Last minute Coz trip recommendations ?

[Tjack]

Hey All, I am headed down to Cozumel next week for the first time in 10 years.

Any recommendations on a great Dive Op for a diver with over 500 dives in all conditions?

I am looking to do 3-4 boat dives a day. Shore diving as well.

I looked at Aldora for extended bottom times but they are pricey.

Dive Paradise is convenient and the price seems right but they have a bad reputation.

Leaning towards Tres Pelicanos, smaller outfit, flexible dive profiles.

Any Ideas?

Must see dive sites ?

Updates on nightlife, good Tacos?

 

[DjDiverDan]

I looked at Aldora for extended bottom times but they are pricey.

You get what you pay for. If you figure diving cost as cost per minute of bottom time, rather than cost per dive, Aldora is really very reasonable - might even be a lower cost per minute of bottom time than a lot of the so-called bargain ops where everyone dives AL80s, the group goes down together and surfaces together, and your SI is only 45 or 50 minutes on the boat - first dive, 45 minutes, second dive 40 minutes, for total bottom time of 85 minutes. Now compare that to Aldora, where everyone has HP Steel Tanks - 100s or 120s, depending on the diver, bottom time for first dive, 75-80 minutes, SI at the beach, 90-120 minutes, second dive 90 minutes plus, total bottom time 165 minutes. If you are only going to compare cost per dive, you are missing something.

But I don't want to just be a cheerleader for Aldora, though I really like that Op. There are a lot of other higher end Dive Ops that will cost you more, but give you more bang for the buck. Tres Pelicanos, Blue XTSea, Living Underwater. Dive with Allison. And some very good lower-cost ops, like Dive with Martin. BTW, what bad recommendations have you heard on Dive Paradise? They would not be my first choice (or second, or third), but I have been diving with them, at the Scuba Board Cozumel Invasion in 2012, and I didn't have any real complaints, and would not hesitate to go with them again if my higher choices were all unavailable.

 

[cbm32]

From your description of your dive history and what you are looking for, we are very similar. Over 500 dives in lots of conditions and looking for long bottom times with a lot of flexibility (I think I have one dive with Tres Pelicanos that was under 60 minutes that most are from a low of 65 to a high of 100 minutes)I think you would be very happy with Tres Pelicanos.

As far as dive sites....any of the Palancars are good dives. I also really like Columbia Shallows, Delilah, night dives on Paradise, and the list goes on and on.

 

[Tunaman68]

you've got the greatest hits of dive ops, but on to the important question....

tacos

My tops would be

El Pique, Los Seras, The Taco Guys (I think that's what it's called- over by the fire station), and El Foco. I also like Chilangos but the make huraches (sp?) which are a longer thicker open face thing that are also delish!

 

[Skittl1321]

My favorite sites are Santa Rosa Wall and Palancar Bricks.

We liked Tres Pelicanos- they do a great job of differentiating their service, leaving experienced divers alone, helping out beginners. They are running multiple boats, so you probably won't dive with beginners anyway.


I can't help with tacos, but can I suggest an empanada? Argentina del Sur. MMMMMMMMMM!

 

[Ron Lee]

Here are some other unique offerings by Aldora

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/506975-aldora-north-side.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/505841-afternoon-1-tank-dives.html

 

[Kenneth Strömberg]

New operator on the island How to become a scuba diver | Learn to be a scube diver | Get your PADI here | Get your PADI open water | Best dive school in Cozumel

$80 for at 2-tank boat all equipment included.