First time to Cozumel help needed!

[ggunn]

Reviews for the all-inclusive are like most, some good and some bad.

One thing I would say is that I wouldn't recommend staying on the south end of the island and not planning on taking most of your meals in the resort. It's a $20 - 30 cab ride each way to get to the restaurants in town, and renting a car has its own set of challenges. Cozumel has some amazing places to eat, and I would never take an AI deal there, but there certainly those to whom that is not a consideration.

The good news is that there are so many dive ops and places to stay and eat that all offer different experiences that it is hard for me to believe that anyone would walk away disappointed after a trip to Cozumel.

BTW, I highly recommend Buccano's At Night for dinner. It's a bit pricey but well worth it, at least for a special occasion. It's only open on Friday and Saturday Nights, and you'd better have a reservation, but you can book one on line through OpenTable, or just go to their website.

 

[Zhukov]

I figure I might as well piggy-back on this thread; I've been to Cozumel three times prior, but it's been since 2000 which makes me a virtual n00b. We'll be staying at El Cid/La Ceiba; I might regret that due to all the cruise ship action, but it's where we stayed for our honeymoon back in 1992 so call me sentimental. There are two specific questions I have while I'm down there:
1) Should I buy the pre-paid van fare round-trip for $40 or so per person, or simply grab a taxi at the airport? The later sounds like it would be cheaper and would work just as well.
2) What are the eating options like around the pier area? Anything cheap? We're usually low-budget travelers and don't care to go to fancy places. Heck, we'll probably go to Chedraui and buy sandwich fixings for many of our meals.

TIA...

 

[gopbroek]

I figure I might as well piggy-back on this thread; I've been to Cozumel three times prior, but it's been since 2000 which makes me a virtual n00b. We'll be staying at El Cid/La Ceiba; I might regret that due to all the cruise ship action, but it's where we stayed for our honeymoon back in 1992 so call me sentimental. There are two specific questions I have while I'm down there:
1) Should I buy the pre-paid van fare round-trip for $40 or so per person, or simply grab a taxi at the airport? The later sounds like it would be cheaper and would work just as well.
2) What are the eating options like around the pier area? Anything cheap? We're usually low-budget travelers and don't care to go to fancy places. Heck, we'll probably go to Chedraui and buy sandwich fixings for many of our meals.

TIA...

There are no taxi's from the airport they use a shared van system out of the airport but they do allow taxi's going into the airport (it’s a union thing). When you arrive just go to the window outside of the arrival area and purchase a van ticket, it should work out to around $10-12 USD converted to peso's (they take for foreign currency at a decent exchange rate). Vans are always available and there is no reason to ‘pre-book’ at a rate of $40.

Eating there are a few places like Ernesto’s but not a lot, I usually stay and eat in town. One place I like to stop at is the ‘Blue truck’, it was probably in operation the last time you were down. At the traffic light walk up the east bound road a little and on the left (North side) of the road is an old blue truck that operates as a taco stand, real good food, cheap.

 

[DjDiverDan]

1) Should I buy the pre-paid van fare round-trip for $40 or so per person, or simply grab a taxi at the airport? The later sounds like it would be cheaper and would work just as well.
2) What are the eating options like around the pier area? Anything cheap? We're usually low-budget travelers and don't care to go to fancy places. Heck, we'll probably go to Chedraui and buy sandwich fixings for many of our meals.

Definitely DO NOT book the pre-paid van fare - that sounds like a HUGE rip off to me. Last I was there (December, 2014) the Shuttle vans from the Airport to Casa Del Mar were 96 Pesos per person - about $6 at current exchange rates - and there are always plenty of shuttles ready to go. Should be about the same for El Cid/La Cieba, as it is almost across the street from Casa Del MarReturning to the Airport, you can take a taxi - taxis can drop off at the airport, but are not allowed to pick up there - and it will take both of you for less than $10 IF you pay in Pesos. ALWAYS pay for taxis (and most everything else) in Pesos. Yes, they'll be happy to take dollars, but you'll get raped on the exchange rate.

