judydivescoz
Contributor
It only gets crowded if you dive with the large cattle boats resorts offer..try the fast boats, a max of 6. Most resorts ops offer them for a small upcharge.
Any advice on Mexico
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Hillmorton Scubie
Contributor
Hi from near Coventry.
Went to Playa del carmen Dec 2004 and Cozumel Dec 2006.
As you probably know Cozumel was voted 2nd only after Bonaire for diving.
I agree with the voters.
Ian
Went to Playa del carmen Dec 2004 and Cozumel Dec 2006.
As you probably know Cozumel was voted 2nd only after Bonaire for diving.
I agree with the voters.
Ian
DepthCharge
Contributor
dlndavid:
This is a a very bad assumption
DiveDiva_Ashley
Contributor
I would recommend the Sunscape Puerta Aventuras. It is in Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico. My husband and I honeymooned there last August and had an amazing time. He is also a non-diver and had plenty to do while I was diving. I dove the Cenotes while there, and they actually gave us the option to have our non-diving spouses come along with us to snorkel while we dove. On our second dive, they entered an air pocket of the cenote from the ground and hung out with us in the water for a while before we descended again. The instructor gave some history on the formations of the Cenotes during that time. The water was colder than I would have expected for Mexico- I wore a 3 mil but wished I would have had a 5. My husband didn't think he needed a wetsuit, so he froze 
) But at any rate, it was neat. Not much fishlife, but the rock formations are very interesting.
As far as the ocean, the fishlife is awesome and we had alot of fun playing with starfish while snorkeling on the beach and just hanging out in the water. They also have lots of excursions you can book right from the resort. We swam with dolphins, rode ATV's through the jungle, dove/snorkeled, had a private dinner on the beach, and went into town to buy real souveniers and jewelry for me. The resort was very helpful and treated us like royalty, stocking our mini bar every day and leaving towell creatures and rose petals on our bed every night. It was very romantic and we had lots of good memories from this trip. Some pictures can be found at http://photobucket.com/albums/y174/anp05/wedding/?start=all, they're mid-bottom of the page. Sorry they're all mixed in but we never really organized it all.
Hope you have a great time!
) But at any rate, it was neat. Not much fishlife, but the rock formations are very interesting.As far as the ocean, the fishlife is awesome and we had alot of fun playing with starfish while snorkeling on the beach and just hanging out in the water. They also have lots of excursions you can book right from the resort. We swam with dolphins, rode ATV's through the jungle, dove/snorkeled, had a private dinner on the beach, and went into town to buy real souveniers and jewelry for me. The resort was very helpful and treated us like royalty, stocking our mini bar every day and leaving towell creatures and rose petals on our bed every night. It was very romantic and we had lots of good memories from this trip. Some pictures can be found at http://photobucket.com/albums/y174/anp05/wedding/?start=all, they're mid-bottom of the page. Sorry they're all mixed in but we never really organized it all.
Hope you have a great time!
Brewone0to
Contributor
My non-diving wife and myself are booked for Akumal beach Resort May 19th-May 27 It looks to be very centrally located. It's an AI, but the price was really good, so if we find ourselves somewhere else for meals I'm not going to be really worried. Snorkling is suppose to be good right off the beach.
bvmjethead
Contributor
My wife and I just returned from Playa Del Carmen. We stayes at the Sandos Playacar resort and dove with Katarina from Aqua Inn on the resort site. They were very good to me and I was very satisfied with my first experience(s) with scuba diving. I visited three reefs with them in three days.
Playa is very centrally located to ALOT of great dive sites.
Playa is very centrally located to ALOT of great dive sites.
