Diving Mexico Recommendations

[FT]

On a day trip from Cozumel, they won’t be getting to the Tulum ruins early.
While Coba is indeed much more interesting, it is a further haul. Hard choice if you can only do one of the two.

 

[markmud]

Looking to do a one week vacation in Mexico! We can go anywhere but would like to find a place where we can settle in and just dive every day. Big plus if there are other things other than diving as some of our group will not be diving all the time (though I will be).

I was thinking Cancun or Cozumel but, having never been to Mexico, I have no idea what to expect. Can you guys recommend me some places, dive shops, places to stay etc... for a nice dive trip in March? We are fairly new divers (50+ dives) just getting into our own gear and welcome deeper and more challenging dives, though some of us are purely recreational travel divers that dive a few times a year.

I was thinking Cozumel since I hear and read a lot about it. What's the best way to get to Cozumel from Cancun or do most Cancun dive ops dive Cozumel anyway? Is Cozumel suitable for new divers trying to get certified?

Hi NTJB,

I have a dive buddy who has access to solid information. Information that I can not get.

In a face-to-face convo, he stated that his family would not travel to Mexico. He could not say anymore on the subject. Mexico can be a dangerous place depending on where you go.

I have read published reports that the Marines are not corrupt like the federallies. I felt comfortable in Cozumel because the Marines are their. Their were some incidents on the mainland while we visited Cozumel, but we were OK.

That being said, the ABCs are wonderful. Curacao and Bonaire are jewels.

Here is a hint: Go West my friend, go west on Curacao. Ocean Encounters is right there with them.

cheers,
m

 

[rick00001967]

We've decided to stay on Cozumel and do the day trips (maybe 2) to the mainland to dive the cenotes and check out the ruins in Tulum.

One quick question...do most of the dive shops offer nitrox certification? I never got around to it and would like an idea of how long it takes, what it costs, and if it is worth it for the week of diving we will do. Would it be smarter get nitrox certified back home before we leave?

yes most shops will offer the nitrox course. as has been stated already, you can do the online portion of the course from anywhere. but you do need to review all the material to make sure you have a good understanding and complete the exam. it doesn't do anyone any good to just "get through" the material with a pass. make sure you understand it and how to use it. i can tell you that when i did my diver level nitrox course i only made one mistake on the exam and it was an arithmetic mistake. but i did NOT fully understand the material. the exam only proved i could follow instructions.
nitrox is a good specialty to take especially if you plan on continuing your diving on to more advanced levels as it will be a requirement.
i agree with the above poster that recommended doing the course before travelling. on a one week stay you will most likely not want to spend the time doing this. that said...... did mine on holiday in st maarten. and even though no dives are required, the shop offered two dives included in the course so it was well worth it to do it there.
perhaps support your local shop by doing it through them. should be $100 to $150 in most cases.
you will enjoy your time at the cenotes. have fun !! i might suggest skipping the ruins on the main land though as it will already be a long day. we very much enjoyed visiting the ruins right on coz. maybe check that out instead ?

 

[SandyRobinson]

...In a face-to-face convo, he stated that his family would not travel to Mexico. He could not say anymore on the subject. Mexico can be a dangerous place depending on where you go.

I have read published reports that the Marines are not corrupt like the federallies. I felt comfortable in Cozumel because the Marines are their. Their were some incidents on the mainland while we visited Cozumel, but we were OK...

In my experience, I have never seen anything in Tulum (or the tourist area of Playa) that comes close to resembling this remark. I visit once a year, and I have assorted friends who are there each month - they would say the same thing. I do have one friend who was stopped for "speeding" in a rental car though - cost them a couple of bucks.

On a day trip from Cozumel, they won’t be getting to the Tulum ruins early.
While Coba is indeed much more interesting, it is a further haul. Hard choice if you can only do one of the two.

If you decide on Tulum, get there as EARLY as possible to beat the heat and the crowds. After arriving in Playa, get a taxi to Tulum. Warning though, watch out for the taxi guys at the end of the ferry pier. They are way overpriced and even have nice laminated signs with their inflated prices - ignore them! I got sucked in once but never again. Walk to the right off the pier and slightly uphill towards the bus terminal and catch a taxi there. They are literally lined up on the street (no other vehicles than taxis) and the wait will be less than 2 minutes. there will be a gentleman in uniform helping to direct you to the next available taxi. The taxi will take you directly to the ruins - maybe 35 to 45 minutes.

