Last minute trip to Coz in November... looking for suggestions

[the_deeb]

Hi all. I've been lurking on this great board for a while now and finally decided to join.

I'm going to be finishing up my doctorate at the end of this month and wanted to take a short trip in November as a graduation present to myself. I'm going to be traveling solo because my wife can't take any time off, and since she's a non-diver I figured it was an excellent opportunity for a diving vacation. This is going to be my first trip where the focus is diving since most of my diving up this point has been a few days as part of longer vacation. I was initially planning to go to Thailand and spend a week on a liveaboard, but that turned out to be be too expensive. After browsing this forum, last night I finally bit the bullet and booked a trip to Coz from 11/12-11/19

This is my first trip to Coz (or Mexico at all for that matter) and all I have at this point is the plane ticket so I'm looking for all sorts of general suggestions in planning my itinerary (accomodation, dive OPs, food, other activities etc.). I'm accustomed to traveling pretty cheaply and, especially since I'm traveling solo this time, I'd like to keep things on a budget.

I'm flying in and out of CUN and am planning to take the bus/ferry to Coz. I was planning on staying at one of the cheaper places in town (eg. Suites Bahia or Hotel Pepita) - any inisights or suggestions are appreciated.

I'd like to do 2-3 dives per day including at least one night dive on the trip. I was considering DWM as a dive op since they seem to have great prices and a pretty good reputation. I'm going to have to rent all my dive gear (except mask and snorkel) so their inclusion of free dive gear is a big plus. The big disadvantage is that they don't seem to do pickups downtown. Does anyone have any suggestions of other places with comparable prices that include free rentals in town? Alternatively, any suggestions for cheap places to stay where DWM could pick me up?

My requirements for a dive OP are flexible but ideally I'd like an op that takes out small groups, manages and stores my gear (so I don't have to lug it back to my hotel) and has long bottom times. Places like Aldora sound fantastic and fit all my requirements but seem a little too expensive, especially considering the additional cost of gear rental.

I'm also considering the possibility of doing a day of cenote diving. My main interest in diving is marinelife, but the cenotes really look incredible. Would you recommend doing a trip with one of the OPs from Coz, or instead coming back to the mainland a day earlier and doing it with an OP on the mainland before heading back to CUN. In the latter scenario, I'd appreciate suggestion both for cheap accommodation and a good cenote dive OP. I'd rather not rent a car if possible, so ideally I'd be looking for a cenote dive OP that's accessible from Playa de Carmen.

I'd also be interested in visiting some of the Mayan ruins. In the absence of a rental car, is it possible to visit any of the Mayan ruins by public transport without being part of an official tour group?

Whew, that's a long post. I should probably stop there and respond to questions/suggestions as they come up. Thanks in advance!

 

[loudives]

ok welcome to the board.
Bahia is nicer than pepita and right on the main street. No pools at either place. Casa Mexicana may have some deals also.

For an inexpensive place also look at Costa Brava about $50 a night and half block from Mega Food/Department store. CB has mini fridge, AC, tv. no pool and on land side of street.
I get a box of cereal, milk, danish, sliced ham, bread, soda, and chips and that takes care of breakfast and lunch real cheap. Use the plastic container the danish was in as a bowl for the cereal. Mega also has fresh pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and Mexican stuff at a snack counter.

Or for a few $ more Barracuda hotel is across the street from Mega and it has a pool, sand area, man made cove with ladder to go into the big salt pool, mini fridge, tv, and a bar that serves sandwiches and the like. I just stayed there last week for 60 a night including tax. Dive Paradise is on site with lockers for gear and pick you up on the hotel pier.
Diving with dive paradise you will have to ask for fast boat. And if your good on air may have to end dive before your done. My experience with them is 45-50min bottom time. I am 15-20 min better than that so I don't use them. They do have a 3 dive package.

Farther south is Caribe Blue/ Blue Angel about a 15 min walk to town very much like Barracuda but no grocery store near by. Blue Angel dive shop on site many good reviews about them. Dive with Martin use to pick up there also.

IMO for the cheapest route Costa Brava, Dive Paradise. No taxi, walk to store or to town, walk to Barracuda to get on Dive Paradise boat. Dive Paradise will give you a locker at the Barracuda for your stuff only 50 feet from lockers to pier.

Or Bahia and BlueXTsea diving Christi picks up 1 block away.

Don't go by rates you find on the net or hotel web sites!!!! This is slow season I emailed Barracuda and got 25% off the listed price and they threw in the tax.

Cenotes can be arranged by most Ops in Cozumel, they just call over and set it up for you.
No public transport to the ruins. Taxi or tour. sorry. Taxi union is very strong so no public buses.

PS taxi from town to DWM will cost you about $7 each way. Used to be 5 but rates went up this year.

 

[deborahdelamar]

Lou gives good advice but I'll add my dos centavos. What about a hotel/dive package with Aqua Safari? 7 nights/5 days of diving cost $664 in a huge, single-occupancy room. (You may add more diving.)

Located on the main street downtown: Full-service dive shop with hotel above and pier across the street. Boats are roomy but not crowded until nearer Thanksgiving. Dive plan allows experienced divers with computers 60+ minutes of bottom time with AL80's -- you have to manage your profile to make it work -- stay deep and you'll run out of available time on the second tank as the SI is only about an hour. Third tank after 2 morning dives is $12 additional. Hang & store gear in their shop. Website: Cozumel Diving with Aqua Safari

 

[DandyDon]

This is my first trip to Coz (or Mexico at all for that matter) and all I have at this point is the plane ticket

I hope you have a passport!

