If this was your first trip to Cozumel, what would you do.....?

[Dr Dog]

Went to Riv Maya in October. Skip Chichen Itza. It is WAY too far away and WAY too touristy. You will be hounded with people selling junk. Go to Coba. It is half the distance, you can go on the ruins, it has forest cover, is spread over a large area (rent the bikes), and is just IMHO far better than Chichen. Stop by the bar just outside afterwards for un cerveza for a near perfect day! Go on your own, don't pay a tour operator or a guide. There are plenty of signs that explain a lot. Don't go late though, it is too big to appreciate in an hour.

Trying to convince my wife, that it is too far away from where we are staying.

Rumor has it there are a couple or three brothels on the island and its perfectly legal

Lol see above reply

 

[Mike]

Like I said, there are ruins on Cozumel. For me I'd save the main land attractions for when you're staying on the main land. If you ever stay in Tulum, Akumal or Playa Del Carmen, that's the perfect time to forage out into the jungles seeing ruins, doing cenotes etc...

It's hard for me to justify wasting time traveling on ferrys and rental cars or buses when those reefs are calling when I'm in Cozumel. The travel day to and from getting to Cozumel is enough for me, I don't want to repeat it once I'm there.

 

[DandyDon]

Trying to convince my wife, that it is too far away from where we are staying.

It sounds like CD did a day trip and arrived about the time of all the buses. Chichen Itza is really nice if you overnight at one of the 3 hotels at the back gate and spend the morning exploring there while the booths are setting up for the buses. Our Mayaland room had a great few of the Observatory which was built with some pretty impressive mathematics and precession.

We had a big breakfast, nice one, at the hotel, skipped lunch, and did Ek Balam next. I don't think it ever gets crowded, but many like it better than the other - and we had plenty of time to get back to Coz for dinner. If you're not going to overnight nearby tho, that 3 hour drive after ferry is a bit much for either. Do Coba and return by Tulum.

Like I said, there are ruins on Cozumel. For me I'd save the main land attractions for when you're staying on the main land. If you ever stay in Tulum, Akumal or Playa Del Carmen, that's the perfect time to forage out into the jungles seeing ruins, doing cenotes etc...

It's hard for me to justify wasting time traveling on ferrys and rental cars or buses when those reefs are calling when I'm in Cozumel. The travel day to and from getting to Cozumel is enough for me, I don't want to repeat it once I'm there.

Have you ever done any of those? The ones on Coz are kinda boring. I've heard the good ones were bulldozed in WWII to build the airfield. I get the idea you've not done any on the mainland?

While it is a ferry ride and a 3 hour drive to CI & EB, or a 1.5 hour drive to Coba, it still an idea while that close if it appeals...

 

[Lionfish51]

My wife and I have dived Cozumel at least 100 times and will be there again April 21. till the 28th sting at Sabor, last time in March 2011 we strayed at Elcid, they owe us two dives, they said they would pick us up at Sabor dock if there were two other divers, so if anyone is going please let me know
Thanks, Rick

 

[DandyDon]

My wife and I have dived Cozumel at least 100 times and will be there again April 21. till the 28th sting at Sabor, last time in March 2011 we strayed at Elcid, they owe us two dives, they said they would pick us up at Sabor dock if there were two other divers, so if anyone is going please let me know
Thanks, Rick

Had you previously purchased a package of dives but couldn't make them all? Many Ops will pick up one or two divers there. For four, you could get a private boat with many. I think you'll need a taxi to get your owed dives really.

 

[Mike]

Have you ever done any of those? The ones on Coz are kinda boring. I've heard the good ones were bulldozed in WWII to build the airfield. I get the idea you've not done any on the mainland?

While it is a ferry ride and a 3 hour drive to CI & EB, or a 1.5 hour drive to Coba, it still an idea while that close if it appeals...

Been to all the ones mentioned so far. Climbed all the pyramids, (back when they still let you), drove all the back roads, swam in lots of cenotes on the way to and from etc...

The ones on Cozumel are small and boring, however it all depends upon what the visitor is looking for or needs to accomplish, if all somebody needs is to just get somebody in front of some ruins any ruins, they would work and save your dive experience, if you need the big experience then you've got to go to the mainland.