The tour will be more informative with a guide who are available at the entrance, I think where you pay. I believe you pay the guides separately. There tour is 90 to 120 minutes, and you may wish to tip if appropriate. Afterwards, catch a taxi into Tulum for lunch. The food trucks and stands are the best. Personally, I would not purchase a prepackaged tour from Playa and be constrained by their time requirements. For the return, you could take a taxi or even a bus from Tulum. Just make sure you are back in time to catch the last ferry to Coz.

 

[horn34]

On a day trip from Cozumel, they won’t be getting to the Tulum ruins early.
While Coba is indeed much more interesting, it is a further haul. Hard choice if you can only do one of the two.

Coba is about 35 minutes north at the 307/109 Tulum turnoff. I've driven it several times and never had to show up at the crack of dawn to beat the heat or crowds.

Every person I've steered there or taken personally enjoyed it a lot more than Tulum, but to each his own.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Hi NTJB,

I have a dive buddy who has access to solid information. Information that I can not get.

In a face-to-face convo, he stated that his family would not travel to Mexico. He could not say anymore on the subject. Mexico can be a dangerous place depending on where you go.

I have read published reports that the Marines are not corrupt like the federallies. I felt comfortable in Cozumel because the Marines are their. Their were some incidents on the mainland while we visited Cozumel, but we were OK.

m

What a load of garbage!
We have been traveling to Mexico every year without any problems.

 

[drrich2]

The United States can be a dangerous place depending on where you go, and what you do.

Cozumel is an island with a strong self-interest in maintaining a solid reputation for tourist safety given its heavily tourism-dependent economy, from what I gleaned from prior discussions. Wouldn't want bad press to scare off those cruise ships docking daily. Mainland regions vary (as they do in the U.S.).

Is our hypothetical traveler planning to wander around outside mainstream touristy areas after dark? Does he spend time in bars, drink alcohol and hit on local women? Is he interested in buying illegal drugs?

 

[tarponchik]

On a day trip from Cozumel, they won’t be getting to the Tulum ruins early.
While Coba is indeed much more interesting, it is a further haul. Hard choice if you can only do one of the two.

Naturally, it depends on when they decide to wake up.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I agree with horn34 about staying where you will be diving. One time we stayed for two weeks on Cozumel and then went to Isla for a week. It was a pain to get to. Probably better to just go there on a separate trip.

Cozumel: great diving, nice town, great restaurants, friendly people. Lots of taxis. Never had any worries. We now stay there at least a month each visit.

Isla Mujeres: interesting diving but mostly shallower, MUSA is interesting (once, anyway), lots of sea life. Lots of trash and dog poop, rude vendors, and we only found one restaurant we liked. Taxis can be very cheap if you share a ride. Never worried about our safety.

Loteto (Baja Sur): small town, friendly, some good restaurants, and although the diving can be less than spectacular sometimes the surrounding areas and islands are pretty-much undeveloped and the island beaches are quite beautiful. There is no public transportation and very few taxis so stay close to the marina or get ripped-off with a rental car. Prices tend to be higher than Cozumel or Isla Mujeres. I recommend Blue Nation for diving but have not tried other ops but then they were so good we felt no need to look elsewhere. No worries about safety.

Puerto Vallarta: tons of sea life but less visibility and cooler water temps. The town has something for everyone and lots of good restaurants, lots of taxis, and an excellent bus system. Prices are similar to Cozumel but the taxis over-charge from the airport. No worries about our safety. I recommend diving with PV Ocean Tours.

Playa del Carmen: A good place to get on the ferry to Cozumel We did some dives there and they were OK but did not really compare to Cozumel. You can catch a bus to the Maya ruins in Tulum at the ADO bus station for about $2.50 US. We have never dove the cenotes but might some day. I would be concerned about our safety in Playa.

Cancun: A good place to catch the ADO bus to Playa and then catch the ferry to Cozumel. I would not consider staying in Canucn.

 

[NTJB]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. We'll definitely get up early for the ruins on the mainland (and probably not dive that day) if we decide to go.

Thank you all also for chiming in regarding Mexico being dangerous--I did not get that impression from my research and asking friends, especially in areas like Cozumel. I'm not looking for any trouble, I just want to go diving!