Heading to Cozumel in December - Have Questions

[HoosierDiveBuddy]

Me and the wife and the daughter and her significant other are heading to Cozumel for 11 nights in December. We have rented a condo on the beach next door to the Cozumel Palace.

1.) We would like to do some shore diving from the condo. They have a small dock and iron shore entrance. Who would you recommend to rent gear from. The only thing we will need is tanks and weights. Will Cozumel Palace allow us on their property to rent from there?

The wife doesn't dive. So this isn't a true 100% dive vacation. However, the diver's in my group would like to book some dives with a good operation. The boyfriend just became Open Water certified a couple months ago. So we would be locked in to diving where ever he has to.

2.) What's your recommendations Dive Operators? Hoping to grab a deal if we book several dives with them. Such as free tanks and weights for shore diving?

3.) What are best novice dive sites in Cozumel? Low current, 40' to 50' or less.

4.) Most importantly, what is favorite places to dine?! Cheap and $$$$?

Thanks for any and all advice !!!!

 

[flyboy08]

If you spend a half hour in the COZ forum, all would be answered as that forum is a wealth of information.

there’s even a where to eat thread!....don’t miss out on the tequila shop in town

 

[Stingrayvilla]

Here is our dining guide Best Cozumel Restaurants | 3-day dining guide | stingrayvilla.com

 

[ggunn]

Here is our dining guide Best Cozumel Restaurants | 3-day dining guide | stingrayvilla.com

So, the two "best" restaurants on the island for dinner are Casa Mission and Le Chef? Both are good, but IMHO there are better or at least as good.

 

[Stingrayvilla]

If you would like more info on Cozumel, please check out our blog - Destination Blog - Stingray Villa

 

[ggunn]

I would add, incompletely and in no particular order:
Kinta
Kondessa
'Ohana
La Choza
Pancho's Backyard
El Moro
La Perlita
La Mission (the one near the water)
Buccano's
Casa Denis
...

 

[MMM]

Me and the wife and the daughter and her significant other are heading to Cozumel for 11 nights in December. We have rented a condo on the beach next door to the Cozumel Palace.

1.) We would like to do some shore diving from the condo. They have a small dock and iron shore entrance. Who would you recommend to rent gear from. The only thing we will need is tanks and weights. Will Cozumel Palace allow us on their property to rent from there?

The wife doesn't dive. So this isn't a true 100% dive vacation. However, the diver's in my group would like to book some dives with a good operation. The boyfriend just became Open Water certified a couple months ago. So we would be locked in to diving where ever he has to.

2.) What's your recommendations Dive Operators? Hoping to grab a deal if we book several dives with them. Such as free tanks and weights for shore diving?

3.) What are best novice dive sites in Cozumel? Low current, 40' to 50' or less.

4.) Most importantly, what is favorite places to dine?! Cheap and $$$$?

Thanks for any and all advice !!!!

Sounds like you are staying at El Cantil. Nice condos! (And IMO, a great location...you are across the street from a major supermarket)

1. AFAIK, there is no one near there that you can rent gear from. I doubt that the Coz Palace will allow you on their property. But if they have an on-site dive op, you could contact them directly and ask...(I think it's Aqua Safari, but not sure...they changed ops a while back but I think went back to AS).
2. There are loads of threads on this forum about recommended dive ops. Many will give discounts if you pay cash, do multiple days of diving, etc. etc. I haven't encountered any that offer free tanks and weights unless you are doing your shore diving on site (i.e. Blue Angel, Scuba Club Cozumel). More importantly, you are going to have to find an op that will pick you up in town, as El Cantil is far, far north of the marina where most ops dock. So I'd start hunting that down before looking for one that will give you free tanks and weights. Here's a partial list to get you started: Living Underwater, Blue XTSea, Aldora, and Salty Endeavors, and Deep Blue.
3. It's really hard to say whether or not the current will be low on any particular day, with the possible exception of Colombia Shallows. It's pretty far south and other divers on the boat may not want to do that site. Keep in mind that, unless the dive op picks the site, sites are selected by a group "vote". I would just make it clear to the op you book with that you are relatively inexperienced and request that they keep this in mind during site selection.
4. One of my dining favourites is K'ooben L'aab and it's within easy walking distance from el Cantil. Just head 6 blocks up 11th (it's called something else on the street sign but everyone knows it as 11th since that's what it used to be before renaming) which is the street with the traffic lights intersecting with your condo building, to 30th Ave. Hang a left and keep walking about 3 or 4 blocks. Somewhere (between Calle 5th and 3rd) you'll find them on the west side of the street...it's a small hole in the wall that seats about 8 people. (They have a booming take-out business) Delicious home-made pasta by a lovely lady from Italy. Every pasta serving comes with home-made foccaccia (or other home-made bread) and costs around 100 pesos (or about $5 US). Small menu and different specials every night. They were in the process of expanding when I was last there in the spring, but everything takes forever in Mexico w/r/t permits, leases etc. and I don't think it's finished yet. There are endless threads in this forum on restaurants...favourites, cheap, fancy, local, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Perryed]

Only place I`ve ever dove in Cozumel is Scuba Club. They have an excellent operation but I`ve always done it as an all inclusive. You would have to check with them as far as diving without staying there.. They have a fantastic shore dive right in front of the resort that is also a wonderful night dive. Enjoy Cozumel!

 

[DandyDon]

The boyfriend just became Open Water certified a couple months ago.

Have you and your daughter dived Cozumel before? Whoever you dive with, I'd hire a private DM for the newbie's first boat trip, both dives. Money well spent.

Your 25-49 dives is a better introduction to diving, shore diving the channel isn't like the same as a quarry dive back home. Do you each carry safety sausages? I still carry the one I got for my first dive trip, but I amazed at how many go to sea without one. Do you personally carry a reel and have experience with using it to tow a sausage?

I want your family to have a safe vacation. I presume you're all covered by DAN dive insurance, including the newbie boyfriend? If your non-diving wife is at least listed on your family DAN membership, she still have the benefit of emergency evacuation services.

Now for your shore diving, I think I'd take the group & gear in a taxi up to Blue Angel and rent tanks & lead there, then taxi back.

 

[DandyDon]

4. One of my dining favourites is K'ooben L'aab and it's within easy walking distance from el Cantil. Just head 6 blocks up 11th (it's called something else on the street sign but everyone knows it as 11th since that's what it used to be before renaming) which is the street with the traffic lights intersecting with your condo building, to 30th Ave. Hang a left and keep walking about 3 or 4 blocks. Somewhere (between Calle 5th and 3rd) you'll find them on the west side of the street...it's a small hole in the wall that seats about 8 people. (They have a booming take-out business) Delicious home-made pasta by a lovely lady from Italy. Every pasta serving comes with home-made foccaccia (or other home-made bread) and costs around 100 pesos (or about $5 US). Small menu and different specials every night.

Does this map look right? Locations on google maps are added by users, and often wrong. Look where they have Suites Colonial here?! (I sent google an edit to change that!) I think the newer name for 11th street is Quintana Roo C-1, and the current name for 30th ave is Av. Lic. Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, to add to my ongoing confusion. I guess a 0.9 mile walk each way is okay for younger folks with good knees and all, but I'd get a cab - one low price for a group of 4. Do agree on price before you get in, tho. Some drivers like to gouge tourists.