Cozumel Questions:

[fins]

My wife and I are considering a trip to Cozumel this spring. My wife does not dive but she does enjoy snorkeling from shore (she's really not a boat person) and is very content hanging out on the beach while I go diving. With that in mind I'd like to find one of the nicer resorts where she would be very comfortable while I am diving and which has a nice beach that we can snorkel from. So after reading through many posts, trip reports, internet sites, here are a few questions:

How do the El Presidente, Occidental Grand, Occidental Allegro fit the goals I've listed above? Any other recommendations? (all inclusive or not, either is fine)

I want to find a dive op that either offers single tank dives or will have me back to the dock around noon (as opposed to mid-afternoon)

How long of a drive is it from the OG or OA to the golf course on the northern side of the island?

Any opportunities for single shore dives in the afternoon?

Thanks,

 

[CMAN]

My wife and I are considering a trip to Cozumel this spring. My wife does not dive but she does enjoy snorkeling from shore (she's really not a boat person) and is very content hanging out on the beach while I go diving. With that in mind I'd like to find one of the nicer resorts where she would be very comfortable while I am diving and which has a nice beach that we can snorkel from. So after reading through many posts, trip reports, internet sites, here are a few questions:

How do the El Presidente, Occidental Grand, Occidental Allegro fit the goals I've listed above? Any other recommendations? (all inclusive or not, either is fine)

I want to find a dive op that either offers single tank dives or will have me back to the dock around noon (as opposed to mid-afternoon)

How long of a drive is it from the OG or OA to the golf course on the northern side of the island?
Any opportunities for single shore dives in the afternoon?

Thanks,

Check out Liquid Blue. We dove with them for the last two years. We did 2 tanks (steel 120's) every morning and we were back at the resort (at the north end of the island) by 1:00 pm.

 

[ggunn]

My wife and I are considering a trip to Cozumel this spring. My wife does not dive but she does enjoy snorkeling from shore (she's really not a boat person) and is very content hanging out on the beach while I go diving. With that in mind I'd like to find one of the nicer resorts where she would be very comfortable while I am diving and which has a nice beach that we can snorkel from. So after reading through many posts, trip reports, internet sites, here are a few questions:

How do the El Presidente, Occidental Grand, Occidental Allegro fit the goals I've listed above? Any other recommendations? (all inclusive or not, either is fine)

I want to find a dive op that either offers single tank dives or will have me back to the dock around noon (as opposed to mid-afternoon)

How long of a drive is it from the OG or OA to the golf course on the northern side of the island?

Any opportunities for single shore dives in the afternoon?

Thanks,

The standard is a two tank dive that takes about 4 - 4 1/2 hours. Some ops leave a little earlier and hence finish a little earlier. If you use the house op at a southern resort, they may take you out for one tank, but that's a question for the op; it's out of the ordinary. Also, the southern resorts are closer to the dive sites, so less time on the boat and a shorter trip.

Cheers,

 

[Fin59]

My wife and I are considering a trip to Cozumel this spring. My wife does not dive but she does enjoy snorkeling from shore (she's really not a boat person) and is very content hanging out on the beach while I go diving. With that in mind I'd like to find one of the nicer resorts where she would be very comfortable while I am diving and which has a nice beach that we can snorkel from. So after reading through many posts, trip reports, internet sites, here are a few questions:

How do the El Presidente, Occidental Grand, Occidental Allegro fit the goals I've listed above? Any other recommendations? (all inclusive or not, either is fine)

I want to find a dive op that either offers single tank dives or will have me back to the dock around noon (as opposed to mid-afternoon)

How long of a drive is it from the OG or OA to the golf course on the northern side of the island?

Any opportunities for single shore dives in the afternoon?

Thanks,

We stay at Hotel Cozumel, may or may not be a good choice for you, but we love it. We use Dive With Martin. He picks us up at 7:30 and we are almost always back by noon. That is for two tank dives and you are going to want to do two.

 

[Moodiejeff]

My wife and I are considering a trip to Cozumel this spring. My wife does not dive but she does enjoy snorkeling from shore (she's really not a boat person) and is very content hanging out on the beach while I go diving. With that in mind I'd like to find one of the nicer resorts where she would be very comfortable while I am diving and which has a nice beach that we can snorkel from. So after reading through many posts, trip reports, internet sites, here are a few questions:

How do the El Presidente, Occidental Grand, Occidental Allegro fit the goals I've listed above? Any other recommendations? (all inclusive or not, either is fine)

I want to find a dive op that either offers single tank dives or will have me back to the dock around noon (as opposed to mid-afternoon)

How long of a drive is it from the OG or OA to the golf course on the northern side of the island?

Any opportunities for single shore dives in the afternoon?

Thanks,

I'd say go for The Presidente... It is much closer to town, therefore closer to golfing (10-15 mins. max). The one drawback would be you're farther from the reefs so you'd be dropped off later than at the Occidental's. It is directly south of the marina so almost all dive ops will pick you up there.

Snorkeling and shore dive is really good from there, it is right off of paradise reef - lot's of ironshore and coral outcroppings. They also have a sunken barge off the beach which is good for both snorkeling and diving. Both sections are roped off to boat traffic which is nice. We saw a spotted eagle ray not 5 ft. from us on a night shore dive last month, definitely a standout moment of our trip. I don't know who was more startled!

Here's a thread about the beach (w/pic)

Get into town and eat, there are lots of good restaurants to check out... spend an hour or so going through the posts and you'll see a bunch of names that always appear. You can't go wrong with those.

I've never stayed at The Occidentals (or any AI for that matter) for the reasons listed above.

More pics (second gallery)

 

[diveborg]

No doubt that the Presidente has the best combination of nice sandy beach that goes into the water and decent snorkeling. The Occidental properties both had nice sandy beaches, but much lesser quality snorkeling. They are closer to the southern dive sites you would be back to the resort sooner, unless you did Las Palmas as a second dive, in which case, you will probably end your dive right off shore of the Presidente.

Unless you have to have all inclusive, and you can afford it, the Presidente gets my vote.

Dive with martin is reported to be "first on the reef" meaning that they leave early and should get you back earlier. I haven't used them, so this isn't a recommendation, just informational.

I like Blue XT Sea for the combination of good value for what you get, excellent customer service, and non-restrictive diving.

 

[WyDive]

Best Combo for what you want to do. I just got back last week form 10 days in Coz.
Dive With Martin is and excellent outfit with small boats and he leaves by 7:30 every morning, usually back by 11:30. My wife is a snorkeler also so we we would go on afternoon snorkel trips either with Manta or from the shore along the hiway like Dzul Ha.
It was an excellent reef, and the Maragritas are still 4star.
Have FUn and enjoy

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I'll put in my two cents for the Presidente as well.

 

[mjh]

Have to go with the Presidente and Blue XT Sea both would be a good combo for you. I used to be in your situation. I would also suggest one of the "Snorkel Trips". They are a little corney but they do take you to some pretty good spots. It was what got my wife diving, she saw the divers down below and said "I can do that". This year we did the Kona Aggressor; (are doing) May Bonaire, Sept. San Diego and Great Whites, and December Palau Aggressor. Maybe you will get lucky like I did.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Have to go with the Presidente and Blue XT Sea both would be a good combo for you. I used to be in your situation. I would also suggest one of the "Snorkel Trips". They are a little corney but they do take you to some pretty good spots. It was what got my wife diving, she saw the divers down below and said "I can do that". This year we did the Kona Aggressor; (are doing) May Bonaire, Sept. San Diego and Great Whites, and December Palau Aggressor. Maybe you will get lucky like I did.

Who did you dive with in San Diego for the great whites?