AmyJ
Contributor
If your in the Akumal area I highly recommend Diablo divers... dennis will take care of you... we've dove with him several times.... can't go wrong (and he's cave certified if you want to do the Cenotes... they're his specialty!)
nocalparrothead
Guest
Having been to Akumal, Cancun, Xpu Ha, and Cozumel, this is my 2 cents:
Akumal is a great little town to escape to. One of my favorite places on the planet. I don't know about the AI's there, but Club Akumal Caribe is a bargain for a beachfront hotel. There is a dive shop right there, and a great beach bar. Within the town of Akumal is Yal Ku Lagoon. The snorkelling is incredible. Also, right off the hotel is great snorkelling, and I think the dives are about a 10 min boat ride, max. Xpu Ha is a dream, as well. We stayed at Xpu Ha Palace in 05, before it was destroyed by a hurricane. There is a cenote on site that you can dive & snorkel in, as well as kayak. The rest of the good things about this resort were never rebuilt, though, so I can't really recommend it.
Here's a thought. Check into the Palace Resorts (assuming you want AI). When you stay at one, you can explore others. You may also be able to hop between them after a few days. You could stay in Coz, then move to the mainland. They have 5 resorts open currently, I think. They did take a huge hit from hurricane Wilma. If you like them, don't book through them, check around. I found a great deal through a member of their timeshares. I saved almost $2000 USD by going through her. You can PM me if you'd like the website. The nice thing is that everything but your diving is included, and most dive ops will come get you at the resort. They even include adventure trips and tours to the ruins.
One last thing, we're staying on the mainland next week, and going to Coz for a daytrip dive. It's not the easiest thing to do, and very time consuming. Just something to consider.
Akumal is a great little town to escape to. One of my favorite places on the planet. I don't know about the AI's there, but Club Akumal Caribe is a bargain for a beachfront hotel. There is a dive shop right there, and a great beach bar. Within the town of Akumal is Yal Ku Lagoon. The snorkelling is incredible. Also, right off the hotel is great snorkelling, and I think the dives are about a 10 min boat ride, max. Xpu Ha is a dream, as well. We stayed at Xpu Ha Palace in 05, before it was destroyed by a hurricane. There is a cenote on site that you can dive & snorkel in, as well as kayak. The rest of the good things about this resort were never rebuilt, though, so I can't really recommend it.
Here's a thought. Check into the Palace Resorts (assuming you want AI). When you stay at one, you can explore others. You may also be able to hop between them after a few days. You could stay in Coz, then move to the mainland. They have 5 resorts open currently, I think. They did take a huge hit from hurricane Wilma. If you like them, don't book through them, check around. I found a great deal through a member of their timeshares. I saved almost $2000 USD by going through her. You can PM me if you'd like the website. The nice thing is that everything but your diving is included, and most dive ops will come get you at the resort. They even include adventure trips and tours to the ruins.
One last thing, we're staying on the mainland next week, and going to Coz for a daytrip dive. It's not the easiest thing to do, and very time consuming. Just something to consider.
jazappi
Guest
I have been to Playa Del Carmen, Cancun, Cozumel, and Puerta Vallarta. They last time we went was in October 06', we stayed at my favorite place of them all, was the Seaside Suites (http://www.karismahotels.com/seaside/), they are south of Playa Del Carmen by about 20 mins, my wife and I are both divers, but there is plenty to do there if you arent a diver. They have hand painting crafts everyday, lot of amenities, and of course the beach with, pretty good snorkling. Your are also real close to the Tulum Mayan Ruins (hint: dont book a day trip there, take a taxi and pay the $3 entrance fee), they will try to sell you trips everywhere for it at $80 per person. There is also Xel Ha, its a natural water park, we did Xel Ha and Tulum ruins in the same day. Very fun.
My wife is still fairly new at diving is gets nervous each time. I used Dive Mike (http://www.divemike.com/), awesome prices, awesome service. Juan was our dive master and he was great with helping my wife get calm. Earlier this year she had a terrible expeirence in Puerto Vallarta and almost gave up diving. If I am ever in the area again, there is no one else I would consider. Its located in Playa Del Carman.
Note: I really like to stay out of the tourist areas, so Cozumel wasn't my cup of tea. Its good to go for a day, shop, and get out. I like to go and relax, and dive.
