How about Los Cabos?

[squarepants]

I am looking at a package deal for the Hotel Hacienda Beach Resort in Cabo, the Fiesta Americana, and also the Solmar Suites on Land's End. Has anyone stayed at either of these places? I've been searching the net for air+hotel pkgs that are on the water and have their own dive shop, and Hacienda looks good, but Solmar and Fiesta Americana do too (dive shops-?). We are just going for a 4-nighter at the end of May.
Suggestions?
Also, are the dive sites in that area good for newbies?

 

[colonelchuck]

I have stayed at all three places. I have not yet dived there having only qualified last summer. Recommend that you get a map and get a sense of where each place is.

Solmar is out on the Pacific side of the tip of land that forms the West side of the Cabo harbor. It is a nice place with a pretty good resturant. Solmar is tied in with the Solmar fishing fleet and the Solmar dive boat which is a live aboard. I understand that they are associated with Amigos Del Mar for their local diving (.http://www.amigosdelmar.com/). ADM has lots of recommendations on various boards and I have been in touch with Kevin Coulter in the last few weeks coordinating some dives for next month.

Hotel Hacienda Beach is one of the original resort hotels in Cabo and in a great location. It faces the outer bay at Cabo and is right on the beach. The rooms that are dug into the dunes are particularly neat. I last stayed ther in 1994.

Fiesta Americana is new and located 6-7 miles East of downtown Cabo. We own a time share there. It is surrounded by golf courses and has great pools and resturants. It is right on the beach and could best be described as very upscale. I have never noticed a dive operation there, but I suspect that the hotel will be glad to set you up.

Most folks rate diving in Cabo as nothing special, but OK. If you could get up to Cabo Pulmo, it is usually described as a great dive.

Hope this helps.

 

[DocVikingo]

Have stayed at Solmar Suites & Fiesta Americana. I liked the Solmar better, although as colonelchuck said FA is more upscale. Also more convenient to a number of topside activities.

Here's my last trip report from the extensive board archives---> http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17932&highlight=los+cabos.

Have fun.

DocVikingo

 

[samcvic]

We stayed a Playa Grande which is next to Solmar. Like another poster stated it is on the tip facing the pacific. The time of year we were there, we were not allowed in the ocean due to tides. ( that beach front is where they filled the original planet of the apes). It is also a little bit of a walk to town (but enjoyable).

The diving we did was ok. I thing one of the sites is Pelican Rock. Pretty average stuff. We were there pretty late in the summer and the vis was marginal. We even took the trip to the national park Cabo Pulmo. The best part about that was sitting in this shack eating fish tacos that they had caught that morning.

 

[colonelchuck]

The Pacific beach on the Solmar side is always off limits to swimming. The nature of the junction of the Pacific and the Gulf produce currents there which periodically eat those brave enough to set foot in the water.

 

[squarepants]

This has been very helpful. I am getting the feeling that the diving could be better somewhere else. I wonder if any of you know of a really interesting place for us first-timers that we wouldn't have to spend too much time traveling to. We are in WA state, and that is why I figured Cabo would be the closest and best. We cert'd in the Puget Sound, and we intend to do most of our "regular" diving there, but we'd like to do some diving in the warmer water.
What do we wear in 75-80 degree water? Shorty? 3mm full length?

 

[DocVikingo]

Even for you hardy Puget Sound divers I'd suggest a 3mm full for Cabo at the end of May.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[colonelchuck]

Cabo is a fun place and as a fellow Pacific Northwesterner, I can attest to the curative properties of Cabo. I think (I hope) what folks are saying about Cabo is that it is not Bonaire or Cozumel. Folks I have talked to say it is good diving, just not spectacular diving. I'll have a better idea after a trip down there in May.

I suggest that you give one of those Alaska packages a try and try a few dives while enjoying the sun and a pretty spectacular place.

 

[squarepants]

Ha Ha! Very funny Chuck!
I think Alaska sounds like a beautiful, majestic, downright chilly place to dive. I'm not tough enough for that. Maybe from the balcony of a cruise ship, but not from under the water :wacko:
Have you ever?
We have our reservation confirmation for May 29 - June 2 at the Hacienda. I truly hope it is nice. We should be staying in one of those Dune Cabanas.
I thought I read that you'd be in Cabo in May too -?

 

[colonelchuck]

The Alaska I was referring to was Alaska Airlines and the packages that they offer from Seattle and Portland.

Yes, diving with Amigos Del Mar 6,7,9 May.

Make sure you get hung at the Gigling Marlin - with appropriate photo. Margaritavilla (second floor) is a great place to enjoy a Pacifico and watch the people go by.