Cenote's or Hol Box..????

[geraldp]

Ok can he recommend a op to go with, because I am already doing the Cenotes and i still want to do the whale sharks in July.

Hi Icyman: I'm going to be in the area July 24-31. My dive op, Dive Puerto Morelos has a tour available on their website also. When I emailed them about availability of the whale shark tour for that week, I was told that it kind of depends on if they get enough people to go. Maybe we can pool resources

Jerry

 

[icyman]

Hi Icyman: I'm going to be in the area July 24-31. My dive op, Dive Puerto Morelos has a tour available on their website also. When I emailed them about availability of the whale shark tour for that week, I was told that it kind of depends on if they get enough people to go. Maybe we can pool resources

Jerry

Thats a possibility. send me a pm and lets talk about it. I have 10 divers with me

 

[Photocoz]

My boyfriend and I will be in Coz for a week the beginning of August . We are contemplating a trip to the mainland for either the Whale Sharks or the cenotes ...Which is better (which Im sure both are spectaular)...Any info regarding the specifics of getting to Hol Box from Playa?

Just food for thought.....
The cenotes are available to do all year round - the whale sharks only June 1 - end of Aug / first of Sept. So I know you do many trips to Coz each year - maybe this is a whale shark adventure and Cenotes on your next trip?!?
Is it a hassle getting there - yeah. Is it worth it - ABSOLUTELY YES!!! (Sorry Allison!!)As many of you know we just finished a 10 day assignemnt for Sport Diver & did both the whale sharks and the cenotes last week - both are equally cool in thier own rights and we really LOVE doing both activities. We do the whale sharks usually 3-4 times each summer - BUT we do stay on Holbox Island each time 2 nights so it isn't the day from hell. I know Blue Angel in Cozmel used to run day trips to Holbox, not sure if they still do. I do know that while we were on the assignemt, part of the time we were in Playa del Carmen, and there were a TON of tourists from Cozumel that stayed one night at an inexpensive ($40 - 50) hotel in Playa (they did not give up their hotel in Cozumel, or bring thier bags with them or anything like that - they brought thier toothbrush, snorkel gear & cameras!!!) just to be able to be picked up at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning (first ferry from Coz to Playa is 5AM - too late for these operator pick ups) and then return to Playa around 5:00PM (lots of sleeping in the van coming & going) and cross back to Coz at 6 or 7.

The reason it is so hard to do it in one day is you have to get to the site (about 2 hour boat ride FROM holbox) early in the day (hence the VERY early morning departure from Playa) while the plankton is on the surface, so the whalesharks are skimming the surface grazing. You can ONLY snorkel with them - they have really put into effect so great rules in an effort to protect them, one of which is NO DIVING. But they are at the surface, you are at the surface - it is perfect!!!

Hope this information helps - Have a ball whatever you do!!!!!

 

[Photocoz]

My boyfriend and I will be in Coz for a week the beginning of August . We are contemplating a trip to the mainland for either the Whale Sharks or the cenotes ...Which is better (which Im sure both are spectaular)...Any info regarding the specifics of getting to Hol Box from Playa?

Oh yeah - another thing -
As I said they have really cracked down on rules & regs - there are only about 30 permits to boats in Holbox and 10 permits assinged to boats in Isla Mujeres that allow them to do the whale sharks - and the military is out on the water checking!!!!! I think it is a good thing, as it limits the number of people on a daily basis. Also they limit it to TWO snorkelers in the water at a time with a whaleshark, then when those two get tired, (you are swimming a lot & constantly with these guys - easy to get tired) they get in the boat, then the next two go, and so on, and so on. SO you end up swimming with them many times. The water was 76 degrees - kind of takes your breath away when you get in!!! But you are exerting a lot of energy when you are trying to keep up with these gentle giants so you warm up pretty fast!!!!! I see people wear wetsuits, skins or just thier bathing suit. I ususally just wear a skin to protect from the sun (don't like to wear suntan lotion around these guys and contaminate thier water!!)
Okay - I think that was the rest of what I wanted to say!!!

 

[Grajan]

Thanks for the great report.

We were supposed to be going to do it next week but that looks trashed due to Emily....

 

[PSK]

My boyfriend and I will be in Coz for a week the beginning of August . We are contemplating a trip to the mainland for either the Whale Sharks or the cenotes ...Which is better (which Im sure both are spectaular)...Any info regarding the specifics of getting to Hol Box from Playa?

I may be late in providing info, but they are two different experiences (one diving, other snorkelling). Have done both and I would recommend Holbox if you have the opportunity. The cenotes will be there, they are fairly immune from the impact of weather. We came back from doing Holbox the 2nd week of July and it was great. I will provide a detail report on it. Let me know if you have any questions. We encountered approximately 20 whale sharks, manta rays and dolphins.

 

[geraldp]

I may be late in providing info, but they are two different experiences (one diving, other snorkelling). Have done both and I would recommend Holbox if you have the opportunity. The cenotes will be there, they are fairly immune from the impact of weather. We came back from doing Holbox the 2nd week of July and it was great. I will provide a detail report on it. Let me know if you have any questions. We encountered approximately 20 whale sharks, manta rays and dolphins.

Wow! That sounds great. I look forward to your report. (and welcome to ScubaBoard!).

Jerry