Cabo feedback needed for my escape

[JENANDKEN]

We are going to Cabo August 25-Sept 5, Does anyone have any experience going there during that time and can tell us what to expect as far as weather and visibility goes??. I know it will be HOT but we live in Houston and it's always hot here! I'm more concerned about the rain. As far as Hotels go it's a toss up between the Hacienda Beach resort and the Melia del Sol. How is the pool at Hacienda and do they have a swimable beachl? I know the Melia is directly on the beach and I assume has a swimable beach but with that gorgeous pool who needs it after your morning dive. Is it
a comfortable walk to town from from the Melia or is it 10 miles away, I'm confused.
Thanks for any feedback or help anyone can provide as I make my plan for my escape!!
Any other reccomendations on Hotels

 

[MtnDiver]

We stayed at the Westin in Sept. 04.

Every room has a water view. Great pools, swim-up bars, poolside restaurant, mini-golf on the beach, etc. Typical Westin level of service/amenities.

Here's a panoramic view from our balcony at the Westin.

There is no dive operator on site. Pay-per-ride shuttle van service into downtown area is available (free for the duration of your visit if you sit through the timeshare pitch). Taxis also available if you want to come and go as you please and money isn't a constraint.

 

[hdtran]

Okay guys so maybe my request was too vague. I have been looking at Sheraton Hacidnda,Twin Dolphins, The Westin, and Melia San Lucas. Has anybody been to any of these and do you have any thoughts out there? I assume the dive operators will all pick you up, by boat or van??

Twin Dolphins is older. Sheraton, Westin, & Melia are all recent, with the Westin the newest and Melia the next newest.

Twin Dolphins is right next to Bahia Santa Maria (well, maybe 200 yds), which is a nice snorkeling beach. The distance from Cabo for each are: Sheraton, about 10 km; Twin Dolphins, about 12 km; Melia, about 20 km; Westin, about 25 km.

I believe all the above-mentioned (including the Hilton which is not above-mentioned) are all "gran turismo 5*" or AAA "4-diamond", with rates to match.

We've stayed at the Hilton, which is right next to the Melia. The Hilton is really nice. I've met folks who stayed at the Melia, who also really liked it. There is a swimmable beach there in good weather (artificial breakwater), and an on-site op (Tio Sports). However, the best diving is in Cabo itself. You can arrange excursions where you get picked up by van, but you pay for that. Baja Wild is one such outfitter. Otherwise, take the bus, hotel shuttle, or car rental to town, and make your own arrangements with an outfitter. For the bus, just walk out from the hotel to the highway, to the bus stop, and flag down a bus. I think bus fare is on the order of 30 pesos ($3).

I've also met people who stayed at the Sheraton Hacienda who really liked it.

Bus/shuttle/taxi/car rental comments apply to all the above hotels, btw.

In town, most of the dive ops are out of the Marina. The exceptions are Amigos Del Mar (close to the Marina); and Cabo Watersports, Andromeda, JT, and Tio (on Playa Medano). Further up Playa Medano, inside the new Riu Palace architectural monstrosity, there's also a dive-op. Since the Riu Palace is new, they may be running specials. August is low season anyway, so you shouldn't pay anywhere near rack price.

If you stay at either the architectural monstrosity, the Villa Del Palmar, Melia San Lucas (as opposed to Melia Los Cabos), or Pueblo Bonito, you're on Playa Medano, and a reasonably short walk to the Marina (or Playa Medano).

Have a great time!

 

[HB Diver]

Melia San Lucas is on Playa Medano, all ocean-view rooms, swim-up bar, king-sized day beds under palapas (w/wait service, of course!), 1.5 blocks from Manta divers (who leave from the beach & are a great bunch of laid-back, easy-going people/divers), 1.25 blocks from Edith's (best restaraunt in Cabo), 50 yds from Tio Sports (para-sailing, jet-skis) and The Office bar for lunch. You can (& probably have ) check out the hotel @ solmelia.com.
I'll post pics when we get back in a couple of weeks.

 

[scubabum2]

Jen & Ken,
My buddy and I will be in Cabo Aug 7-12. According to Amigos Del Mar, the vis is currently about 50 ft and the water temp 68F. They say the clarity is getting better every day - I just hope the water temp is going up every day. This may be my first & last non-Caribbean blue water dives if I have to get into a thick wetsuit - it just spoils the fun.

 

[UndrWatrDan]

Jill and I will be in Cabo, July 29-30th and Aug 5-6th and will be in La Paz inbetween. Right now we are scheduled to do a two tank dive with Baja Dive the morning of the 30th.

 

[JENANDKEN]

Yea we usually go to the Carribean too but waited until later in the year this year for our trip. Wanted to avoid the hurricanes, guess its a trade off with the colder water and lower vis. What do they say - a bad dive is better dive is better than no dive ar all, right? On the other matter about the hotel - I just read that the Hacienda Beach Resort is closing and taking no more reservations past Sept 1. Looks like I'm a month late for the old flavor of historic Cabo. Anyone have any other fav spots to stay close to town and on the beach???

 

[WaterWayne]

...According to Amigos Del Mar, ...the water temp 68F...

Wow, that's quite a bit colder than about this time last year. I've been planning to go back to Los Cabos at the end of August, but I'll have to keep an eye on the water temps. Like you, Scubabum, I don't want to pack and wear a thick wetsuit. Last year, in the Labor Day week, I dove every day in just my bathing suit, both in the Bahia San Lucas and at Cabo Pulmo. Temps then were 71/72 and 73/75, respectively. Vis will never be as good as the Caribbean, so 50' is probably about max, but that's still MUCH better than any Texas lake!

Not incidentally, keep an eye on hurricanes. Last year, one stalled offshore when I was there. Cabo Pulmo was unaffected, but it cost me the first day of diving in the Bay. If it had been the other way around, that is, if I had to cancel the Cabo Pulmo side trip, DAN's trip insurance would have reimbursed me for that portion. That's a heckuva good deal.

Cheers,
Wayne

 

[scubabum2]

I totally agree on the TX lakes, Wayne, blue water is blue water. I was a bit disappointed when they told me what the water temp was. It seemed that some of the other trips I had seen posted this time of year had a water temp about 10 F higher. Its not the 3:2 full I mind wearng, its the weights - buoyance is a pain in the butt the more weight you have on - especially if you take pics. I'll keep everyone posted next week for an update of conditions.

 

[scubabum2]

OK, according to Kevin at Amigos Del Mar, conditions today are: 50 ft vis, 80F water temp at the surface and 75F at 70 ft.