November in Cozumel - where to stay?

[MMM]

I wanted to ask, do most dive companies stay away from Devils Throat due to the depth?

Waterdance

Actually I don't think that any of the ops you short-listed avoid Devil's Throat. However, it is VERY far south and the weather conditions have to be good to be able to get there. Another "problem" with it is that there isn't much else reef around it at shallower depths to enable you to do a multi-level dive. So you are just in blue water and consequently it's a relatively short dive. I have done this dive many times but I sure never promote it for this very reason. I like to stay down a long, long time and I think there are many other sites that offer both swim-throughs and multi-levels, making them better value for your dive dollar, IMO.

 

[gopbroek]

On the flip side done right Punta Sur Cathedral's can be an excellent dive (about 50 minutes +, with AL 80's) and last year from late November thru late winter a herd of Eagles were hanging out. Seriously I would find a semi cheap hotel downtown and enjoy the culture and good food in the evening's and use one of the many great downtown ops, I use Tres Pelicanos as a dive OP, since I believe they are the best. Fuel wise Palancar verses Punta Sur is pretty close but the other factor is time. I have never had a problem hitting the southernmost sites with 4 or more divers provided the weather and wind were good. I want no part of it when the wind and swell come up down south, there are to many great sites to the north to dink with bad weather.

 

[Brules]

I have heard the wall on Punta Sur at 150' is freaking awesome.....if you are willing to deco dive.

 

[Bazzabug]

Its sounds like you are looking for more info on the dive company than the accomodation? Similar profile to you guys, we are giving Tres Pelicanos a go for our next visit in July as they come highly reccomended, do nitrox, keep your gear etc etc. So far excellent email comms, and very friendly. They will pick you up from a downtown hotel to the caleta, or from your dock south of the harbour.

For accomodation, why dont you try a vacation rental instead of a hotel? Might be biased since we have a place a couple blocks from the square, but if you check out vrbo/flipkey/etc etc, there are plenty good options all over cozumel that range from small studios in town to massive luxury condos on the water north and south of town. You can find excellent value for money within your own budget and you often miss the crowds of a hotel. We hire a car when we go to coz, just for those afternoon drives down the east coast, punta sur. But its not really needed if you are near to the downtown area.

 

[Ron Lee]

Devil's Throat is not a short dive with Aldora. On one trip my first dive was Maracaibo. The first dive of the next day was Barracuda. Don't expect that if they have not seen you dive but it shows what they can do. Add in the newer dives up north, east side diving in the winter, Villa Aldora and you have a great option. If the price works for you, try to get a suite. Two level with bedrooms upstairs, living room and kitchen downstairs.

Of course you can stay in town and taxi south to the caleta for some dive ops or use a dive op who picks up in town such as Aldora, Blue XTSea and a few others at the Aldora pier.

The following hotel map may be useful

Cozumel, Mexico map with hotel locations

 

[1bubbleoff]

Another Tres Pelicano's fanboy. You want Valet?...tell em..you'll get Valet...don't touch my gear typeof diver?..tell em...they won't touch your gear. Skinny Shark one of the fastest boats on the island...shaded. Chan Fran is a phenominal dive boat Capt. Jorge and Edgar do a wonderful job as dive guides.
Tres Pelicano's is not really a hand holding kind of op. It's more popular with advanced divers I think, and Steve will let you dive YOUR dive...not his. BT's are all about you.
Accommodation wise I'm a " gimme a bed and shower" kind of guy. Altho, I can say nice things about El Cid..( GREAT Apple Streudle).

Tres P will handle all your gear, rinse and clean, store and haul, and handle transportation needs if you so desire. Give em a call...I think you'll be quite happy. JMO....

Bubs

 

[MMM]

Devil's Throat is not a short dive with Aldora.

What reef do you go after you exit the throat, Ron?

 

[DandyDon]

So your thread title is about where to stay, but the first post and the thread seems to be about who to dive with?

There are only a couple of bad ops on the island I guess, and we may not warn against them unless you mention one - then we probably would encourage a change. I've been out with 4 of those you listed and those were great, and I would assume the others are as well.

