Trip Report Cozumel, December 2022

[Pacific Diver]

We are experienced divers (250+ dives each) who dived at least once a year pre-COVID. This was our first post-COVID dive trip.

Diving: We had avoided Cozumel because we thought that good Caribbean dive destinations had to be small and remote. We were happy to be proven wrong, the diving was very good. The reefs were healthy and the wildlife was abundant. A fair number of rays and turtles. We rarely bumped into other dive groups on the reefs despite being in town as high season was approaching. We have hit eight Caribbean dive destinations and would put Cozumel third behind Belize and Roatan. We have only a couple of quibbles. First, visibility was murky and became poor when heavy clouds rolled in. Second, current was sometimes so strong that drift dives moved too quickly to enjoy: "Hey, I'd like to take a closer.....aaaaaand I'm past it." I'd be curious if visibility is better at other times of year. Sites: Palancar: Caves, Villa Blanca, Santa Rosa, Punta Tunich, Palancar: Gardens, Yucab, Palancar: Bricks, La Francesa, Paso del Cedral, Tormentos.

Vibe: Another reason we avoided Cozumel was our understanding that it was a tacky tourist trap for cruise ships. There was a little of that (the nearest venues to the cruise ship terminal were Hooters and something called Senor Frog's), but you only have to walk a couple of blocks away from the waterfront to escape it. There were a lot of ships calls while we were there, but we really did not notice.

Dive Shop: We dove with Deep Blue and were pleased. As advertised, they used small boats (no more than six divers per boat) and grouped divers with similar skills and experience. Guides were attentive but not intrusive. We would have preferred that they start the dive day earlier to enable three dives before heading back to town, but that probably would require a too long surface interval. We would use them again. Since Deep Blue does not do repairs, we need to give a shout out to Barefoot Dive Center, which replaced a high pressure hose in an hour for a reasonable price.

Lodging: You would not be faulted if you thought a four-star hotel as elaborately named as "Cozumel Hotel & Resort Trademark Collection by Wyndham" would offer some modest luxury, but you would be wrong. Our sliding door didn't, the drawers in the dresser fell out, the showerhead was past its replacement date, the towels had not been white for quite some time and did not have enough nap to polish a pair of sunglasses, and the food was mediocre. It is a middling three-star venue. Conversations with other divers suggested there are plenty of better options.

Food: Most of what we had was fine, but not special. Our favorite was Cocina Economica Los Chilangos, a short walk from our hotel. Generous portions of chicken or beef with rice and beans and unlimited ice tea for M$120.

Airport: Is it necessary that every flight leave Cozumel's tiny airport at the same time? Departures can be a circus; get there early and be patient.

 

[divingjd]

Glad you found out Cozumel was not the tourist trap you had heard about. As you saw, there are places that cater to the cruisers, but they are easy to avoid. I hope you will return and find better lodgings, which should not be difficult. To encourage you to return, here are a few comments on the diving, based on over 20 years of diving Cozumel in all seasons. As a a general rule, the visibility is not what I would call murky. Some days it is better than others, but it’s usually 80 to 100+ feet. Sometimes the currents get weird and the visibility can be poor. Viz is usually better than Roatan, never quite as clear as Little Cayman. I’ say on par with Bonaire. Currents can change by season and from day to day, but they are pretty consistently strong. Learning how to adapt to current and manage it can greatly improve your experience. There are some places with little or no current, but that’s the exception. First rule, don’t expect to be able to hang out over one coral head. Often, you will only have a short time to look at something. Don’t fight it. You will only burn air and get frustrated. Current is usually milder close to the reef. If you are 8-10 feet above the reef at Tunich or Cedral, it’s going to fly by. If you can comfortably maintain position 2-3 feet above the reef, it will be different. I think the marine park guidelines say you should stay 6 feet away, but I’ve never been told to back off. I have seen other people cautioned about it. You probably know that if you can duck behind a coral outcropping, you can get out of the current, which is helpful if you want to take a break or wait for your buddy. Also a great place to look for things like juvenile spotted drums. It takes a while to get used to the current, but once you do, you appreciate the fact that it keeps the reef clean and healthy and brings in nutrients. Hope you will come back.

 

[DandyDon]

a four-star hotel as elaborately named as "Cozumel Hotel & Resort

When & how did Hotel Cozumel get four stars? I used to stay there because it was among the cheaper options, but thought it was mid or lower quality.

The water is generally clear I think. You may have experienced some stormy effects. The winter risk there is getting blown out.

