cozumel dive trip, where to base yourself

[patpatpatme]

going to cozumel in a few weeks to dive. looking at doing 2-4 dives in the local waters, is it better to stay in cozumel for this or can i just day trip from playa del carmen? where are the best/recommended operators based out of ?

im open water, advanced with ~80 dives

looking for input aside from tripadvisor. thanks!

also plan to do at least one cenote dive, if that makes any difference.

 

[DjDiverDan]

That really depends upon the primary focus of your trip. If it is to dive, dive, dive, then dive some more, then I would strongly recommend Cozumel as your base. In terms of ocean diving, the quality and variety of dives available on Cozumel far surpasses what is available from Playa Del Carmen, or anywhere else on the mainland. And even if you want to just dive on most days, Cozumel has more than enough to keep you amused on a few off days. Plus (and I am biased in this regard, as a long-time Cozuholic) Cozumel has a great wealth of very good restaurants, including a number of little locally owned places where the food is excellent and the people very friendly. You will need to make a day trip over to PDC for a Cenote dive, but, in my opinion (which others may disagree with), Cenote diving really isn't worth more than a day - yes, it's interesting and different, but rather barren, lots of stalagtites, stalagmites, and stone structure, but little in the way of life. I much prefer seeing the vibrant corals and diverse sea life.

On the other hand, if a few days of diving is just one of many diversions you are seeking, consider spending a couple of days on Cozumel for diving, then moving over to PDC for a Cenote dive (Chac Mool is very close), trips to Tulum, Xel Ha, Xcaret, Akumal to snorkel with the sea turtles, or even an excursion up to Chichen Itza.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

PDC and Cozumel are a 45 minute, $12 US, ferry ride apart.
Cozumel Ferry Schedules: Cozumel and Playa del Carmen
The timing of the ferry may be an issue. You would have to leave PDC on the first ferry and hope to make it to Cozumel before 8:00. Aldora leaves their pier at 7:30 but it is next to the ferry pier. If I remember correctly, Blue Magic leaves their shop at 8:00. It looks like the first ferry on both schedules leaves PDC at 7:00. I have heard their is a third ferry running now that may leave for Cozumel earlier. Timing wise, you may need to stay in Cozumel for morning dives.

Im biased in that I love everything about Cozumel and I think that hotels and food are cheaper and more within walking distance on the island. My only experience at PDC is with resorts. If you stay downtown and dive with a downtown operator, everything is within walking distance. Hostels have beds as low as $20, Suites Bahia is $40 a night including a great breakfast, Casa Mexicana is $70 with breakfast, and there are dozens more on any hotel booking site.

Depending on what time the cenote trip was, and how far the operator is from the ferry pier, you could hop the first ferry out and be in PDC by 7:00 am.

Blue XTsea and Blue Magic have sleep and dive specials that may work. There is usually a little break on the hotel price through them.

Good luck and safe travels.

Jay

 

[KSUDiver]

Like the two above, I just love the feel of Coz so much more. And if diving is your primary focus I think you'd be much happier based on the island.

Maybe some food for thought: A couple years ago I booked a cenote package through the dive op we always go with. We took the earliest ferry to PDC and were met by a DM from another dive shop that ours partnered with. He drove us to pick up tanks in town, then to get some gear at a ridiculously idyllic looking beach, then on to the cenotes. Part of me wished those parts could have already been done, but otoh it was interesting to see a different side of the PDC area. And that beach was freaking gorgeous, did I mention? If I remember right I think we did Chac Mool and Dos Ojos, then had lunch afterward. The cenotes were cool (literally too...I shivered really badly the entire time) and worth seeing, even the part when we surfaced in a cave and saw about a bajillion disgusting cave spiders. But. Once was probably enough for me. I like the reefs around Coz.

I think a few of the different dive ops on the island offer these cenote package add-ons if that's something you're interested in.

 

[patpatpatme]

thanks everyone for the comments!!! the primary reason for going to cozumel is to dive. does it get windy and do conditions deteriorate in the afternoon generally?

will probably do 1 night for sure, maybe 2 before heading to PDC.. trying to debate if i should leave my flights or change them...

i have LAX to IAH to COZ now, arriving at 130pm, i see that there is a LAX CUN nonstop available arriving the same day but at 730 am. is it worth the coordinating of land transport to arrive about 6 hours earlier?

this would be my first time to CUN/COZ airports...