In terms of eating options near El Cid, there is Ernestos, The Tikila Bar, Paprika, and, not too long a walk in the direction of town, the Blue Angel, which has decent food. But, while none of these are expensive places, none are what I would call "cheap eats." You can do a lot better, both in terms of quality and value, by going into town. Try any of several Loncherias, that offer the Comida del dia, a full lunch usually including chips and salsa, soup, an entree with rice and beans, and agua fresca to drink, for like 75 Pesos (less than $5 at current exchange rates), or go to La Perlita on Thursday for the 2-for-1 Lionfish Special and get the Coconut crusted fried lionfish, or Pescaderia San Carlos for lunch (it's not open for dinner) and get some great fresh seafood at very reasonable prices, or for really cheap eats, any of the Taquerias back on 30, like El Pique or Los Seras. And El Moro has a huge menu, all of it delicious, at very reasonable prices. Check out the CozumelMyCozumel.com site for good reliable recommendations on dining.

 

[nodakdive]

One more food option near El Cid is Casa del Mar's restaurant, and I think food at the Tikila Bar comes from Paprika. I've seen waiters run it across the street. I'd rather eat at the Tikila Bar than Paprika. Much better view, and you're one story above the road. I'm not sure about this, but if you walk toward town, you'll come to La Hatch before you get to Blue Angel. I've eaten at La Hatch (?) a couple times and it was good. The cab ride to town from Casa del Mar is 80 pesos.

 

[Zhukov]

Thanks guys - keep it coming as far as food options are concerned.

My wife and I ate at Ernesto's almost every morning. They had a ham, eggs and cheese croissant back then for dirt cheap. Many an anniversary we recreated this breakfast at home. I'm surprised to hear they're still there, although I'm sure prices have gone up.

 

[Streydog]

I have only started going to Cozumel over the last year. In the three times I have flown into the island I have taken the van once and a taxi twice from the airport. As soon as I waked off the airport and started to cross the traffic circle I have gotten a taxi. It is 80 Pesos to the down town area. I have only done the van once, it is not bad but I found the taxi to be faster. I don't mind the walk off the airport either after sitting on a plane so long.

 

[DjDiverDan]

My wife and I ate at Ernesto's almost every morning. They had a ham, eggs and cheese croissant back then for dirt cheap. Many an anniversary we recreated this breakfast at home. I'm surprised to hear they're still there, although I'm sure prices have gone up.

If you are remembering Ernesto's from 1992, a lot has changed. Back then, Ernesto's was across the road from the water, tucked between Casa Del Mar and that little minimart, and they cooked the Fajitas under a big Palapa. Everything was dirt cheap way back then. They used to have a breakfast special, two eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, OJ (fresh squeezed, of course) and coffee for like $2.75. And in 1992, there were no more than 3-4 cruise ships a week. Things have changed, a lot. Now, Ernesto's has moved to the water side, you sit out over the water watching the boats, there are 21-25 cruise ships a week, sometimes 6-7 in a day, and the prices have come up to meet the Cruise Ship market.

 

[ggunn]

I have only started going to Cozumel over the last year. In the three times I have flown into the island I have taken the van once and a taxi twice from the airport. As soon as I waked off the airport and started to cross the traffic circle I have gotten a taxi. It is 80 Pesos to the down town area. I have only done the van once, it is not bad but I found the taxi to be faster. I don't mind the walk off the airport either after sitting on a plane so long.

I travel with far too much equipaje for the bag drag to the traffic circle to be an attractive option for me. Also, the authorities on the island occasionally take measures to stop taxi drivers from picking up out there. The vans are not a problem for me, but DSFDF.

 

[Mossman]

Knew you would get great advice on this thread. It always surprises me that I don't see people recommending anything about ProDive which is the dive op at Allegro. I dove with them a few years back because they were the only op, of all that I called (from recommendations on SB) that set up transportation for me from where I was staying. The only thing that many would have a problem with was the number of divers they take on the boat (more than 6-8), but they had a nice big, clean boat with several dive masters for smaller dive groups, with surface intervals back at their pier. Thought everything was run very well.

The cattle boats would be one issue, to be sure. Also, my experience with larger dive ops that service multiple hotels with multiple boats in their fleets is that they can be more rigid in terms of dive site selection and how they run their dives, with less personalized service. Finally, many of the smaller "boutique" dive ops, besides being more flexible and using smaller, faster boats, offer amenities like gear cleaning and storage, parkas on request, better snacks/drinks, and, on my preferred boat at least, a liveaboard-size camera rinse tank. My preferred dive op is also practically synonymous with the owner/head DM as he'd personally led every dive I've done with them save for two dives when he was taking a day off. Other dive ops also have DMs with a "cult-like" following.