First trip to Coz-Advice please

[zuzanne]

:fish: So many choices and so little time seems to be the overwhelmed feeling I have after reading thru all of the posts about Cozumel... We have booked a week at the PLG for Feb. 26, 2004. Hubby and I both are divers and we also enjoy snorkeling & sunning, with some sightseeing thrown in. Not much on the shopping thing.

Please give me any current information on the PLG that any one may have. Also we need to know best places to dive & snorkel off the beaches when not out on dive boats. Is the Dive Shop at the PLG a reputable one?

They say don't drink the water or use the ice in Mexico, does this hold true for Coz as well? And that brings me to my next subject FOOD. We love eating where the locals eat, we are not interested in high priced American type restuarants. We like authentic Mexican cusine plain or fancy or even street food works for us.

And one last question...how do we contact Mother Nature to request that she give us beautiful weather and calm seas for our trip?..LOL
Suki

 

[ggunn]

:fish: So many choices and so little time seems to be the overwhelmed feeling I have after reading thru all of the posts about Cozumel... We have booked a week at the PLG for Feb. 26, 2004. Hubby and I both are divers and we also enjoy snorkeling & sunning, with some sightseeing thrown in. Not much on the shopping thing.

Please give me any current information on the PLG that any one may have. Also we need to know best places to dive & snorkel off the beaches when not out on dive boats. Is the Dive Shop at the PLG a reputable one?

They say don't drink the water or use the ice in Mexico, does this hold true for Coz as well? And that brings me to my next subject FOOD. We love eating where the locals eat, we are not interested in high priced American type restuarants. We like authentic Mexican cusine plain or fancy or even street food works for us.

And one last question...how do we contact Mother Nature to request that she give us beautiful weather and calm seas for our trip?..LOL
Suki

Hi, Suki. My name is Gordon, and I'm a Cozaholic. I must warn you that going to Cozumel is highly addictive. Go once and you're hooked.

Firt of all YOU'VE MISSED YOUR PLANE! But you probably meant 2005, didn't you?

Um, the ice and water question... The ice on Cozumel all comes from the same one or two ice plants, and the water they use is purified (by filtration, I believe). Do not fear the ice. Bottled water is found practically everywhere; drink it rather than the water from the tap.

If you'll search this forum for info on PLG, you'll find tons. The short story - great location, good facilities, hard beds, mediocre food.

You can snorkel and/or shore dive there at the hotel. Also at Villablanca, Caribe Blu, Chankanaab Park, and El Cid, but you won't see anything at those places to compare to what you will see on drift dives from boats. If you shore dive, be sure to carry a safety sausage and keep a careful eye (and ear) out for boat traffic.

Check out my Coz page at http://www.jumpstartmusic.com/CozTrav2000/index.html for info you may find useful.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

All good advice above. Don't miss the snorkeling/swimming right in front of PLG. It is the best! No beach but lots of cool stuff.

 

[Charlie99]

Don't miss the snorkeling/swimming right in front of PLG. It is the best!

Wow! Somebody has even lower standards than me

While I've enjoyed lots of shore dives from PLG (and Scuba Club Coz, and Le Ceiba), as Gordon says, "you won't see anything at those places to compare to what you will see on drift dives from boats." There are artificial reefs ( piles of concrete and junk) with lots of neat stuff to watch, but not much coral. Cozumel is all about drift dives from boats. The shore dives are a pleasant way to idle away some of your afternoon, but not the big attraction. Shore dives are also convenient for a night dive before dinner.

I think Aqua Safari is still the onsite dive op at PLG, but you can get picked up by just about anybody at the hotel pier. They are one of the bigger operators in Coz. My last experience with Aqua Safari was Feb 02. They were satisfactory, but not spectacular.

 

[zuzanne]

Thank you both so much. Gordon, your website is awesome. I want to try everything. Your right my fingers were typing faster than my brain was working it is Feb. 26, 2005. I can hardly wait.

I am a bit concerned on the drift diving as neither hubby nor I have ever done one. I am AOW and hubby is OWSI(retired) will the Dive Operators work with us on this. I have always heard how beautiful Santa Rosa and Palancar are and would love to dive them both.

Thanks again for all of your help.
Suki

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Wow! Somebody has even lower standards than me

Hey I love the swimming right out front og PLG. Great sun, fresh guacamole, plenty of no diving signs to disregard! I loved it! I must admit that the snorkelling wasn't as good as the diving but hey when is it?

 

[Titletowndiver]

I am a bit concerned on the drift diving as neither hubby nor I have ever done one. Suki

Suki- The best advice I can give you regarding the "drift diving" in Coz is simply....Relax. You get spoiled quickly diving there

 

[ggunn]

Thank you both so much. Gordon, your website is awesome. I want to try everything. Your right my fingers were typing faster than my brain was working it is Feb. 26, 2005. I can hardly wait.

I am a bit concerned on the drift diving as neither hubby nor I have ever done one. I am AOW and hubby is OWSI(retired) will the Dive Operators work with us on this. I have always heard how beautiful Santa Rosa and Palancar are and would love to dive them both.

Thanks again for all of your help.
Suki

The dive ops on Cozumel are used to working with divers of all levels of expertise; I don't think you'll have a problem. Be forthcoming about your experience and your concerns. Go on a few shallow dives at first to get some experience with the current and the tricks to handle it, like finding the calm water in the lee of coral heads and the slower moving water down very close to the bottom. DO NOT fight the current; you will be out of air in no time.

I would recommend also that you go out on a small boat; you will get more individual help. If your skills are generally good, you'll have the current thing pretty well handled in a couple of dives. WARNING: You may form an addiction to drift diving.