Question How does Cozumel compare to other dive destinations?

[Doc Harry]

Only a few places. Right.

I forgot to add the Maldives

 

[Charred]

I personally loved and did not love Maui diving.

The Moloki Crater was mind blowing to me coming from the Caribbean. The water out at the Crater was crystal clear with visibility likely approaching 100ft. The diversity and colors were stunning. There are also pelagics if you are lucky...

However, other dives were on an old tank, a small sunken boat, some tires, etc that were artificial reefs. The visibility was poor due to silt in the water and dive time limited due to 75-80 ft dives on air. The life was amazing but meh conditions.

However, there are reefs right at the shore all over the place you can snorkel and have an "amazing dive" that will rival the Caribbean. Or you can rent a tank and do a shore dive. You will see all kinds of angels and other fish, a wide variety of eels, giant turtles, etc all from shore. If I go back I'll do a single morning of diving out to that crater and just snorkel the rest of the time. And believe me I *LOVE* diving but the snorkeling is that good.

 

[ABay Diver]

My wife is not a diver. How is Cozumel for non-divers? Things to do other than diving or is it a very dive centric environment?

 

[ggunn]

My wife is not a diver. How is Cozumel for non-divers? Things to do other than diving or is it a very dive centric environment?

Thousands of tourists go to Cozumel and don't dive, especially when they get there on cruise ships. We dive, so we don't know what they do there.

 

[Coral-Reefer]

I love Cozumel; I am going there for the forty-somethingth time in June.

You and me both. My first time was 3 weeks after Wilma and the year I was certified (2005)

October will be my 46th trip, from 1-3 weeks each time. I have been other places in the Caribbean, Socorro and Cocos which were great. What is hard to communicate to folks wanting to know if Cozumel is "good diving" is that while the diving us really good for Caribbean locations, the island means so much more to those of us that live it so much.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that my friends on Cozumel are better friends than those I have at home. And these are folks that don't necessarily get my pesos; North Americans and Mexican alike.

Most or many of the "hawkers" people keep complaining about seem to be able to sense if one is a long time visitor and diver and don't bother you, at least that's my experience. I know they are just trying to make a living.

I like to say that my heart is here at home in the NC Mountains but my my soul lives in Cozumel. Maybe I'll see ya around....

 

[Dave Dillehay]

You and me both. My first time was 3 weeks after Wilma and the year I was certified (2005)

October will be my 46th trip, from 1-3 weeks each time. I have been other places in the Caribbean, Socorro and Cocos which were great. What is hard to communicate to folks wanting to know if Cozumel is "good diving" is that while the diving us really good for Caribbean locations, the island means so much more to those of us that live it so much.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that my friends on Cozumel are better friends than those I have at home. And these are folks that don't necessarily get my pesos; North Americans and Mexican alike.

Most or many of the "hawkers" people keep complaining about seem to be able to sense if one is a long time visitor and diver and don't bother you, at least that's my experience. I know they are just trying to make a living.

I like to say that my heart is here at home in the NC Mountains but my my soul lives in Cozumel. Maybe I'll see ya around....

I would like to add that there are bunches of things for non-divers to do. Dozens of very pleasant beach clubs down south, the Punta Sur Park, San Gervasio Mayan ruins, Cedral, tour the east side of the islands 20 miles of unspoiled beaches, Tequilla tours, downtown when cruise ships are not in, VERY good restaurants, Isla Passion, great snorkeling ….the list can go on and on. But as Coral Reefer clearly stated, the people of Cozumel might be its best reason.

There are very good reasons why the island is so popular with the cruise ships (not my cup of tea), but non divers usually, in my 32 years there, express some of the same feelings we share.

Dave Dillehay

 

[ABay Diver]

And the drug wars on the mainland is a non-issue? Streets are safe?

 

[jonhall]

My wife is not a diver. How is Cozumel for non-divers? Things to do other than diving or is it a very dive centric environment?

Is the question what can your wife do while you're diving? So far, we have stayed at places on the shore - my wife is happy to have a pool where she can relax/read and/or snorkel if available. When I get back from diving or on a non-diving day, we may do something else.

Where one stays, type of transportation, and interests may determine what other things people do. Some things to do might be: tours of places such as San Gervasio ruins or the Cozumel Museum; eco/beach parks like Punta Sur or Chankanaab; walking/shopping/eating in town; renting a vehicle and driving around the island; taking the ferry to Playa del Carmen for the day (or doing an excursion from there); water activities; and eating at the multitude of restaurants. IMO, it doesn't take long to see it all.

And the drug wars on the mainland is a non-issue? Streets are safe?

I think most would consider Coz pretty safe.

 

[ABay Diver]

Is the question what can your wife do while you're diving? So far, we have stayed at places on the shore - my wife is happy to have a pool where she can relax/read and/or snorkel if available. When I get back from diving or on a non-diving day, we may do something else.

Where one stays, type of transportation, and interests may determine what other things people do. Some things to do might be: tours of places such as San Gervasio ruins or the Cozumel Museum; eco/beach parks like Punta Sur or Chankanaab; walking/shopping/eating in town; renting a vehicle and driving around the island; taking the ferry to Playa del Carmen for the day (or doing an excursion from there); water activities; and eating at the multitude of restaurants. IMO, it doesn't take long to see it all.



I think most would consider Coz pretty safe.

Thanks very much!

 

[scubabuba1944]

Cozumel is so popular among North Americans because it's easy to get to (many flights to Cancun from all over the US) and relatively inexpensive compared with much of the rest of the Caribbean. Also, many people enjoy the Mexican food and vibe--to me, that's a plus over, say, Belize. For your husband, it sounds like a minus.

The diving itself can be a mixed bag. On the plus side, at many sites the underwater topography is interesting: coral formations with swim-throughs, etc. In my opinion, Cozumel's marine life diversity and abundance is just average if you are comparing it with dive sites globally, but maybe somewhat above average for the Caribbean. I would rate Cozumel's diving below the diving you can do by liveaboard or resort (e.g., Turneffe) on the outer atolls of Belize, but superior to near-shore diving in Belize (e.g., day boat out of Ambergris/Caulker). My diving in Australia (out of Cairns and Port Douglas) dates to the late 1990s, so it would be unfair for me to judge Coz against what is seared into memory as perhaps the most vibrant reef in the world back then. As for Fiji, that is still some of the most beautiful soft coral in the world I have seen, and you will not find anything remotely that pretty in Cozumel. I have not been to Raja Ampat, but from what I have seen in others' photos, RA is still world-class diving despite recent overtourism. But Raja Ampat and the rest of the Coral Triangle takes a lot of travel time and money to dive.

Cozumel is not world-class anything--I would say it ranks below a merely average dive destination in the Asia-Pacific region--but it offers enough of everything, at reasonable cost and travel time, that it remains a very attractive destination for us North Americans.

I went diving in May 2024, first dive was good, second dive boring, lack of fish, qualtiy of coral etc. Second day high winds, reefs in the south off limit, fast curent, second dive boring. I have been diving Coz for 40 yrs, things have change as to the reefs and number of fish. Will go elsewhere next time in the Carribbena, maybe Bonaire or Curacao.