Would you recommend Cozumel to two young adults?

[FrancisK7]

My little brother is turning 21 tomorrow and I've offered him PADI certification courses, which I will be completing with him. Our courses start in two weeks and certification is in late October. I'm turning 25 in December, so we plan to take a trip together either in Mexico or Caribbeans at that time. It'll be our first trip just us brothers, our first diving trip and a lonnnnggg overdue vacation for me.

My uncle is a veteran diver and he suggested we either go to Cozumel (considering Cozumel Palace now) or Turk & Caicos (Club Med), pointing out they were both amazingly beautiful places to go dive. I trust and believe his word 100%, but my brother and I are also looking to have fun at night after the diving is done! I was wondering which destination you'd suggest which has an enjoyable nightlife experience? Any of you guys been to both places and could give us some pointers?

Our budget is about 1500$ each for hotel+plane fare, but would prefer an all-inclusive for that price. We're flying out of Montreal!

Thanks a lot for the help

PS. I'm doing a lot of research all around, but it's also appreciated to get up-to-date information directly from the horse's mouth!

 

[lionfish-eater]

Welcome to the board. I would recommend coz over turks, especially for new divers. Avoid the cattle boat and choose one of the better dive ops ( Aldora has been my personal choice, but there are others that will do a great job helping you both to become better divers). Plenty of nightlife choices. All inclusives can be dead at night and some are a long way from downtown. There are many good restaurants. Choose lodging that includes breakfast, then go out to eat after diving and siesta. Happy travels.

 

[DandyDon]

Yep, good choice. Key Largo has easier diving, but Coz is better over all I think. Keep in mind that you need Dive and perhaps Trip insurance when you leave Canada. I get my dive insurance at Divers Alert Network (DAN) but do not get the cheapest plan as the middle one is much better for $10 more, and many of us do the top plan. see DAN Divers Alert Network I don't care for their trip insurance tho; I get it including Medical elsewhere.

And hire a private DM to help you learn local diving the first day or two. Money well spent.

 

[FrancisK7]

Thank you so much for your help lionfish and DandyDon! Don, you have a striking resemblance with Bryan Cranston!

We do not mind not attending an all inclusive if the other alternative can provide a better overall experience. Are there any hotel recommendations?

 

[DandyDon]

Thank you so much for your help lionfish and DandyDon! Don, you have a striking resemblance with Bryan Cranston!

We do not mind not attending an all inclusive if the other alternative can provide a better overall experience. Are there any hotel recommendations?

Haha, Mr Cranston might not appreciate that. I don't see the similarities but ok.

Suggesting a hotel or dive operator either one is challenging. It depends on what you like, as the vast majority of both are great for the money. I think you said $1500 air & hotel, but how much of that is air? I look for air & hotel packaged discounts, rejecting the overpriced ground transfers as you can pay for that easier and cheaper there - but you might start by looking at hotels. Go to Kayak or Orbitz, check the hotels by price and description making sure the hotel is on Coz Island as the searches sometimes show the hotels within a few miles but on the mainland.

A lot of people rave about the dining in Coz, but I don't go there for the food. AI has a lot of appeal, and if you get it cheap enough - ignore the free dinner and go to town when you want to. I did Hotel Cozumel AI last month and was very happy for the cost. The rooms are small, but you young guys will be ok in them. You probably won't do much in the rooms.

 

[DiverG]

Thank you so much for your help lionfish and DandyDon! Don, you have a striking resemblance with Bryan Cranston!

We do not mind not attending an all inclusive if the other alternative can provide a better overall experience. Are there any hotel recommendations?

I would do as Don suggest. Look up some different Air/hotel packages that interest you. Then come back and ask some specific questions about the hotel choices. Just be warned you may get a lot of different opinions about the same hotel.

 

[sparky923]

A lot of really experienced divers here that are knowledgeable for sure, but from one newbie to another newbie, Cozumel currents can be a bit overwhelming. My son and I just recently were certified in June and went to the Carribean in July. We dove Mahahual, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel.

We enjoyed the leisurly pace in Mahahual and Roatan, but neither really liked the strong currents of the Cozumel drift diving. According to our instructor on the dive, the current was pretty moderate, (about a knot), but it certainly didn't seem moderate to us. We just weren't competent enough divers yet to be able to comfortably handle the current along with everything else we were encountering.

As far as hiring a DM for the first couple of days, being a new diver, I wouldn't have tackled any of those dives without a divemaster/instructor.

I may be way off base here, but just thought I would share what we experienced.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

 

[Sue Sue]

Francis, my answer to your question is "Yes". Then, after considering your budget, age, experience and the fact that two brothers are going to travel together for what is hopefully one of MANY trips..I also have a few ideas for you to explore.

1) Read the many trip reports here on the Cozumel forum. Make a list of the dive ops that are of interest to you. My DH and I prefer the small 6 pack boutique ops, then of course there are many folks who enjoy the slower larger operations as well. We dive with Blue XT Sea, however, as I always mention, there are many other top notch dive ops in Cozumel.

2) Don mentioned a private DM for the first dives as well as DAN insurance. I agree.

