Cozumel or Belize

[scubacoz22]

Been to Belize and am at Cozumel as I type. Best night dive of my life here. 6 Octos, including biggest and smallest I've ever seen, 5 huge crabs out in the open eating, 3 big lobsters out for a walk, 4 splendid toadfish along with all the usual stuff. More octopus down here than anywhere else I've ever been. Both are great. You are choosing between flavors of ice cream. Have fun. PS blue hole is WAY over rated but nearby dives are great.

Where did you go for your night dive? We were there a week ago. It was awesome. Did you come into any bad current? We had very little.

 

[diverrex]

I've been to both twice, but both trips to Belize were longer (maybe because there is more to do there). First Cozumel is Cozumel. But Belize is generally diving off Amergris Caye, the atolls, or diving in the south, all three are different both UW and topside.

Both Coz and Belize are good diving, maybe more fish in Coz but mostly more of the same fish, mostly smaller fish. Belize has larger fish, groupers, tarpon, nurse sharks, sometimes schools of them, eagle rays, southern sting rays and probably more turtles. Yeah you might see those on some Coz dives but you will definitely see those in Belize and more of them.

If you can combine diving with a few days in the rainforest of Belize there is lots to do in Belize that is really cool (ATM, Mayan ruins, etc). I also enjoy San Pedro on Ambergris Caye more than San Miquel. Los of good resturants in San Pedro for a small town. Fido's is my favorite bar/restaurant in the Carribean, we end up there for lunch 3-5 times in a week's trip.

Sounds like I'm pushing Belize more than Coz, I'm not. As another poster said they're like different ice cream flavors. I'll go back to both. Coz is probably slighter better cost wise and a little easier to get to. Though I think Tropic Air may be the best run short hop airline in the world, even better than any in the US. If I was deciding I'd be looking at which had the better deal at the moment and simply where I'd been lately, so the other may win out for variety.

 

[ibj40]

you obviously havent been to coaumel recently. We just got back from there and the reefs are looking great There is alof of new growth since the hurricane a few years ago. Fish live was fantastic. I would definitely choose cozumel over belize.

We last dove CZM in December, 2008, and have to say that we were more concerned about the impacts of on-shore development as opposed to the natural impacts of the hurricanes. Our biggest disappointment was Columbia Shallows, following an exceptional dive on Maracaibo. The algae growth on the shallower parts of Columbia Shallows were a clear indication to me that semi-treated effluent from the hotel complexes to the South of the island is effecting the water quality on the reefs.

However, I stand by my assertion that given a choice, I'd go to Belize and dive the atolls before I'd go back to CZM (which I have been diving since the mid 80's).

 

[Cajuncru Diver]

I agree with the Ice Cream analagy, kind of like asking who makes the best deisel truck Ford
F-250 or Dodge Ram 2500? It's kind of in the eye of the beholder.

 

[robint]

I doubt you have been to Cozumel much. We took our grand kids with us ages 12 and 14 and they had no problems diving. The drift diving is awesome. The current was slow. All you have to do is ask your DM to keep you in a slow current. he will pick a great site that has very little current. I have never had much current in Coz in the summer but in March there was more current then. So it depends the time of year you are going there. There were few cruise ships and not alot of crowds We dove with Aldora and we had the boat to ourselves. (6 of us) We dove at a very slow pace. Saw 12 octopus, 5 lobster, several crab, splendid toad fish, lots of fish etc etc etc. on our night dive. Our day dives were fantastic. I would not pick Beliz over Cozumel any day. Beliz is way overrated. We rarely saw any other divers on our dives. The Aldora dive masters know where to go where there are no other boats and they leave early in the morning so by 10 you are on the beach for your surface interval. We all had a great time and cant wait to go back.

You would be wrong - We got certified in Cozumel back in 2000 and went there once or twice a year for the first several years, I have 73 dives there (I just checked my logbook, I keep a chart with totals on all destinations). We hadn't been back since the hurricane until this past March and I have a full trip report on my website. I know Cozumel diving and I am comparing to ALL the other destinations which I have been to over the years. Where else have you been?

I said the difference between Coz and Belize is the current and drift diving.... we have done lots of dives there where the current was mild, and also lots of dives which were wild, out of control flying dodging the coral heads (like Maricaibo and Barracuda)! Current depends on time of year and weather conditions but primarily the moon cycles. It wasn't bad when we were there in March, that wasn't the point I was making.

robin

 

[scubacoz22]

You would be wrong - We got certified in Cozumel back in 2000 and went there once or twice a year for the first several years, I have 73 dives there (I just checked my logbook, I keep a chart with totals on all destinations). We hadn't been back since the hurricane until this past March and I have a full trip report on my website. I know Cozumel diving and I am comparing to ALL the other destinations which I have been to over the years. Where else have you been?

I said the difference between Coz and Belize is the current and drift diving.... we have done lots of dives there where the current was mild, and also lots of dives which were wild, out of control flying dodging the coral heads (like Maricaibo and Barracuda)! Current depends on time of year and weather conditions but primarily the moon cycles. It wasn't bad when we were there in March, that wasn't the point I was making.

robin

We were certified in maui Hawaii back on 1990. And have been to numerous places. Have always gone back to cozumel because the diving there is the best I have ever seen. Yes there are a few places where the current is bad but on those days the DM can take you to another dive spot. I have found that the current is the worse during the spring. In June-Oct it has not been bad at all. That is why we usually pick the summer time to go and also that is when the grand kids can go with us. They love to dive so much. This last trip we had absolutely no fast current. We could stop and take pictues without any problem at all. And we got some really good ones this time. We have been going to Cozumel since the 80's first snorkeling and then when we got certified we started diving there. At least 2x a year of not 3 so we have probably 200 dives in cozumel. Some in Hawaii, grand Cayman, BVI Virgin Gorda, Beliz, Bonair, Gulf of Mexico, and Florida Keys. And we keep going back to Cozumel.
Kathy in Texas

 

[scubacoz22]

We last dove CZM in December, 2008, and have to say that we were more concerned about the impacts of on-shore development as opposed to the natural impacts of the hurricanes. Our biggest disappointment was Columbia Shallows, following an exceptional dive on Maracaibo. The algae growth on the shallower parts of Columbia Shallows were a clear indication to me that semi-treated effluent from the hotel complexes to the South of the island is effecting the water quality on the reefs.

However, I stand by my assertion that given a choice, I'd go to Belize and dive the atolls before I'd go back to CZM (which I have been diving since the mid 80's).

The hurricane did a number of the shallow reefs but i sure could see the difference in a year. No Algea, no sand cover the reef like there had been after the storm. The coral is making a big come back. We saw lots of new growth and very healthy. We dove several shallow dives since we had the kids with us and was really impressed at the way they have come back and how healthy they looked. Kathy

 

[H2Ohm]

I dont' Belize it!

I would if I could so I should.

Actually, I hear great stories about both destinations.