to yourself! I would like to recommend you contact Freddy Contreras of Mestizo Divers. Scuba Diving in Cozumel with Mestizo Divers - Cozumel Read the favorable testimonials on his website. Another operator that I have personal experience with is Aqua Safari and their handy accommodations Safari Inn. Just steps to the ocean and dive boat. Cozumel Diving with Aqua Safari Have a great time!

 

[briankinley2004]

Since its last minute and you dont' have much time to plan I would recommend Scuba Club Cozumel. They will totally take care of your eat-sleep-dive needs and would be a one stop shop. If you were a repeater or had more time to plan then I would suggest something different but SCC would be an easy trip that should fit your needs. Just realize it may be a bore for non divers unless they leave the resort. Even though all meals are included I would suggest at least one or two nights at some of the local places. Nothing wrong with the food there but there are some very good places on the island.

 

[Pechorin]

first off thanks for all the replies, i really appreciate all your input i settled on going with casa mexicana cozumel for the hotel, and i contacted all the operators you have mentioned and so far only Mestizo Divers has replied, i really like the whole only 6 divers per outing. Anybody else dove with that outfit? impressions? and what are your top off the beaten track dive sites?

 

[Ron Lee]

Try aldora.com

Their office and loading pier are a stones throw away. Plus if a norte closes the port to diving you can dive the east side (off the beaten track).

 

[gopbroek]

I am just finishing up a last minute trip in Cozumel. I am currently in the Suites Bahia, which has basic (2 beds, microwave and a refrigerator) but relatively large clean rooms down town for $50 (tax/included) per night plus a great buffet breakfast at Casa Mexicana thrown in. As was previously mentioned you are talking about the absolute peak travel period (provided the world doesn’t end on Friday), I just checked Expedia and most of the moderately priced rooms are sold out (including Casa Mexicana, I hope you have locked in) and the cheapest listed are $120 and most hotels show no vacancies. I would suggest booking what you can now and if you find something better, later, you cancel with Expedia’s free cancel policy.

I am diving with Tres Pelicanos which is a recent startup but they have an excellent DM (Servando) great boat captain (Francisco, formally from Living Underwater) and an excellent new, fast & comfortable, boat and will pick up on most of the southern hotel piers. They do not limit you dive to time but allow you to dive to your air / computer plus do full 1 Hour surface intervals at either the Palancar or Paradise piers. Over the last 11 days I have regularly been getting 70-80 minutes with air (Servando is training me on Nitrox).
As a start up Tres Pelicanos is probably one of the few dive Op’s (other than the multi boats Op’s) that may have availability over XMAS week. If you contact Jeanie Buscher at www.trespelicanos.com she can probably hook you up with diving and accommodations if still needed.

 

[jawfish]

Just got back from Cancun / Cozumel and the weather was great! The water was pretty rough, as the hurricane season was just ending. And a bit windy. But sunny, warm and gorgeous.