Another thing that might help, Deep Sea Dectives are doing a show this week about the Cenotes in Mexico, and talk a lot about the Mayan history, very interesting. Try to catch a repeat of that episode.
I have a wealth of Mexico knowledge, so if you have more questions feel free to ask.
Edit: I forgot to tell you about the best part of the resort, all inclusive, top shelf liqours, and spa tubs in each room. 24 hour room service included, also if you want, tell them what time you are going to back to you room, and they will have the tub ready for you. Including bubbles and rose pedals. Your wife will love it.
Make sure you book through one of the online services, they are way cheaper then going directly through them, I also found a link that took 10% off the rooms, not sure if it still on that site, but let me know and I can track it down for you.
Another quick note: We spent just over $2000 for 7 nights for flight/hotel, and that was for Ocean Front, if I would do it again I would do Garden view, you don't really get that much more for ocean front.
Joey
My wife is still fairly new at diving is gets nervous each time. I used Dive Mike (http://www.divemike.com/), awesome prices, awesome service. Juan was our dive master and he was great with helping my wife get calm. Earlier this year she had a terrible expeirence in Puerto Vallarta and almost gave up diving. If I am ever in the area again, there is no one else I would consider. Its located in Playa Del Carman.
Note: I really like to stay out of the tourist areas, so Cozumel wasn't my cup of tea. Its good to go for a day, shop, and get out. I like to go and relax, and dive.
Another thing that might help, Deep Sea Dectives are doing a show this week about the Cenotes in Mexico, and talk a lot about the Mayan history, very interesting. Try to catch a repeat of that episode.
I have a wealth of Mexico knowledge, so if you have more questions feel free to ask.
Edit: I forgot to tell you about the best part of the resort, all inclusive, top shelf liqours, and spa tubs in each room. 24 hour room service included, also if you want, tell them what time you are going to back to you room, and they will have the tub ready for you. Including bubbles and rose pedals. Your wife will love it.
Make sure you book through one of the online services, they are way cheaper then going directly through them, I also found a link that took 10% off the rooms, not sure if it still on that site, but let me know and I can track it down for you.
Another quick note: We spent just over $2000 for 7 nights for flight/hotel, and that was for Ocean Front, if I would do it again I would do Garden view, you don't really get that much more for ocean front.
Joey
Mighty Mouse
Registered
I live here on the island and here is my suggestion:
Depending on how long a trip you are planning, how much diving you are looking to do and if you are looking to do some exploring of the ruins. For me these things would be how I would determine on where to stay.
If my stay was long enough I would try to split the time in two so you could experience and explore both places.
Both the main land and the Island have great hotels with pools, plenty of margaritas and resteraunts to visit. So I am sure your wife will not got bored in either place.
Cozumel has great diving! There isn't much more to say about that. Resorts in Cozumel with good pools would be:
Hotel Cozumel Palace - I know that the have tours that go to the ruins and other packages
Hotel Cozumel
Caribe Blu -
Casa del Mar - They have transportation to a beach called Nachi-Cocom for all of their guests.
The main land has world class cenote diving and I hear Akumal is also a great place to scuba dive. Some freinds of mine saw a whale shark a couple of months ago while diving in Akumal.
I hope this is of some help
Depending on how long a trip you are planning, how much diving you are looking to do and if you are looking to do some exploring of the ruins. For me these things would be how I would determine on where to stay.
If my stay was long enough I would try to split the time in two so you could experience and explore both places.
Both the main land and the Island have great hotels with pools, plenty of margaritas and resteraunts to visit. So I am sure your wife will not got bored in either place.
Cozumel has great diving! There isn't much more to say about that. Resorts in Cozumel with good pools would be:
Hotel Cozumel Palace - I know that the have tours that go to the ruins and other packages
Hotel Cozumel
Caribe Blu -
Casa del Mar - They have transportation to a beach called Nachi-Cocom for all of their guests.
The main land has world class cenote diving and I hear Akumal is also a great place to scuba dive. Some freinds of mine saw a whale shark a couple of months ago while diving in Akumal.
I hope this is of some help
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