Your plan is an ambitious one, but - just not my style. You should learn a lot from your first trip, but at least buy some surface signaling devices, i.e. sausage, storm whistle, etc - and carry them on every dive.

 

[diverken374]

I agree you are only there for a week. On one of my first trips also solo I did the Aqua Safari pckage at the Bahia Suites and was more than satisfied with the hotel. I have dived with Aqua Safari and is a solid dive op however have had the odd cattle boat experience with them. They will store your gear. Save the cenotes for another trip IMO was disapointed with my one trip there. Plenty of dives with Aqua Safari and get to spend your down time in San Miguel which has lots to offer the single traveller

Lou gives good advice but I'll add my dos centavos. What about a hotel/dive package with Aqua Safari? 7 nights/5 days of diving cost $664 in a huge, single-occupancy room. (You may add more diving.)

Located on the main street downtown: Full-service dive shop with hotel above and pier across the street. Boats are roomy but not crowded until nearer Thanksgiving. Dive plan allows experienced divers with computers 60+ minutes of bottom time with AL80's -- you have to manage your profile to make it work -- stay deep and you'll run out of available time on the second tank as the SI is only about an hour. Third tank after 2 morning dives is $12 additional. Hang & store gear in their shop. Website: Cozumel Diving with Aqua Safari

 

[BDSC]

It's been a few years since I have been to Cozumel but we are returning next year so I have been doing all kinds of research and reading many many reviews and here is what I have come up for next year.

Blue Angel Dive Shop/Caribe Blu Hotel. Blue Angel Resort

They are offering a deal for $650 that includes hotel, diving, breakfast every day, lunch on dive days, and one dinner. The place gets excellent reviews as does the dive shop. Now this price is based on double occupancy but like someone mentioned, it's the slow time for them right now and I'd be willing to bet if you call them, they may give you that rate as a single or at the very least give you a good break off the single rate.

Aqua Safari/Safari Inn: Cozumel Scuba Diving with Aqua Safari

They offer the basic room and diving for a rate of $507 I think it is. Again that is double occupancy and the single rate is about $660. I'd have to believe they would work with you on that. The Safari Inn isn't fancy but again gets good reviews and it right in town with the dive shop right there. So you can easily walk to everything for meals. Also, it's only $12 more to add an afternoon dive. That's cheap!

There are so many places to stay in Cozumel but these two seemed to be very good values I thought and like I said, they get excellent reviews at tripadvisor.

Good luck and have a great time!

 

[vlkr]

have been going for over 20yrs. i like to stay in town and spend time with locals. when it is a guy trip we stay at the aqua safari inn. nice people and easy walk to boats. when my wife comes, we try to catch a deal at casa mexicana. for diving, after trying about 6, we hit aldora and found them perfect.
whatever you do, be sure to be in the square on sunday eve.

 

[scubadobadoo]

I'll second Caribe Blu. Just about as cheap as it gets for water front AND it has a shore dive.

 

[DandyDon]

I'll second Caribe Blu. Just about as cheap as it gets for water front AND it has a shore dive.

Current name: blueangel-scuba.com Love the place. The rooms are huge and well done, and they will give you a discount on room & diving including breakfast & lunch each day even tho it won't be the same as double occupancy. A nice benefit to a single traveler is a nice cafe also there for dinners if you don't want to go to town, saving on cab fares.

I think Matt still does the day trips to dive the Cenotes there; helluva guy and super cave diver. Might be a challenge to set up the Cenote as a single during slow season tho; you can ask, but he needs 3 or 4 to go.

Since you are flying out of Cancun anyway, you might do better to schedule the last two or three nights on the peninsula, maybe all at Playa del Carmnen but here is how I would do it...

Set up hotel and Cenote dives in advance for PDC and take the after lunch ferry over after the last channel dive;

Next morning, do Cenotes with a PDC Operator but check out of the PDC hotel and get your rental car first thing from Cancun Car Rental, Rent a car in Cancun, Playa del Carmen Easy Way Car Rental but insist on obtaining their office location as they suck on ontime hotel deliveries, then follow the Operator to the Cenote for the dives.

Afterwards drive on down to Coba for dinner and a room to dry your now freshwater rinsed suit & gear.

Next morning, rent a bicycle to tour the Cobar ruins as early as possible and it gets hot inland even now, shower & late checkout.

Drive to Cancun to turn in the car and fly home. Well, you didn't give your flight info so adjust that plan yourself. Do get the aiport map from Cancun Mexico area maps complete maps and travel guides of Cancun, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Isla Mujeres, Mayan ruins as well as much information as possible from the renting agent on where to turn the car in.​

That may be too much for a cheap plan, but it's how I'd do it.

 

[firstdive2005]

Hi Give Opal an email at scubamaucozumel.com, she can set you up very nicely in Villa Blanca. It is located half hour walk to downtown or 6$cab ride. She will create a great dive package for you. Free shore diving and it is very good there for Coz shore diving. The boats are fast and the dms are a lot of fun and very safety conscious. The villa is very rustic but clean and very comfortable. They have fridges and tv. The location is great for relaxing as well as getting downtown. I hope you find what you want. kev