Looking for Dive suggestions for upcoming Cozumel trip

[ggunn]

I thought the mainland ruins were facinating. Chichen Itza is 113 miles from Playa del Carmen with the new tollway that cuts 20 miles but almost an hour off the driving thru Tulum, so doable.

Why would one drive through Tulum when going from Playa to Chichen-Itza? It's the other direction.

 

[ReefHound]

Re: ruins. Chichen Itsa is the most famous site and the one you typically see pictured but I actually preferred Coba. Last I was there a few years ago you could still climb the main pyramid. Renting a bike is good but we rented a covered wagon. It ended up raining hard and we had bikers huddling next to our wagon for a brief respite.

Re: renting a car. Note that any insurance you buy is void if you are driving intoxicated.

 

[Rob9876]

Do you have excellent medical insurance? Every tourist should have good trip insurance that include medical and evacuation, like every diver needs to have DAN dive insurance, but unless you are an expert motorcycle rider, that's risky.

I ride often. Like I said, if you are a motorcycle rider the EagleRider motorcycle tour is quite an easy and enjoyable ride -- it mostly stays away from the town traffic. You must have a motorcycle license, and the bikes are well maintained and really much more stable than the scooters that people rent without any experience.

 

[ColoDale]

Good for your friend, but it's the dive ops who will bear the brunt of Secrets' retaliation if there is any.

ggunn, my dive op won't pay no matter how many photos they take or what they say. Further it seems they have abandoned having dive ops pay and that guests pay. And what retaliation? What will they do? Please be specific.

 

[ggunn]

ggunn, my dive op won't pay no matter how many photos they take or what they say. Further it seems they have abandoned having dive ops pay and that guests pay. And what retaliation? What will they do? Please be specific.

I have no idea what, if anything, they will do. I was just commenting that raising a stink and going away leaves those who live there to deal with whatever repercussions may result.

 

[DandyDon]

Why would one drive through Tulum when going from Playa to Chichen-Itza? It's the other direction.

Before the new tollway was built northwest from Playa del Carmen, it was one of two routes suggested, 21 miles shorter than the tollway from Cancun. Same drive time as the tollway, so we figured why pay the tolls when the free route is the same time, less miles, and more scenic. I liked stopping at the grocery in Tulum at the turn to Coba to buy bottled water, ice, and a cheap cooler as well. Now, the shortcut tollway is 20 miles shorter than the southern route and 37 minutes faster according to google maps - who is not always right, but the best resource available to most of us.

Chichen Itsa is the most famous site and the one you typically see pictured but I actually preferred Coba. Last I was there a few years ago you could still climb the main pyramid.

You can climb the big one at Ek Balam, too, and I'm told that's where the best artwork is seen. I did not find climbing either appealing, tho, and I shuddered at some climbing down wearing flip flops! It's a long ways to leading Cancun hospitals.

I ride often. Like I said, if you are a motorcycle rider the EagleRider motorcycle tour is quite an easy and enjoyable ride -- it mostly stays away from the town traffic. You must have a motorcycle license, and the bikes are well maintained and really much more stable than the scooters that people rent without any experience.

Good to hear, but my question was for the original poster. I'm sure those scooters they rent to anyone with money are the most dangerous choice.

ggunn, my dive op won't pay no matter how many photos they take or what they say. Further it seems they have abandoned having dive ops pay and that guests pay. And what retaliation? What will they do? Please be specific.

The property could ban the dive op from docking at all, but since they are making the guests pay, now they can just bill his credit card required on check-in.

 

[scrane]

When I went with Dive With Martin last year they gave us 45 minute dives and 45 minute surface intervals all week. Very disappointing.
Two years ago I had a great time with Tres Pelicanos.

 

[anklefoot]

When I went with Dive With Martin last year they gave us 45 minute dives and 45 minute surface intervals all week. Very disappointing.
Two years ago I had a great time with Tres Pelicanos.

Wow, that would be disappointing!

Friday with Aldora our dives were 80 and 73 minutes. If you only have a few days to dive, make the most of them.

 

[ReefHound]

When I went with Dive With Martin last year they gave us 45 minute dives and 45 minute surface intervals all week. Very disappointing.
Two years ago I had a great time with Tres Pelicanos.

Did you pee all over their boat or what? I've dived with them on three trips and typically get 60-70 minutes per dive and standard one hour surface intervals. Perhaps you got stuck on a boat with cruise ship divers.

 

[ggunn]

Before the new tollway was built northwest from Playa del Carmen, it was one of two routes suggested, 21 miles shorter than the tollway from Cancun. Same drive time as the tollway, so we figured why pay the tolls when the free route is the same time, less miles, and more scenic. I liked stopping at the grocery in Tulum at the turn to Coba to buy bottled water, ice, and a cheap cooler as well. Now, the shortcut tollway is 20 miles shorter than the southern route and 37 minutes faster according to google maps - who is not always right, but the best resource available to most of us.

Good to know. When I went to Coba the road from Tulum to there was terrible - narrow and full of potholes - and it ended at Coba. One of the trails in Coba crossed a Mayan road, though, and our guide told us that it went all the way to Chichen-Itza