3) As far as accommodations, the Cozumel Palace is VERY nice as it is generally considered to be one of the TOP shelf hotels available, however for your budget and the fact that you are 2 young men, out for travel, you may perhaps consider lodgings with more of a local flare. Casa Mexicana or Vista Del Mar come to mind, however, they do not have the greatest swimming pools if that matters. Both of these hotels are in town and walking distance to the many local restaurants and town pier for dive op pick up. Also Hotel Cozumel might work out for you as mentioned, although I have never stayed there, but the reports I read from very reliable sources and from what I have seen look favorable. Just out of town is the Blue Angel Resort which does provide a nice pool, food options and a designated pier, which, can be used by off site Dive ops to pick up guests. South of there is the Park Royal resort and El Cid resorts. These two properties do offer all Inclusive, however, Michael and I have only opted for the AI at Park Royal once, and that was for a quick 4 day getaway trip. The Park Royal AI was nice, however, otherwise we prefer to visit our favorite restaurants in town. Anything further South of El Cid, due to distance and the costs of travel back and forth, may not work out for you if you would like to enjoy the Cozumel Night Life.

4) If you choose Cozumel, please consider not renting mopeds. Yes, there are folks who disagree, but, oh well, it is what it is and this is what I recommend. Please research the many pro's and con's on this subject and draw your on conclusion. However, IMMHO, as well as many local and seasoned Cozumel travelers, mopeds are NOT a very safe choice for Cozumel. Local traffic can be very confusing and crazy. In fact, I will say I have never been on a trip that I have not seen an accident happen. Use the taxi's. The cost is not very much considering you are on vacation, and you do not know your way around. If you rent a car definitely get full insurance. However, if you crunch the numbers, a car rental with full insurance can actually cost more than using the taxi's. If you stay at a far South resort and are going to go into town often, a car rental may then be a better deal, but do get full insurance.

5) A couple of don't miss things to do for Cozumel. Try to get a day visit to the East side. There you will leave behind the West side activity and get a sample of a more laid back pace. A taxi round trip, with a day visit to Playa Bonita, Coco's or Iguana's will cost about $30-$40.00 USD, Or , negotiate a taxi for the day and spend a little time at several of the establishments on the East Side. You also can have the taxi driver take you around the island to see what is there. The lighthouse at Punta Sur is very neat. Also, if you are there for a Sunday evening, do try to get into town to the Plaza. There you will find music, salsa dancers, local folk out and about with families.

6) Also, if you fly into Cozumel, do check out my write up on arriving to the airport. "Your plane has landed, now what ? " No real worries, just some helpful hints that may make your arrival a bit easier.

Regardless of where you stay and who you dive with, I wish for you and your brother to have a wonderful time. Enjoy your time together ! Sue

 

[BTravlin]

I would easily recommend Coz over the Turks for budget, nightlife and diving. Everything in the Turks is really expensive, there is very little nightlife and the best diving there involves long boat rides. The Turks are beautiful and there is great diving but I believe Coz will be a better fit for you.

The drift diving in Coz is a little more challenging for new divers but if you do well with your training then you should be okay. I would also recommend hiring a private DM for the first couple of days as new divers.

For lodging, make sure to stay someplace in or very near town so that you can easily walk to all the restaurants and nightlife.

As new divers you don't really know what you're looking for in a dive op other than good safe service so read the reviews to get a sense of what other divers believe to be important. Many good ops to choose from so ask questions. I can personally vouch for Aldora, Blue XTSea and Dive Paradise but have found that Blue XTSea best meets my overall needs and I dive with them regularly now.

 

[kmurray719]

A lot of really experienced divers here that are knowledgeable for sure, but from one newbie to another newbie, Cozumel currents can be a bit overwhelming. My son and I just recently were certified in June and went to the Carribean in July. We dove Mahahual, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel.

We enjoyed the leisurly pace in Mahahual and Roatan, but neither really liked the strong currents of the Cozumel drift diving. According to our instructor on the dive, the current was pretty moderate, (about a knot), but it certainly didn't seem moderate to us. We just weren't competent enough divers yet to be able to comfortably handle the current along with everything else we were encountering.

As far as hiring a DM for the first couple of days, being a new diver, I wouldn't have tackled any of those dives without a divemaster/instructor.

I may be way off base here, but just thought I would share what we experienced.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

Sparky, I wonder if the op you used chose sites that may not have been appropriate for beginners? I'm not discrediting your experience, but it is not the same for every new diver. I was certified in Cozumel, and never had any issues with the currents as a new diver. I loved them. I got so used to drift diving that my next trip (to the Bahamas) I dropped into the water and just sat there waiting for the current to move me...d'oh, forgot I had to kick to move! Cozumel can be a great place for new divers, and hiring a private DM for your first dives is a good idea, as well as making sure your dive op knows your experience level so they can choose sites that are appropriate.

Frances, there are plenty of hotels that would meet your criteria, but I'd suggest checking out Hotel Cozumel. It's a resort, so you get those amenities (pool, "beach" area, option of AI) but still very walkable to town for other activities. And the AI is usually cheap enough to make it worthwhile just for breakfast, lunch and drinks, and you can still afford to go out for dinner. It's not 5 star by any means, but if you want a clean home base within a budget it fits the bill nicely.