Cancun Diving

[buza831]

Hi we are planning on going back to Cozumel this summer and we want to use our frequent flier miles. Since Alaska doesn't fly to Coz we will need to fly into Cancun. My questions are, how long does it take from the airport to the ferry terminal and how long is the crossing (looks like about half hour)? Should we plan on staying in Cancun and taking the ferry the next day or is it possible to do it in an afternoon with luggage? Is there any good diving in Cancun (do they go to the same places as in Coz) and is it worth staying a couple days there before we come to Coz? Thanks. See you there.

 

[bleeb]

Round figures: An hour from the airport to Playa del Carmen and an hour on the boat.

You might want to ask a moderator to move this thread to the Mexico or Cozumel forums. You'll probably get more answers there.

 

[TSandM]

You might want to ask a moderator to move this thread to the Mexico or Cozumel forums

Done!

As said, it's about an hour from Cancun to PDC, and it's a half hour ride on the ferry to Coz, although, by the time you've gotten tickets and loaded on the ferry, it will be an hour from your arrival in PDC.

I don't know the diving from Cancun at all, but depending on your experience level, you might definitely enjoy staying on the mainland for a day or two (in PDC or south) and doing a little OW diving, and a day of cenote tours. The cenotes are a unique possible experience in that area, and if you are a reasonably experienced diver with a cool head and good buoyancy control, they are not to be missed.

 

[Tigerman]

Staying in Cancun for a couple is definetly worh it.
The sealife when I was there last year was much better in Cancun and the sites where MUCH less crowded. The cenotes as mentioned is GREAT diving that should be experienced.
The reefs in Cancun is much smaller, but in good condition and as the sites are generally shallower, which means you might be doing longer dives..
There is dive ops in Cancun that also do daytrips to Cozumel, but there is a fair bit of travelling time involved to do that. If you want to stay a couple of days in Cancun you should contact ben@mayanaquadive here on scubaboard. He runs a great op and can set you up with anything you need.

 

[Spratman]

I second Ben in Cancun. If you'll be there a couple of days, give him a ring. Fifteen minutes to most dive sites. Cancun gets a bum rap for diving. Give it a try, you'll not be sorry!

 

[reefdvr]

I third Ben in Cancun.www.mayanaquadive.com

 

[Scubadiva1]

You could definitely do it in an afternoon. It is about 1/2 hour cab ride or bus ride to the ferry from the airport then allow 45 mins for the ferry. I am not familiar with local diving near cancun but I hesr that diving in Playa Del Carmen (where the ferry is to Cozumel), can be good but it's the windward side so hard to find a good diving day when he port is open whereas Cozumel is more sheltered so easier and more consistent diving.

On the Cancun side there is also the cenote/cave diving that is supposed to be niced but that is a bit far down the coast from Cancun too.

 

[buza831]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like a go. I think we'll give Ben a call and set it up.

 

[vet_ca]

Stayed in Akumal 4 times and Cozumel 6 times (all within however many years that is...we go 2X per year) (5 years I guess). Playa has some good dive sites and so does the area north of Cancun as well as Akumal. The cenotes are a must. A lot of turtles in the mainland area. We switched to Cozumel a couple of years ago because we always took a "day" trip over there for 2 dives (about 1.5 hours over and 1.5 hours back). Liked Cozumel better and decided to do that from now on. We fly from Calgary, Canada to Denver to Cozumel. Tried the Calgary to Cancun, Cancun to Playa, wait for the ferry, ferry to San Miguel, San Miguel to Iberostar. Absolutely beat to death after that venture. Worse on the way back because you have to huck your own stuff, uphill, to the taxi stand and then back to Cancun airport for the 7 hour flight back. Never do that again. You really can't go wrong in either place. Just don't do what we did. Back and forth. Stopping for a day or 5 before going to Cozumel would work ok.

 

[Cykomedic]

Maybe fly into Houston and swap over to Continental or something else that will fly into Cozumel. I'm doing the cenotes at the end of Feb '09. Can't wait.