Cozumel vs Curacao

[Texas Torpedo]

wildbill9,

Your trip sounds a bit like my first dive(s) on Cozumel - which almost were my last because I was so disgusted.. (I also stayed at Hotel Cozumel! Big negative on the food and beds) I won't (don't need to) name the Op, but not only was the dive bad (mostly over sand), the DM was horrible, and the icing on the cake was being dropped off at the Northern marina and having to walk a long way back into town, as there were no taxis there to take us for quite some time. Why? Because they didn't want to waste fuel taking us back to the dock where they picked us up.. They actually said it was the owner's idea. (doubtful, now - I think the crew just wanted to go home)

Later that evening I was making plans to return to the states and head back to the Florida keys, where I had been diving a lot at that time..
Fortunately, I met two people at a restaurant who I shared my experience with. They were part-time locals and insisted my experience was not what diving in Coz was really like, and that I try their favorite dive op before I left.. I did, and the result was the absolute opposite experience.. I fell in love with the Island and eventually ended up moving there for most of 2010.
Will your 2nd experience be the same as mine?.. Hopefully..
You've picked a great Op.. Just let Christi know what your preferences are and she/they will try to accommodate. They can't control mother nature, but they'll do their best to put a smile on your face...
Oh, and Pedro Pablo is one of the best DM's I've ever had the pleasure of diving with... anywhere..

David

 

[Lorenzoid]

I see a common theme here: Your own choices of dive op and accommodations.

High current, ....

This is legitimate. Sometimes the current is strong, sometimes it isn't. Some sites are known for strong currents. Other sites are known for less strong current. If you dive with an operator that gives you a bit more personalized service, they may take into account the preferences of you and your fellow divers. If you say how much you hate the current, they may do what they can to find a site with less current. If you dive with an operator that crams a dozen divers aboard and doesn't put everything up to a vote, you get what you paid for.

Slowwwww boat (our fault, we choose a poor dive boat), left dive master behind and we had to go back for him (our fault, we should have bailed right then) ((and yes as you laugh and say "no way" they really did leave him behind)) ....

There ya have it.

poor vis (maybe wrong time of year), ....

In four (I think) trips to Coz so far, I have not experienced poor vis. Maybe there had been storms before your arrival that stirred up the bottom? I have not heard that vis differs noticeably with seasons.

little sea life (again poor choice of dive boat) ....

I would cut you some slack on this one and say that that Coz sea life really is NOT that abundant compared with some other destinations. Bonaire, for example. Curacao, maybe--I was only there once. It seems to me that what wows Coz fans is the varied and rugged undersea topography more than an abundance of sea life. If sea life is your most important criterion, maybe Coz is not for you.

stayed at AI (hotel cozumel ) and were very disappointed in food (hmmm, yep our fault again).

As I mentioned in a previous reply, we just love Mexico in general, and Mexican cuisine is a huge part of that. Judging by the number of restaurants offering traditional Mexican food, I would say we are not alone. There are so many restaurants, taquerias, and other places, I can't imagine why anyone who loves to eat well would choose to confine their meals to a resort. Last trip we stayed in a place with a kitchenette, and the opportunity to buy provisions and do a little cooking (just breakfast and quesadilla snacks) added a new dimension.

It sounds like you know where you went wrong. So I'm not sure what kind of responses you're looking for in this thread, other than to invite people to beat you over the head with your own mistakes. Don't beat yourself up or let us beat you up for it. Just book another trip, and do it the right way this time.

 

[ReefHound]

Why were we disappointed with cozumel diving? High current, Slowwwww boat (our fault, we choose a poor dive boat), left dive master behind and we had to go back for him (our fault, we should have bailed right then) ((and yes as you laugh and say "no way" they really did leave him behind)) poor vis (maybe wrong time of year), little sea life (again poor choice of dive boat) , stayed at AI (hotel cozumel ) and were very disappointed in food (hmmm, yep our fault again). After trip was over we crossed Cozumel off our list. l accept we did not due our research and many of our concerns were caused by us. But bottom line we were unimpressed with the diving. Our favorite carribean dive locals are little cayman and bonaire. Must we have no current to enjoy a dive? No. So many people love Cozumel our trip must have an anomaly hence why we are considering going back. We like to try new places but think we need to give Cozumel a second chance

This reminds me of what I just said recently in post 8 of the thread, Dive Site:Rock Point?

Maybe Coz is just not for you. As much as I enjoy going there, it's not for everyone and there are pros AND cons compared to other destinations. You can solve all of your surface problems with a better choice of hotel and dive op but you're still going to have deep drift diving.

Cozumel is drift diving. Current is usually going to be there. Sometimes more, sometimes less. If you want to video/photo in one spot for 45 minutes and not have to keep up with a group, you probably should go elsewhere. You can do that on a shore dive in Coz. I like the shore dives there and usually do a few on a trip but I wouldn't go there for that alone.

Cozumel is fairly deep, most dives start at 60' or more. The deeper you go, the less light and color you have. And less marine life. Sure, there are some dives you can stay at 30-40' but it's not that kind of a destination.

 

[morecowbells]

I love both destinations, for very different reasons.

