Cozumel or Cancun

[nagel]

I can't add much to what has been said. We stayed south of Playa at a all inclusive and took the ferry over to Coz one day. Full day trip. Awesome diving....make sure you do Santa Rosa Wall. Great drift dive. Dove several ocean dives along Riveria Maya, great ocean dives, but nothing compared to Coz.

A couple years ago, did the Chitza Nitza (spell?). Great if you never been there - full day. Shopping in Playa along 5th Ave was good and intertaining, lots of street vendors. Some good deals, but watch it.

S. Nagel

 

[reefdvr]

If staying in Cancun I would highly recommend Mayan Aqua Dive. Just dove with them this past week small groups hell went out my last day as a private charter because no one else was scheduled very flexible on dive sites to make you happy.

 

[yak]

MHO

I would split my time between Coz and PDC. You get the best reef & wall diving in Coz, and access to the cenotes and the laid-back but not too sleepy town of PDC.

I would avoid Cun except for flying in/out.

 

[TSandM]

Another recommendation for the Can-Do maps -- They're awesome resources.

Be aware that you are talking three points on a triangle here. Cancun is about 45 minutes from Playa del Carmen, and PDC is about a half hour by ferry from Cozumel.

Our first trip, we stayed on Coz and dove with Aldora Divers, and came across on the ferry three times to do cenote dives. It's doable, although lugging all your gear is a bit of a pain. The ferry is $22 round trip at this time of writing. The diving on Cozumel was very nice, with extremely clear water and dramatic walls.

The second trip, we stayed in PDC and dove in the cenotes. This time, we stayed in an all-inclusive, the Wyndham Maya, where we got a VERY good deal because it was off season (which you could most likely get in July). The accomodations were pleasant but the food was insipid, and some of the savings of staying there ended up being spent in restaurants in Playa. It was still a good financial deal.

This time, we stayed in Puerto Aventuras, which is 20 minutes south of PDC. We rented a GORGEOUS 2 bdrm condo and split it four ways, which ended up being about $60 per person per night, and we had a full kitchen, which permitted us to do some cooking and saved some more money there. Peter did some ocean diving and said it was okay; viz was not what it is in Coz, and the reef isn't as dramatic, but there is a lot of life to see.

Our trips are focused on the diving, and also framed by my insistence on eating good food. We're not night life people.

 

[ScubaAruba]

Just wondering what resort you own at? We also own a timeshare, but in the US. I can exchange though Interval International- just curious where and if you would recommend it as an exchange. I can watch for it to open up.

We normally use our timeshare for wherever we are traveling to, but this time we have a travel voucher we need to use so it might not be at a timeshare resort. I sure like having a kitchen and laundry though... are there grocery stores close to most of the timeshare properties in Cancun?

Thanks for the info.

 

[Spratman]

Ours is with Intervals. Right now, the only VCI resort is Hotel Internationale de Cancun, which is where Mayan Aqua Dive is located. I believe you can use the trade to RCI as well, which are the Royal Resorts (Sands, Caribbean, Mayan and Islander). Honestly, trading is getting very difficult these days. But it can be done.

Usually what we do is check in, then do a run down to the Chendrauy in Cancun. Stock up on stuff to eat and drink (buy the rum and stuff downtown or at the duty free shop in the airport.) All the villas are great at VCI. Two pools and a fantastic restaurant on premises, La Palapa. On the beach is Ben's shop.

I would suggest also, hitting the other Royal restaurants as well. Excellent food. Also, you'll want to hit Captain's Cove and then downtown, La Parilla and La Placitas. Not many Americans go downtown.

Hope you have a great time wherever you end up. Anything else, drop me a PM.

Jack