Next Trip?

[karlomarx]

Hi, well a year ago my wife and I went to Cozumel and had a blast. Great scuba diving, great city, great time.

We are looking to set up another trip this upcoming January. We are looking for a great place to scuba dive but it also must have a nice beach. We really didn't see any good beaches (granted we didn't look everywhere). Does Coz have a big public beach?

That being said, is we do choose not to go to Coz again... can any of you guys suggest a city with a similar diving experience?

Thanks!

 

[deborahdelamar]

If you want the Caribbean, check the Turks & Caicos, Virgin Islands, Caymans, ABC's, & Bequia in the Grenadines. My favorite two for diving -- Saba & Dominica -- aren't beachy destinations.

Coz has some excellent beaches in the southwest - Playa San Francisco and Playa Palancar -- and on the east side, and good beaches from Hotel Playa Azul northward.

 

[cicopo]

Cozumel has lots of nice beach, but are you looking for a resort on nice beach or just nice beach to spend time at?

 

[MMM]

The nicest beaches are on the east side of the island. Would you be open to renting a car and hiking to the east side for beach days? One oddity is that whe it's windy on one side, it's calmer on the other. So if diving gets wiped out due to a norte, you can always make the east side a beach day.

 

[loudives]

Hi, well a year ago my wife and I went to Cozumel and had a blast. Great scuba diving, great city, great time.

We are looking to set up another trip this upcoming January. We are looking for a great place to scuba dive but it also must have a nice beach. We really didn't see any good beaches (granted we didn't look everywhere). Does Coz have a big public beach?

That being said, is we do choose not to go to Coz again... can any of you guys suggest a city with a similar diving experience?

Thanks!

If it is a beach for walking your looking for Try Reef Club. The beach starts there and runs south for about 2 miles, to just south of San Francisco beach club. Many choices of accomidations, Reef Club/Sabor/Aura/Reef Residence (all kind of related) to private villas and condo rentals on that beach.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

The only one in the list that I can comment favorably on is Little Cayman Island. It is the only place in the Caribbean that compares to Cozumel diving but even then Cozumel has better beaches. The rest of the Cayman Islands suffer in comparison for the diving, but Grand Cayman does have the best beaches. Bequia is a quaint place and surely deserving of a stop if you are on a bareboat charter, but the diving is pretty mediocre in my opinion. I have not been there but have heard good things about the Turks and Caicos. But just about any alternative to Cozumel is going to be more expensive and difficult to get to.

Dave Dillehay
Cozumel Tourism Board

 

[scuba_guy62]

Depending on your length of stay the ferry to the mainland is a great option and rent a car to explore playa and south. For the money I find Cozumel hard to beat and it's the one place in the world I find I always want to return to because of the great diving. Central America has some good options as far as good wall diving but you need to be a bit more adventurous. Cuba if and when you are able to go also has some decent beach and dive options but not on the scale of diving for your dollar that Coz. has.
The east side is certainly worth a try as is the southern resorts on the island and all come with pro's and cons.
The Grenadines on a sail/dive trip are quite beautiful but the diving is very different, and Bonaire is worth a visit for yet another wrinkle in the beach and diving vacation.
The most important piece of kit you can bring is a good attitude and be willing to enjoy whatever you try and not try and always measure it on the scale of another trip or a favourite destination.

 

[5615mike]

The only one in the list that I can comment favorably on is Little Cayman Island. It is the only place in the Caribbean that compares to Cozumel diving but even then Cozumel has better beaches. The rest of the Cayman Islands suffer in comparison for the diving, but Grand Cayman does have the best beaches. Bequia is a quaint place and surely deserving of a stop if you are on a bareboat charter, but the diving is pretty mediocre in my opinion. I have not been there but have heard good things about the Turks and Caicos. But just about any alternative to Cozumel is going to be more expensive and difficult to get to.

Dave Dillehay
Cozumel Tourism Board

Grand Turk is quite remote but the diving is close to Coz. Yes, anywhere in the Carib you may choose to go is definately going to be more expensive and taking far longer for travel time. BVA/USVA or anywhere east and SE of Puerto Rico is going to just add about 5, 6 or more hours to your trip each way. Just another reason why we love Coz, as if we need anohter reason to love our home away from home. Leave at 6:25 am and arrive, unpack and poolside well before 1:00pm.

 

[karlomarx]

Ok, first off, thanks for all the replies.

We just want a nice beach where we can go...throw a towel down and relax.

We are def. leaning towards going back to Cozumel. We don't want to drop serious money and all our searches are coming back as Coz is the place to go.

We stayed at Hotel Cozumel last time and would prefer to go to a new hotel.... any suggestions for a step up from Hotel Cozumel?

 

[judydivescoz]

Look into Residencia Reef Condos. Its right next to the Wyndam and has a great beach. This is the link to one of the many rental company's that rents the property: Residencias Reef Condos: 1, 2 and 3 BR beachfront condos in Cozumel, Mexico
The units are very nice, well furnished and comfortable. We visited friends who rented there and enjoyed a great day at the beach. The beach offered chairs for sunning. The water was clean and warm. There is a pier that just about any dive op will pick you up at on the property. Be aware that there is a pier pick up charge of $3. per day per person to use the pier. We prefer to stay in-town but if were were looking for a beach experience, that would be the place.