1st time to Cozumel Questions

[gamon]

I don't know that they would necessarily pay less but the rest is certainly true.

It's been my experience that staying in a local AirBnb, getting some groceries for snacks, breakfast and maybe lunch, and going out for dinner costs significantly less than going the AI route.

 

[nodakdive]

I haven't stayed at the place you mentioned, but I would echo what others have said regarding AI food. The three times I've had food poisoning were the two times I've stayed AI, once at an AI south of Playa del Carmen and once at an AI in Jamaica, and the one time I ate Domino's Pizza in Cozumel. Never had a problem when I stuck to local restaurants in Cozumel, though you could argue Domino's was local. Domino's is not what I mean by "local".

Even if the food wasn't trucked in, you just don't know how long that tray of whatever sat in the kitchen at what temp before it made it to the buffet.

 

[MidOH]

Stick to cooked food. I couldnt find a salad for the whole week I was in that area. Anywhere. I dont eat sea food either.

Food was good. Dont overlook simple things like enchiladas. They were excellent.

I dont think I had any issues. But I remember a distinct lack of fiber in my diet for a week. Got a salad finally at my layover airport, on the way home.

Maybe its because we get sick so its not on the menus, maybe its just scarce down there.

 

[MMM]

Seriously? Salads on nearly every menu here unless you are at a taco bar. (But in a pinch, I bet they could make something simple with cabbage, tomato, and avocado.) I can think of three restaurants within a block of my house that all feature salads. Lots and lots of kinds

I couldnt find a salad for the whole week I was in that area. Anywhere. ...I remember a distinct lack of fiber in my diet for a week. Got a salad finally at my layover airport, on the way home.

 

[El Graduado]

But I remember a distinct lack of fiber in my diet for a week. Got a salad finally at my layover airport, on the way home.

Some foods readily available in Cozumel that contain huge amounts of fiber are black beans (8.7 grams of fiber per 100 grams of beans), avocados (6.7 grams), jicama (4.9 grams), peppers (2.8 grams) and all sorts of fruit. Iceberg lettuce (the most commonly sold variety) is low in fiber (1.2 grams per 100 grams of lettuce), so your salad really didn’t help much, except mentally.

Lettuce is a “high maintenance” food in Cozumel for most restaurants. It is not grown locally, it is highly perishable, it must be refrigerated, and it has a low markup on the plate.

 

[MidOH]

Maybe someone got sick, and they pulled it. Fruit and vegtables seemed scarce for a whole week.

Plenty of meat, tortillas, cheese. Steaks were decent. Went over to PDC, ate a pork chop in a cave with bats. Good food, less than 1/3 cost of home.

 

[halocline]

I have traveled all around Mexico for years and have gotten really sick once, that was near Toluca. I think it was from bad bottled water. Cozumel is pretty 'safe' food wise. Keep in mind that Mexicans suffer from GI bugs just like we gringos, and it's rarely from eating food at a restaurant.

To the OP, wherever you stay, brush your teeth with bottled water, keep your mouth shut in the shower, wash your hands frequently, just take standard travel-related health precautions. The downtown restaurants are one of the best things about a trip to Cozumel; many dive destinations don't have that kind of good, affordable food so conveniently located.

 

[arew+4]

The biggest worry on Cozumel is getting busted with a box of Sudafed. No worries on food anywhere on the island. Although, the driver we hired to take us on a pub crawl around the island said not to order any seafood out that way since they have no, to very spotty electricity out there. From what I've heard and read on here and other places many of the in house dive shops have bigger slower boats, but if your staying down south that's not too big a problem.

 

[jonhall]

Although I love the convenience of having the shop right there. And I am the only one that worries about getting a GI bug while in Mexico?? I understand that if I only eat at the resort I'll be fine, but do people feel that they can eat at restaurants and have Pina coladas(ice) outside the resort without worrying?

I would love it if anyone can share their experiences with Dreams at Cozumel, Dive House, other dive shops they would recommend

Some plusses in staying toward the south is that it puts you closer to the dive sites and there are nice beaches.

We made it a point to eat out someplace different everyday for the 2 weeks we were in Coz the last time. My wife didn't feel well enough to go out with us one evening - can't say if it was from a GI bug from a previous meal or not, but she ate what I brought back and took some Treda I purchased at the farmacia, and felt fine the next day. Both my wife and I got full blown out food poisoning in Cabo several years back - had pizza one week which was great - the 2nd week we got the same pizza, but the mushrooms were a different color - at least we suspect they were the reason. There are some things we know to stay away from. As an FYI, the last several times we have been in Mexico (Cabo, Playa Del Carmen, Coz) we have spent approximately the same amount for food in groceries & restaurants for 2 week stays as we have for a 1 week stay with AI.

As has been mentioned, other dive ops will pickup at your resort (check to be sure.) There's no lack of good ops in Coz. Speaking for myself only, I would probably try the onsite op as I like trying new things and then switch if I didn't like it - have experienced that once. Check out the link/spreadsheet for some ideas:

Dive ops by jonhall

 

[ggunn]

It's been my experience that staying in a local AirBnb, getting some groceries for snacks, breakfast and maybe lunch, and going out for dinner costs significantly less than going the AI route.

Certainly, but I was just talking about meals with everything else the same.