 

[Pacific Diver]

Glad you found out Cozumel was not the tourist trap you had heard about. As you saw, there are places that cater to the cruisers, but they are easy to avoid. I hope you will return and find better lodgings, which should not be difficult. To encourage you to return, here are a few comments on the diving, based on over 20 years of diving Cozumel in all seasons. As a a general rule, the visibility is not what I would call murky. Some days it is better than others, but it’s usually 80 to 100+ feet. Sometimes the currents get weird and the visibility can be poor. Viz is usually better than Roatan, never quite as clear as Little Cayman. I’ say on par with Bonaire. Currents can change by season and from day to day, but they are pretty consistently strong. Learning how to adapt to current and manage it can greatly improve your experience. There are some places with little or no current, but that’s the exception. First rule, don’t expect to be able to hang out over one coral head. Often, you will only have a short time to look at something. Don’t fight it. You will only burn air and get frustrated. Current is usually milder close to the reef. If you are 8-10 feet above the reef at Tunich or Cedral, it’s going to fly by. If you can comfortably maintain position 2-3 feet above the reef, it will be different. I think the marine park guidelines say you should stay 6 feet away, but I’ve never been told to back off. I have seen other people cautioned about it. You probably know that if you can duck behind a coral outcropping, you can get out of the current, which is helpful if you want to take a break or wait for your buddy. Also a great place to look for things like juvenile spotted drums. It takes a while to get used to the current, but once you do, you appreciate the fact that it keeps the reef clean and healthy and brings in nutrients. Hope you will come back.

6 feet? That's quite a distance. Most folks in our dive groups were closer than that, but they all had good buoyancy control and nobody touched anything except sand. No one cautioned us about it. I appreciate the determination to preserve the reefs, and they are in very good shape, but good luck spotting a nudibranch or sea horse from six feet away.

 

[Pacific Diver]

When & how did Hotel Cozumel get four stars? I used to stay there because it was among the cheaper options, but thought it was mid or lower quality.

The water is generally clear I think. You may have experienced some stormy effects. The winter risk there is getting blown out.

Good question. I don't know if the Mexican authorities have some sort of standard or if it is self-designated. I thought I was getting a deal on a nice hotel, but I was paying market price for a mediocre one.

 

[DandyDon]

good luck spotting a nudibranch or sea horse from six feet away.

Drift diving Cozumel can indeed get pretty speedy at times, but I enjoy the minimum effort tours. I do also like to stop for a closer look since I had my eyes fixed and can now see the tiny anemone shrimp and such, which can be done if you find a nice spot down current of a coral formation. Sadly, you may not find a lull at the specific spot you wanted to examine.

I don't know if the Mexican authorities have some sort of standard or if it is self-designated. I thought I was getting a deal on a nice hotel, but I was paying market price for a mediocre one.

The authorities have no hotel rating system I don't think. AAA has theirs, other organizations have theirs, etc. I see Hotels.com has them customer rated at 7.6/10 Good, the minimum score I usually shop for. I see that rooms are going for $120/night in August when I like to go, but traveling alone to dive, I never pay anywhere close to that much so I guess that Wyndham is trying to capitalize on their brand. I doubt the value has increased much since I used to stay there for much less. I guess it's working tho as they're priced at $467 for the night of January 1. I am amazed.

There are certainly much nicer properties on the island as well as cheaper ones that fit my taste.

 

[Kimela]

Thanks for the trip report - it was fun to read a report from someone who is new to Cozumel diving and atmosphere. Hot Coz, as it is sometimes called, isn't so awesome. They DO have the biggest pool on the island though! I'm not a fan of them either.

If you wanted to get three dives a day check with @ChuckP next time you go - maybe he can do that with Ambient Divers? The currents are difficult to predict. I think I have officially been there in every month of the year and can't say one was better than any other. It's so weird to me that you can do your first dive with little/no current and the second might be rippin. I've been told the current is milder in the morning than the afternoon - but can't confirm it. In strong current it helps to get as low as possible - and tuck behind some coral if you get too far ahead of your group. You can wait til they catch up and then rejoin them.

I have several Cozumel trip reports here - on varying levels of hotels and a few different dive ops. @Trailboss123 and others do as well. I'll bet you can find lodging that you'll like much more, for equivalent or less money.

Glad you liked Cozumel. We think it's pretty great.

 

[flyboy08]

We stayed at the former Wyndham many years ago and it sucked then...I've said numerous times here, the grand Occidental is the best deal for an AI we found on the island...close to dive sites are a plus...9:30 pickups

 

[Pacific Diver]

Drift diving Cozumel can indeed get pretty speedy at times, but I enjoy the minimum effort tours. I do also like to stop for a closer look since I had my eyes fixed and can now see the tiny anemone shrimp and such, which can be done if you find a nice spot down current of a coral formation. Sadly, you may not find a lull at the specific spot you wanted to examine.

The authorities have no hotel rating system I don't think. AAA has theirs, other organizations have theirs, etc. I see Hotels.com has them customer rated at 7.6/10 Good, the minimum score I usually shop for. I see that rooms are going for $120/night in August when I like to go, but traveling alone to dive, I never pay anywhere close to that much so I guess that Wyndham is trying to capitalize on their brand. I doubt the value has increased much since I used to stay there for much less. I guess it's working tho as they're priced at $467 for the night of January 1. I am amazed.

There are certainly much nicer properties on the island as well as cheaper ones that fit my taste.

They may be trying to capitalize on their brand, but in fact they're diminishing it. It is a brand I'll avoid in the future.

 

[DandyDon]

They may be trying to capitalize on their brand, but in fact they're diminishing it. It is a brand I'll avoid in the future.

Yeah, I'd expect nicer of Wyndham. I have had disappointments in many hotel branded properties over the years. That's part of why I have lowered my expectations and shopped prices more. I have endured a few dumps with that approach tho. I'm sure that you can find a nicer hotel at a reasonable price for your next visit.