Cozumel Diving Possible From Tulum?

[Elizabeth1984]

Hi There,

I'll be staying in Tulum for about 5 nights in late Oct/ early Nov. I'd like to get some cenote dives in, as well as ocean dives in Tulum and Cozumel. I prefer to stay in Tulum the entire time and utilize one dive shop. Hoping for 3 days of diving: 1 day at cenotes, 1 day in Tulum area doing ocean dives, 1 day in Cozumel.

Can you recommend any Tulum dive shops that will lead dives to cenotes +ocean dives in Tulum and Cozumel?

Thanks very much,
Elizabeth

 

[Ron Lee]

One option is travel to Cozumel in the early afternoon. Make a night dive. Spend the night in an inexpensive hotel downtown and make two dives the next day.

 

[Elizabeth1984]

One option is travel to Cozumel in the early afternoon. Make a night dive. Spend the night in an inexpensive hotel downtown and make two dives the next day.

Thanks for the suggestion. We are trying to avoid relocating hotels back and forth or paying for multiple hotels and from what we've heard Tulum is much more our pace, which is why we prefer to stay put.

Is diving Cozumel from Tulum not usually done?

 

[gopbroek]

I do not know of any operators that travel direct from Tulum to Cozumel . I would do a Tulum dive day then a day of cenotes then travel to Cozumel via the Playa Del Carmen ferry, after the cenotes, with any gear and a minimal overnight bag. Overnight near the square for about $40 including an excellent breakfast buffet (The Colonial) and then do 2 or 4 dives with an op like Tres Pelicanos (shameless plug for my LDS). Travel back to Playa and take the ADO bus to Tulum.

I realize you do not want to change or rent multiple rooms but for about $40 you can relax the night before a day of world class diving. I learned to dive on the mainland in Akumal, loved it, did the cenotes , fantastic. Went to Xcalak and did the local dives plus Chinchoro, bucket list and will never forget it. Then I visited Cozumel, it was like pipe load of crack, nothing compares IMHO. When not in Cozumel I now suffer from depression. Now looking for a quack that can get me a disability so I can do more than 60 days a year.

 

[ggunn]

Is diving Cozumel from Tulum not usually done?

Not usually done, AFAIK. It would mean about a 30 mile crossing in the open ocean; most dive boats in the area are not suited for a trip like that.

 

[nodakdive]

Though you wouldn't need to overnight, it's a good suggestion per gopbroek's reasoning, plus, all the shops will have boats going out in the morning, but many don't have a boat in the afternoon unless there are enough divers. If you try to do it in one day and dive in the morning, you'll need to take a really early ferry from Playa del Carmen, possibly the earliest, whenever that is. It probably takes 45 minutes or more to get to the ferry from Tulum? It takes 45 minutes to cross the channel. Anyhow, you'd probably need to leave Tulum at 5 am to do morning dives on Cozumel.Most dive ops leave between 8 and 9, though I think Blue Angel has a late morning boat. If you have 3 or 4 divers, getting on an afternoon boat will work though. Some shops want 3 divers to send out a boat, some want 4. In any event, I wouldn't miss diving in Cozumel. It's THE diving in the area, cenotes notwithstanding, and it's likely that once you've done 2 tanks, you'll be wishing you could do more. Though there may not be any Tulum dive shops that take a boat over to Cozumel to dive, they probably facilitate day dive trips to Cozumel. Your Tulum dive shop might be your best/easiest resource for making this happen.

 

[ibj40]

We've dove both Cozumel and the Yucatan mainland. Can I ask, why Tulum? It would help me craft a response.

Thanks!

 

[Ron Lee]

Aldora often has a late departure for cruise ship folks so that is another option if you MUST stay in Tulum.

You can also start your trip in Cozumel, dive one day and if you really like it, dive another day and skip the Tulum ocean dives. Then go to Tulum for cenotes.

 

[mediumone]

I have a list of 12 shops that offer afternoon dives, requiring from 2 - 4 divers to go out. (Aldodra is not on that list due to the caveats). PM me if you'd like the list.

I am quite certain there are no ops based in Tulum that will lead dives in Cozumel.

The dive shops in Tulum don't really market ocean dives as the diving, according to them, is mediocre. Their push is cenote diving.

 

[high/baric]

The cenotes are definitely the main diving attraction in Tulum, but it won't be a problem to find ocean dives for a day or two. I did some dives outside the Tankah beach and there were several dive spots in the vicinity. The Casa cenote is also an open water cenote, an interesting experience and unlike the other, more cave'ish cenotes. Unfortunately it is also the preferred spot for open water training for new divers, so quite busy on most days.