Cozumel or Belize?

[Randallr]

For those of you who have been to both Cozumel and Belize, which would you recommend most highly - and which lodging/dive operation specifically? Here are my filters:

1. I'd be traveling alone, so looking for a place where it's easy to buddy up, where the divers get to know each other, and is reasonably social without being a noisy party center. (I recently stayed at Sunset House on Grand Cayman, and it had the perfect ambience - excellent camaraderie, enjoyable and lively bar/restaurant, excellent dive operation, superb photo shop.)
2. Looking for great photo opportunities, from macro to big stuff - in a place where the reefs are in good shape, and there's a nice diversity of marine life.
3. Shore diving is a plus, especially for afternoon dives. If there's no shore diving, then the opportunity to do an afternoon dive is a nice-to-have.
4. Another nice-to-have is a refrigerator/stove/coffee pot in room.
5. Uncrowded dive boats, and a knowledgeable, friendly, safey-oriented dive operation.

Im planning to go in July. I'd welcome your insights.

 

[ronscuba]

How about a Belize liveaboard ? My favorite diving in the Caribbean.

 

[Doubler]

Unless you are use to taking photos in current, Coz can be a challenge. I agree with Ron, check out the Sundancer or Belize Aggressor. Coz and Belize are different type of diving, Coz is 99% drift while Belize is mostly walls.

 

[Randallr]

I'd love to do a live aboard, but as best I can tell, they're about $1000 more expensive for a week than a land-based operation (especially for solo divers). Have any of you calculated the cost differential differently?

 

[Doubler]

You have to do a per dive cost analysis. On a liveaboard you get five dives a day. What is the cost for 5 dives a day at land based op? How long does it take to ride to the dive site compared to sleeping at the site. Does the land base price include food and drink? After looking at all of this a liveaboard in Belize is the way to go.

 

[martim8]

Hi!!
I just got back from Playa del Carmen last week and dove in Cozumel!!! Though I have not been to Belize yet, I highly recommend Mexico!!!! I actually dove Playa Reef, Cozumel and Puerto Morelos! It was the best experience!!! I got to see the wreck dive in Puerto Morelos!!! If you want me to recommend some places to stay and dive shop just let me know. You can private message me!!! It was a complete blast and am still on that dive high!!!

 

[ronscuba]

If you really want to dive, dive, dive, a liveaboard can't be beat. You can do 5 dives a day, IF you want. You don't have to. Diving in Belize is very versatile. Walls, reef, sand corals, macro, turtles, rays, etc. Great for photography and video.

Traveling alone is even more reason to go liveaboard. Odds are, you will not be the only solo traveler and even if you are, it's a social atmosphere.

If you plan on only doing two 45-60 minute dives a day, a liveaboard may not be for you. But if you want to dive more than that, a liveaboard will end up being cheaper.

 

[Ed Hatfield]

I have been to both Cozumel and Belize.

Coz - Iv'e done it several times as a day trip from Playa and also staying at Hotel Cozumel. It is the only hotel I've stayed at so I have nothing to compare it to. I've used Dive with Martin several times and also Pelagic Dives, Aquatic Adventures and Studio Blue. I did the Devil's Throat with Pelagic Divers so it was my single favorite dive day. In general I have found Dive With Martin to be above average but there are a ton of shops to choose from. There is minimal shore diving but it does exist.

Belize - I did a week on Ambergis Caye with the dive club I belong to. We stayed at Exotic Caye Resort. It was 'rustic' as opposed to 'exotic' but it was reasonable $$ wise. We used Amigos del Mar as the dive shop. They were excellent. From what I saw of the other boats on the reef we chose well. Crew and DMs above average. WE didn't do the Blue Hole but we did Turneffe Reef as an optional day trip. There was no shore diving.

Diving in general: Belize is a series of finger reefs with most dives in the 60 to 85 foot depth range. I checked my logs and most dives betwenn 40 and 50 minutes. They were all drift dives but not similar to the Cozumel drift dives. I only classed them as drift because there were no lines and boat didn't anchor. The coral was nothing special but there was abundant life. The nurse sharks were all over you when you hit the water. The walls of Cozumel are spectacular but the life not as vibrant. There is more variety of dives sites in Coz and I prefer it because of the walls. I do recommend that because the two sites are so different that whichever you choose you make a point of doing the other in a later trip.

Bonaire for shore diving.

Hope this helps.

 

[caseywilson]

For those of you who have been to both Cozumel and Belize, which would you recommend most highly - and which lodging/dive operation specifically?

I've dived both. Well, at Ambergris Caye in Belize anyway. I'm not a long time diver, by way of fulll disclosure.

Both Cozumel and Ambergris Caye were great dives. My personal preference would be Ambergris Caye because I like to explore --- peek into crevices and overhangs and take photos from, perhaps, different angles and perspectives. For me drift diving makes that difficult, expecially when the current requires significant finning just to stay in one place.

The coral flora and fauna are not all that different. Nor are the types of structures. We dived sandy bottoms, swim-throughs, walls, etc. in both places.

In Coz we went with Blue XT Sea and had great service. The folks at White Sands in Ambergris Caye were great.

Because I was treating my granddaughter to her first dive trip after certification, I went overboard in Coz and we stayed at the El Cantil Condos. Pricey, but luxurious with full amenities, great service, and never a problem. In Ambergris Caye, I was traveling alone but still stayed at one of the northern resorts for a few extra $$.

In terms of dollars, I used US currency exclusively in both places. I think Coz was noticiably less expensive---provided you stay away from the cruise ship mercados.

One final note: Google up Ambergris. How can you possibly turn down visiting an island named after whale vomit?

That's my story and I'm sticking with it..., until you change my mind...

 

[MitchL999]

I just got back from a 3 week trip to Mexico and Belize. As far as ocean diving I preferred Belize slightly, the abundance of spotted eagle rays and nurse sharks in the coral canyons of Ambergris was impressive. Turneffe and Lighthouse reefs are awesome. And if you like island life Caye Caulker is not to be missed.
However.... if you have any intention of going inland in the Rivera Maya to do come Cenotes.... than I would vote for Mexico. Cozumel + Cenote diving = awesome dive trip!!! Plus Playa has decent diving right off the coast too.