 

[DjDiverDan]

To get from CUN to Cozumel, at the Ferry Pier which is right Downtown across from the main Plaza, you take an ADO bus which leaves right from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen. The bus ride itself takes about 50 minutes, and drops you off about 5 blocks from the PDC Ferry pier. Ferries leave pretty much every half hour from PDC, and take about 45 minutes to Cozumel. Total cost each way is about $20. Do NOT buy a Round Trip ticket on the Ferry - it doesn't save you any money, and your RT ticket will only be good on the same Ferry line - there are 3 different Ferry Companies running different schedules, so you want the flexibility to take whichever one is leaving next. If you hit both the bus and Ferry just right, you can make the trip in 2 hours; if you have to wait on either the bus or the Ferry or both, you should still be able to make it in 3 hours or less. Check the threads on doing the bag drag. I prefer the convenience of flying into Cozumel, but airfares into CUN are often cheaper. Even staying on Cozumel for the whole trip, if I can save $200 or more on airfare, I'll fly into and out of Cancun.

 

[driftwood]

One thing I learned on our last bag drag is to go directly to the ADO counter where the bus' depart. We were flying on a direct flight from Austin on Southwest, $275rt btw, and there was a long line at the ADO booth inside Terminal 2.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

We can usually pay for one persons diving by flying into Cancun, doing the bag drag, and ferry to Cozumel. We Save 200 to 400 on round trip for 2. The bag drag is really only about a block and a half. Exit the airport doors, wind around to the right, buy your ticket at the Ado podium outside and enjoy the ride to PDC. The busses are new and air conditioned. From the PDC bus terminal...walk a short block to the sea, turn right and go 1/2 a block and buy your ticket. The ferrys are large, you can't miss them.

There are are also multiple flights into cancun so scheduling is usually easier. In the likely event that American Airlines screws up your flight into Cozumel, (they have botched 3 out of 4 flights this year for us) you can usually get into Cancun and not lose a day of diving. Good to know and file away for future reference.

There is is a webpage that shows how to do the the bag drag, we bring all our own equipment except for tanks and weights and I'm the Sherpa for me and my wife. I'm fat, over 40, and not in the shape I was 20 years ago and I don't mind it at all. Its really not that big of a deal. Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen/Cozumel by ADO Bus

as far as afternoon conditions, I've never seen it get rough until after dark unless something is blowing in. If your flight gets in late, the only bad ferry trip I've had was leaving at 8 or 9 pm, I've been on smoother roller coasters and even the locals were using barf bags. There is always a risk that the seas will be rough, winds high, and the port will be closed. It's just that time of year. Aldora has a larger boat may be able to dive when other cant. When you book your dives, make sure you ask about port closure contingencies. Even when they close the port for the early morning, they may open it up by lunch.

I enjoy the trip, but if you can fly directly into Cozumel for about the same price, that's the way to go. It gives you back 4 hours of your vacation and eliminates some of the travel stress. But Like most of the people on this site, diving in Coz is where we would rather be. Knowing the bag drag usually will save you some money, and may save a day of diving if the airlines can't get you to Cozumel for any number of reasons.

Safe travels, please drink a Bohemia Obscura for me at The Thirsty Cougar!!

jay

 

[DjDiverDan]

One of the benefits of flying into Cancun is that you can fly Southwest Air, which allows 2 checked bags free. If you bring your own scuba gear, plus clothes, those 2 free bags can save $100 RT over other airlines which charge for baggage. Spirit Air sometimes has some pretty decent BASE prices on air from DFW to Cancun, but Spirit charges $25 each way for first checked bag, plus $35 each way for second bag.

Remember that Southwest does NOT show up if you just check the travel websites, Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak, or ITA Matrix - so you need to check fares on Southwest.com. Last time I checked, Southwest from Dallas Love-Houston Hobby-Cancun was over $260 cheaper RT than AA from DFW-Cozumel, and that was without even taking into account baggage fees.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

With over 20 years of frequent flights toward Cozumel (many from LAX) I would always prefer a non stop into Cancun over a plane change…no matter the cost. Thunder Storms, Ice storms, broken planes or any delay can all make you miss the once daily connection into Cozumel—in which case you are going to Cancun anyway.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

ALDORA DIVERS

PS It is my recollection that you will always get to Cozumel faster on a Cancun non stop, than with a plane change with associated risks.