Scuba with Alison is my favorite if you have a rented car or are staying close to the marina. Even if you have to pay for a taxi both ways, at least there are two of you. I generally go alone and would hate to pay that much alone, so I'm going with Tres Pelicans who will furnish my rides to the marina. I don't know how they get away with it, as the taxi mob has attacked others for such, but I guess they found a mutually agreeable price.

The details vary with where you're staying. Blue Angel and others will pick you up in town or along the way, but it's a long boat ride. I don't mind it, but I do prefer a car to the marina - then a shorter boat ride.

I really never use sun screen, but I guess I should - and redheads especially. We have a lot of blonds and redheads in the family now (funny how those recessive genes show up ) so we've learned more. Funny that one blond grandkid burns and the other blond doesn't nor does her blond mom, but hair color is your first clue - yeah. I will not go on another boat without shade tho, even tho you get a lot of sun reflecting off of the water.

Oh, get bio-friendly sun screen or whatever it's called. The regular kinds will hurt the coral, and it doesn't seem to take much to do damage.

BTW, just wondering why Aldora didn't make your list? Any particular reason?

Yeah, I haven't been out with them, but they are popular.

So what do you want in a property? In town, southern beach, AI or not, etc?

My hotel shopping varies a lot. This trip I am staying at a nice cheap location downtown. It hasn't been that long since I booked, but I just checked the going price there - and called Hotels.com about their price guarantee. They checked online and are sending me a 15% refund.

 

[Ron Lee]

What reef do you go after you exit the throat, Ron?

After doing the throat they usually went to were the yellow tube sponge was then up and out. Then a swim past the sandy area to the next reef structure north of the Devil's Throat reef structure. How much further north after that I do not recall. 120 cu ft tanks provide flexibility to do more than with a 80 cu ft tank.

 

[waynel]

It comes down to first things first. First, you need to pick a dive op. Not all dive ops go to all the resort/hotel docks to pick you up. And some hotels wil charge a pickup fee (especially if they have a dive op on their dock). Before you decide on a hotel, because there is such a looong list to choose from. You need to prioritize...You want valet service from your dive op. I'm like you, I stopped dragging and cleaning my gear years ago. I stopped riding cattle boats years ago. Do your research, call the ops, make a top three list. You want a six pack boat who will clean and store your gear and have it ready when you get on the boat. But...where will those top three pick you up? Every pickup is predicated on where the dive op has it's boats and how far north they are willing to go to pick you up. When you find that out then you can start researching your hotels. And believe me, there are many small and large hotels that will be in your pickup zone until you get past the international cruise ship zone about mid-way heading south on the island. After that, big resorts with big sandy beaches (for the most part).

There are so many good dive ops on the island. If they aren't, they don't last long. Now, you will read about how this diver loved that op because of the guide, or that diver hated that op because the guide or op didn't "do enough" (to paraphrase), were rude, didn't care, etc. If you are an experienced diver, the guide is the lest of your worries. It's drift diving for heaven's sake. You don't navigate, you go in one direction. Now, I know how important a guide who will reassure new divers can be. I was there many years ago. Yes, safety equipment is important but there's only so much safety equipment you're going to get on a six pack boat. They are built for speed not lumbering along. You give up the cattle boat heads, shade and tons of safety equipment, etc. when you go six-pack. Now, like everyone else, I have a favorite op for valet service and COST. Dive with Martin. Just google them and see if they make your list. But like I said...pick your dive op first (if you are there to dive not lay on a beach), what do they offer...and most importantly...where will they pick you up? I'm going Thursday and staying at El Cid. Dive with Martin is about a 100 yard walk. I'm first on the boat. No taxi. Write down what you want first in a dive op. When you know where they will pick you up, then research your hotel for what you want and try to come up with the best match between the two. But by all means, if the personality of dive guide, etc. is important to you, then go in that direction. For years my wife (when she was a new diver) insisted on "good guides" but after years of diving there, and becoming an advance diver, realized...we are just getting in water and drifting. Whatever op you choose, while they have your gear set up. Check it yourself before you get in the water. No matter how good a dive op is, there might be a new guy on the crew who's not experienced, hung over, or just doesn't care. Just like you can get at any dive destination in the US or overseas. Finally, after diving all around the Caribbean, Bahamas, etc. I keep coming back to Cozumel. The best reef system and clearest water in our hemisphere.