We are planning a 7-10 day trip in mid February to early March and are deciding between Cozumel vs Curacao. Anyone have any thoughts? Is there a difference in things to see? Any recommendations for dive shops? Are there activities to do above water (we are NOT into the bar/nightlife). Thanks in advance for any information.
Cozumel vs Curacao
- Thread starter wcosue
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
You don't mention in your post whether you have been to either Cozumel or Curacao before. (Your post could be read as implying you have been to neither, but it's only clear you have not been to both.) They are very different from each other. Cozumel is, of course, a classic Mexican tourist town, with all the margarita bars, restaurants, cruise shippers, and shopping experiences that come with that. Curacao is a big, diverse island, and I was surprised at how urbanized some of it is, though if you want to get away from it all, you can. It's spread out. What kind of topside activities are of interest to you? Curacao's capital, Willemstad, has a great historic center. We enjoyed the Dutch history and architecture. Overall, I think we prefer Cozumel because we just like the whole Mexican vibe--food, language, etc. It all depends on what kinds of things appeal to you.
Be sure both are on your short list, then do one. When you can, do the other. As Lorenzoid said, it may just be personal preference.
Riko Lopez
Registered
I used to live in curacao for 5 years working as a scuba instructor. The difference between both places, Curacao vs Cozumel is:
Curacao: the diving in curacao is great and really easy, normally you do shore dives, so you may go by yourself (with buddy), is a wall and is full of marine life. the do have special trips like klein curacao, and the popular mushroom forest which is a valley with big coral formations in a mushroom shape.
Dive shops in Curacao: Ocean Encounters, Atlantis Divers.
Cozumel: "Mexico lindo y querido" is the meso americano Reef the second largest after the great barrier. this tear island is known, better said popular due the breath taken wall. ...pushy currents and depths... are the perfect ingredients to drift diving, there is not shore dives, just boat dives. In my opinion Mexico has more to offer in diversity of diving, it s not only Cozumel where you can dive, also Playa del Carmen is amazing, In feb you may have the chance to dive with Bull sharks. or even try to dive into the underground rivers (cenotes)....
Dive shops in Cozumel/playa: Risas Diving
Curacao: the diving in curacao is great and really easy, normally you do shore dives, so you may go by yourself (with buddy), is a wall and is full of marine life. the do have special trips like klein curacao, and the popular mushroom forest which is a valley with big coral formations in a mushroom shape.
Dive shops in Curacao: Ocean Encounters, Atlantis Divers.
Cozumel: "Mexico lindo y querido" is the meso americano Reef the second largest after the great barrier. this tear island is known, better said popular due the breath taken wall. ...pushy currents and depths... are the perfect ingredients to drift diving, there is not shore dives, just boat dives. In my opinion Mexico has more to offer in diversity of diving, it s not only Cozumel where you can dive, also Playa del Carmen is amazing, In feb you may have the chance to dive with Bull sharks. or even try to dive into the underground rivers (cenotes)....
Dive shops in Cozumel/playa: Risas Diving
lamarpaulski
Contributor
On a 10 day trip to Cozumel i fit in side trips to Coba, Tulum and Chitzen Itza and to various cenotes. All were worthwhile for sure. I love Cozumel's drift diving, amazing visibility, healthy reef and fish and the local great food and relaxed friendly vibe. You can do some long, deeper dives so Nitrox Cert is nice to have.
Have not been to Curacao but want to go.
Have not been to Curacao but want to go.
Similar threads