When I go to Cozumel: Pampered diving. Most dive ops rinse, store and change your gear. Currents can vary, but it is also the reason for the pristine visibility. Lodging options range from couchsurfing to luxury/high end. Dining options are superior to any place in the Caribbean that I have visited. I find the marine life not only abundant, but healthy and mature. Compare the size of the usual suspects ranging from Filefish, Anglefish and Parrotfish in Cozumel to any other part if the Caribbean. You will realize how much healthier the marine life is in Cozumel. I have to hand it to Mexico for being so proactive with protecting the marine parks. Whether I am in the Sea of Cortex or Cozumel, I look at the size and sheer number of grouper and am grateful these critters are protected.

When I go to Curacao: I typically book only one day of boat dives and commit the rest of the vacation to shore diving. This is much more of a DIY vacation. I can sleep in, drink my coffee, surf the internet and not worry about catching the boat. I am on my own schedule. Diving is gentle, relaxed and peaceful. I can take my time circling and exploring a coral head without fighting a current or worry about keeping up with other divers. Corals are healthy and marine life is vibrant but less numerous or mature than Cozumel. While I have been fortunate to find eagle rays, huge green morays and too many turtles to count, the presence of grouper or mature marine life is lacking. We typically stay up in Westpunt. Lodging is basic and minimal. There are a few restaurants and no shops. Half the time we either cook or re-heat our meals and eat them on the balcony. It is a very chill, low key vacation.

There are so many contrasts that it is difficult to do a side by side comparison. I love both places. Ideally I try to balance between both since they are fulfilling and bountiful in such polar opposite ways.

 

[mmmbelows]

I personally understand Cozumel's appeal as a dive destination, the diving is easy, it's live boat drift diving - which is really easy diving (after a diver masters the small drift diving learning curve), there is a good quantity of dive sites with enough variety to keep people interested coming back, most of the sites are beginner/intermediate dives with a couple of expert dives which gives the place wide appeal to a variety of divers with varying skills and experience, the dives are almost all sheltered on the leeward side of the island so boat conditions are usually extremely mild, there is a huge variety of really high-quality dive operators to choose from which means just about any diver can find a dive operator that hits their diving wants and needs.

Throw in easy access from the states, the triple threat of relatively low cost - diving, accommodations and food and you've got a great diving destination. Let's not forget it's Mexico so you also have the joy of the easy going Mexican people.

Give Coz another try, I hope your experience the second time will be completely different.

 

[Willar]

I understand why some people wouldn't like Cozumel diving with the currents. If you like to leisurely move around the reef and look for the small creatures and take your time setting up a photo then Cozumel may not be your thing. Now the currents aren't always strong in Cozumel but they almost always are there, and certain areas normally have current and some areas are more protected from current. But I love relaxing in the current and watching things pass by, like watching a movie but actually being in it. Sometimes the ride can be more like a roller coaster than a relaxing stroll, but that's the fun of it. The plus is I don't have to swim much and I don't have to remember where the boat is, I just go with the flow and go up where the boat finds me. You just have to have the mindset that this is the type of diving here and have fun with it.

If you want the slow, relaxing, no-current diving then do Curacao, Bonaire or Grand Cayman. Those are great places for slow swims around/along a reef. But if you want the fun of the current then Cozumel is fabulous!

 

[cheftim]

Marianne (non-diver) and I have been to both and enjoyed both. As you know from your experience the diving is different. If photography is a big part of your dive trip then it can be more challenging with the currents on Cozumel. But if you frequent this sub-forum you also see the beautiful pictures that are taken on Cozumel. You can look at it as an opportunity to develop your diving and photographic skill set. When we went to Curacao we stayed at an AI and while it was very nice with a good beach it is not something we would repeat. We did go into Willemstad several times for dinner and were impressed. Why we choose Cozumel as a regular destination (although we do try other places) is actually not dive related since I would dive either place at the drop of a hat. We stay near town and find Cozumel and the city of San Miguel to be an exceptionally friendly, walkable, and safe place. While I am diving Marianne walks for miles along the waterfront and in the town and has never had a negative experience. We chose a different restaurant every night and have developed a list of favorites that we frequent but we make it a rule always to try at least two new restaurants each trip. We find the people of Cozumel to be genuinely welcoming with a positive outlook on life. Cost is also a big factor for us. We can do almost two trips to Cozumel for what the cost of one trip to Curacao would be for us. Naturally that would differ for you since airline, hotel, rental car need, and many other things would factor into the equation.
Pedro-Pablo, the main DM, at Blue Xt-Sea is one of the best.
Enjoy your trip and safe diving.

Pedro, Arturo, Capt. Nevo, just an awesome group of people to dive with. Christi runs a great operation. Went there on a lark last Feb and returned in April, Xmas, this coming Feb, and quite possibly April again. Can't go wrong with them.

 

[sharky60]

kind of apples to oranges from what I understand.

 

[BamaDiver23]

As I am sure that you will gather from reading the numerous threads on this forum, most everyone has there opinion on who/where is the best to dive with and stay. I will say that I stayed and dove with Aldora, and I can promise you that they offer top notch services. If you do not enjoy your experience when diving with them, then chances are Cozumel diving is not suited for you. It is drift diving but vis is usually always 100'+, so if you stay beind your DM a little bit you do not have to worry about passing them. Like others have mentioned, the dives are a little deeper (60'), compared to other places, which filters out some of the color but there was always plenty to see. Also, Aldora offers the larger steel 120s standard, so we enjoyed plenty of down time 80+ minutes on average.