I've stayed on the main land side a few times and explored most of it. Even remember Tulum before it became the eco lodge freak show that it is today. By the way if you like the beach at the Tulum ruins, I think you said you liked it, plus the 'scenery' - drive a few minutes south, the beaches there will make you think you've been transported to the south pacific in beauty, and there is even more abundance of 'scenery'. wink wink. There used to be a little beach bar there, maybe still there? Right next to a cenote that feeds into the ocean about 100 feet off shore. Go snorkeling there and you'll experience a mind blowing experience, the fresh and salt water get separated about 2 feet from the surface, in the top 2 feet you see a mirror below you that you can put your hand through and it will disappear, you can duck your head down through the layer and back and forth and watch the weird illusion go back and forth, its quite insane and unique, and I think there is about a 15 degree temperature change between the two layers, all happening in about 4 feet of water.

 

[DandyDon]

Been to all the ones mentioned so far. Climbed all the pyramids, (back when they still let you), drove all the back roads, swam in lots of cenotes on the way to and from etc...

:blush: Wrong again.

I've read about the other beaches at Tulum. Nice, but not enough to get me to go.

 

[robint]

I would NEVER go to Chichen Itza as a day trip from Cozumel. Spend the night at a hotel there by the ruins, see the ruins before the buses arrive, then leave lunchtime. Seriously. We counted 40 BIG tour buses in parking lot when we were leaving! We did not get harassed by vendors selling things, but once again we were not with the bus people. Vendors inside the park were still setting up when we were there, vendors outside ditto.
If your wife really wants to do this trip, and I do HIGHLY recommend it, then by all means spend the extra $100 for a hotel and rental car. Worth every cent. And do get a tour guide... great 2+ hours of demos and info and intelligent discussions about the Mayan empire as a whole, not just CI.

robin

 

[Mike]

I've heard lots of people say to be out of Chichen Itza prior to the busses arriving. You know, I've been to Chichen Itza with all the buses there and to be honest I never saw it as an issue, that place is huge and it seemed to me it swallows up a lot of people. I can remember the snack bar/restaurant concession area being pretty crowded, but I don't recall it being an issue with the grounds being crowded, it seems you walk back into any area and it wasn't a crowd issue. I mean doesn't the ancient ball court seat like 10,000 people? Just my memories, I may have just overlooked the crowds.

What I do recall being a pain in the ass is the vendors. They made the time share sharks at the Cozumel airport seem like choir boys to me. I can't recall how many times I was blasted when walking by them all over the place "Cheaper than walmart!", "Only one dollar!, One Mayan dollar!", "Which one for you?" over and over and over again and many of them don't take no for an answer. You get jaded after awhile and no gracias turns it to wanting to say F'off. It was so bad it really effected the time there, and I remember talking about how it would be nicer if they kept these people in one place at least in a designated shopping area instead of letting them line every pathway and thorough fare. I guess I remember the crowds of hawking vendors more than I remember crowds or tourists.

 

[Dr Dog]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I have her convinced that Chichen Itza is too far this trip. But in our debate, I think she thinks we are heading to machu Pichu next year lol...grrr...lol

Tulum looks amazing, cannot wait to see it. I will be diving with Aqua safari, the first few days, then anything is possible. My 40th happens monday, so that should be fun too.

So if you find yourself, around the Allegro this week, say hi, I will probably be one of the more tattooed people there on land, in the water, I will be the guy that seems more concerned with trim and bouyancy, than looking at stuff.

I have also been mentally preparing myself to start freediving. Since I have had this trip booked, I have added 25 secs to my breath hold time ( couch training). So I am looking at setting a personal best of 33 ft. LOL, not that impressive, but for me, it is. Living so close to the Great Lakes, deep swimming dives are never a concern, and I tend to be in a canoe, so the idea there is keeping dry.

I will have a lot of shots to share, also. Have access to a sea life 14 mp camera with strobes, so there should be some video and images of the trip. So I will be on a plane this afternoon, and should be at the resort, this evening.

AGAIN, thanks everyone for your feedback, much appreciated