Completely new to SCUBA and going to Cozumel

[jared w]

I like this board, people are much friendlier than on mountaineering forums. Thanks for all the great advice.

Miniscuba - Where is Xel Ha? I've heard you can see macaws there. I'd really like to get to Tulum, Coba, Sian Kann, Chichen Itza, Akumal, and see Sea Turtles while I'm in Playa. I figure Chichen Itza is a day unto itself but I was hoping to combine some of the other things into two per day. Any suggestions which to toss together? How about Sian Kann? Is it worth it?

We are staying here in Playa for 5 nights/4 days before Cozumel.

 

[BTravlin]

Jared, glad you like Scubaboard. Lots of great people with a ton of good info here.

For my two cents worth, decide what you want to see in Mexico and then research those places thoroughly here on SB and the internet. Know where they are and how much admission is. You can also find out approx cab fares. Arrange your own transportation to the places you want to see whether it be by rental car or by taxi. You will save a lot of money vs signing up with tour operators when you get there.

 

[ggunn]

I like this board, people are much friendlier than on mountaineering forums. Thanks for all the great advice.

Miniscuba - Where is Xel Ha? I've heard you can see macaws there. I'd really like to get to Tulum, Coba, Sian Kann, Chichen Itza, Akumal, and see Sea Turtles while I'm in Playa. I figure Chichen Itza is a day unto itself but I was hoping to combine some of the other things into two per day. Any suggestions which to toss together? How about Sian Kann? Is it worth it?

We are staying here in Playa for 5 nights/4 days before Cozumel.

You can do Tulum and Coba in the same day; they are only about 25 miles apart.

 

[travelure]

Hi,

I have been down to this area quite often, but usually dive off Isla Mujeres or Tulm and the Cenotes.

I did dive Coz once and a place called Dimi Tours was recommended. Here is their website PADI & SSI Scuba Diving Cozumel Yucatan Mexico Dive Trips Scuba Training Dive Shop Wreck Diving Nitrox and in case anyone is wondering, I only wish I worked for them...lol

I found that they provided small groups and very personal service. Lunch was served. One other nice thing was that they left a little later so that you hit the reefs as all the others were leaving, plus the sun was high enough that the light penetration was good. We had every dive to ourselves.

I highly recommend this operation.

Regards

Sam

 

[tedgarner]

I like this board, people are much friendlier than on mountaineering forums. Thanks for all the great advice.

Miniscuba - Where is Xel Ha? I've heard you can see macaws there. I'd really like to get to Tulum, Coba, Sian Kann, Chichen Itza, Akumal, and see Sea Turtles while I'm in Playa. I figure Chichen Itza is a day unto itself but I was hoping to combine some of the other things into two per day. Any suggestions which to toss together? How about Sian Kann? Is it worth it?

I am not sure why we are more friendly than the mountain people may be it is the atmosphere the air is very thin up there I have heard.
It sounds like you have alot planned for you trip my advice is be careful not to pack to much action in one trip. Many of the places you have mentioned Xel Ha ect. are fine places a little on the manufacted side but sill nice. Tulum Akumal are great, Sian Kann is a massive reserve rugged but very much off the beaten path.
Get some dives in and then go to the main land and check out Tulum Akumal and the cenotes Dos Ojos is really cool. In Akumal go to Yal Kol (Yall cool) it is a inlet and many times you can see turtles there and in half moon bay.
You can not do it all at once. I have been coming to this area for 15 years and now live on the island I still have not seen it all come now come later. We will be looking for you

 

[squalo25]

Hi,
I think in Playa there are the more easy dives. You should finish your course in Playa and then after your wife feels more safe go to Cozumel. They have amazing dives there.
It´s a waste to finish your referal course in Cozumel and then go diving in Playa. My recomondation is Divemex in Playa. They also arrange for you a great time in Cozumel.
Think about it!!!

 

[mimiscuba]

I like this board, people are much friendlier than on mountaineering forums. Thanks for all the great advice.

Miniscuba - Where is Xel Ha? I've heard you can see macaws there. I'd really like to get to Tulum, Coba, Sian Kann, Chichen Itza, Akumal, and see Sea Turtles while I'm in Playa. I figure Chichen Itza is a day unto itself but I was hoping to combine some of the other things into two per day. Any suggestions which to toss together? How about Sian Kann? Is it worth it?

We are staying here in Playa for 5 nights/4 days before Cozumel.

Hey Jared!
The Tortuga hotel is a nice one! It's right downtown. They have great breakfasts!
Xel-Ha is on the highway just north of Tulum. About a 30 to 40 minute bus ride (there are buses that go directly there for under $10). Xel-Ha is a little manufactured but there is a lot of fish to see and other wildlife through the jungle walks. I saw a raccoon there once - i believe they call them Cuatamundis. This one is kind of an all day-er.
I just did this day trip the other week with my brother and it was really cool - we rented a car and snorkeled at Dos Ojos (cenote), then we went on to the ruins in Tulum. It was a perfect day! Chichen Itza I've heard is better to go on an organised tour (I still haven't gone - shame on me!). If you want to see Sea Turtles and you want to dive - we have a dive site here in Playa del Carmen that we call "Tortuga" because of all the turtles grazing there! It's a nice drift dive ranging in depth from 16 to 25 meters.
I'm afraid I don't know too much about Siaan Kaan - I went to Punta Allen and got on a boat there to do a bit of snorkeling,saw a pod of dolphins from the boat and then we toured around to see some of the birds nesting in the mangroves.
You might be able to do Coba and Akumal in a day. But definitely do a cenote while you're here!
Hope this helps!

 

[ggunn]

Hey Jared!
I saw a raccoon there once - i believe they call them Cuatamundis.

Coatimundis and raccoons are not the same species.

 

[RonFrank]

You may want to consider doing the full certification through a CO LDS.

It's a shame to waste dives doing certification while in such a great location. OW Certification is done over a weekend. It would be even more of a shame if one of you had difficulty during certification while in Coz, and miss the diving. IMO it's not a bad idea to get the entire process out of the way, and get some feel for diving.

I recommend A1 scuba which is where I've done the majority of my training.

For checkout diving, they offer trips to the Blue Hole in NM, and also if you want warm water, they go to the Homestead Crater near Park City UT. Blue Hole is a cool site, and I've dove it a lot. The water is a constant 64F which while not warm, is not bad. The vis is generally 50'+ which makes it a bit easier on new divers.

Aldora is a cool dive shop, and I have stayed Caribe Blu which is a no frills Hotel, but it has an exceptional view, and shore diving which is quite fun even if nothing compared to the boat diving.

 

[sharky60]

You can do Tulum and Coba in the same day; they are only about 25 miles apart.

The archeological sites close at 4:00p, which on a full day comes quick! so if you plan to do both, go to Coba first and get there early. I think the sites open around 9:00 or 10:00.

plus getting there early will help beat the heat...some, it can pretty opressive in the jungle with the trees blocking almost any breeze available. the payoff is climbing Nohoch Mul and getting above the tree tops.

stop and see my artist buddy in the little Mayan village along the road from Tulum to Coba. he carves mayan heiroglyphs from limestone blocks and makes mayan artifact replicas. look for some of his sculptures outside his hut along the road.

then go to Tulum in the p.m. hrs., it sits on the coast and once inside the city walls, the breeze off the ocean is very refreshing.