Puerto Morelos?....

[sharky60]

Ok, so we've sucured this great airfare to Cancun for a long Labor Day weekend escape.

We're thinking of possibly not going to Cozumel:11:, (don't tell) and just staying at Puerto Morelos for the weekend instead. We love that little sleepy town, but have never stayed there, or anywhere on the Mayan Riv. for that matter.

1.) Looking at staying at the Hotel Hasienda Morelos. Has anyone stayed there? Other suggestions?

2.) Dive ops? How's the diving in the area and is early September a good time to dive
over there?

3.) Restaurants? There seem to be quite a few for such a small town.

I know it's rainy season and hurrican season:11:, but are there other conditions in late summer that I'm not used to accross the channel at the same time of year, diving on the leaword (non-windy) side of the island.

Currents are usually stronger in the fall on Coz than in the spring. I would assume it would be the same along the Yucatan coastline.

4.) Any "must do" dive sites over there?

Thankx in advance for the suggestions

 

[yak]

Hey Sharky,

Good to see you're ready to explore the mainland side. I haven't dove as far north as PM, but I haven't heard anything spectacular about the diving up there. There's a few good sites further south (Tortuga, Green Wall) but there's nothing that comes close to the dives in Coz.

Now the cenotes will keep you occupied for as long as you're there, and offer a far more interesting option for diving, IMHO. Unfortunately, they're all south of PDC, so if you have your heart set on that sleepy little fishing village, you'll have a long day to dive the cenotes.

 

[scubawife]

This site might be helpful for you Viva Puerto Morelos Mexico Sales Rentals and Information for Puerto Morelos

The reefs around Puerto Morelos are in much better shape then further south, say, Akumal area. PM has a Marine Protected Area. From Playcar to Tulum, there is none and the development in that area over the last 5yrs has really done a number on the reefs.

I used to love diving in Akumal, but now, I could not in good conscience recommend it to anyone other then brand new divers or those who've never seen any reefs anywhere. However, I do still love Akumal itself.

Diving on the mainland is much different then Cozumel. More tongue and groove reefs and no dramatic walls or massive pinnacles. There's also much less color. What I do really like is that dive sites are within 10 min boat rides so diving is usually done as 3, single tank trips. Great for flexibility in your day and also great when you want to have a late night and still get in a dive or two. With a few exceptions, the current is much lighter here too.

One thing you have to do if you're going to stay on the mainland is dive a couple cenotes. Contact Diablo Divers and book a day with them. You will not be sorry.

For diving, I would do a couple days out of Puerto Morelos and then go down and dive at least one day with Aquanauts out of Puerto Aventuras (same owner as Diablo Divers).

If you or your wife like snorkeling, Yal Ku lagoon in Akumal is a unique experience, and the snorkeling in Half Moon Bay and Akumal Bay are also very good. Half Moon take a bit more skill but there is more coral and significantly fewer people. (I dive with Dive Adventures out of Half Moon Bay when I'm in Akumal). Akumal Bay is a popular spot for snorkel tour groups because of the resident turtles, huge bait balls and barracuda too. You'll also get a few different types of rays an other fish in both Half Moon and Akumal Bay.

Going in Sept you are going to be there during Turtle nesting and hatching season. This is green and loggerhead nesting grounds. I'm not sure what programs they have for the public in Puerto Morelos, but CEA in Akumal Centro Ecologico: Akumal, Mexico, Ocean Research, Environmental Education, Sea Turtle Protection, Marine Research has turtle walks that you can do. Limited space. This is an educational program, not a tourist attraction. You go out with their biologists and "turtle team" members on their nightly walks to mark nests, record hatchings, etc. It's a very cool experiences but it's nature, so no guarantees.

This time of year is hot, humid, can be buggy and rainy. Viz can be an issue on the mainland in rainy season because they don't have as strong a current as Coz. What is really nice is the cenotes. A great escape from the heat.

Non-water/diving/snorkeling things would be day trips to Coba or Tulum. Maybe an overnight to Valladolid and then stop at Coba the next morning on your way back.

 

[sharky60]

Thanks for the info & links y'all, I figured the reef formations aren't as spectacular as it is over on the big reef, but we thought that maybe we'd have a better chance of seeing larger sealife and stuff like Scubawife discribed like the bait balls.

Neither one of us has much interest in cenote diving, so that's really not a draw for us at all. It would be cool to dive with some loggerheads though, haven't seen one of those in years.

I'm going to get my Mayan fix in April, we are going back to Coba, whoo hoo! In the fall, with weather permitting we hope to just dive our brains out for the short time we have. The 3 tank dives sound interesting.

Still debating what to do, but are leaning to going to Coz to familiar waters and old friends and just spending the last night of the trip in P.M. to save time getting to the airport in the morning.

Would still be interested in more opinions on the subject though.

 

[scubawife]

When I split trips between Cozumel and the mainland, we go straight from Cancun to the island, then end our trip on the mainland with some diving and lots of relaxing. Easier to get to the airport from the mainland then having to do the whole ferry-bus (or transfer or taxi) straight from Coz to Cancun on the day of departure.

Diving out of Aventuras and Akumal is all done as single tank trips. Out of Puerto Morelos I think it would depend on whether they were diving the close in sites (10-15 min) or heading further north or south for something a little more advanced. You'd have to check with the shops.

If you aren't into cenotes at all, and you've been to the ruins, I'd be more inclined to get the diving in at Cozumel and then just spend maybe 2 nights in Puerto Morelos or Akumal at the end of the trip. Dive if you want, or not.

 

[yak]

If you aren't into cenotes at all, and you've been to the ruins, I'd be more inclined to get the diving in at Cozumel and then just spend maybe 2 nights in Puerto Morelos or Akumal at the end of the trip. Dive if you want, or not.

Or maybe go to Holbox and snorkle with the whale sharks

 

[scubawife]

Or maybe go to Holbox and snorkle with the whale sharks

Except for the PITA to get back to the airport... but I've made it in under 90 minutes many times from Isla Mujeres, and they also run whale shark tours from Isla.

 

[sharky60]

Still looking for some other people that have actuallly stayed in Puerto Morelos.

Has anyone stayed at the Hotel Hacienda? It's discription kind of reminds me a little of what Caribe Blu is like on Coz.

 

[boydski]

Still looking for some other people that have actuallly stayed in Puerto Morelos.

Hi Sharky,

I was in Puerto Morelos in September. We were staying in a house and I don't quite remember what the Hotel Hacienda was like. The Pelicano's restaurant right on the beach is very good, as is the chinese place on the adjacent corner. As is mentioned above, the Cenotes are awesome. Give Dennis Weeks a call and he'll take very good care of you. We did several days in Cozumel before staying on the mainland, so I can't comment on the ocean diving.

 

[underachiever]

Take goods notes and pass them along. We debated long and hard about staying a few days on Isla Mujarus or Puerto Morelos or even further inland around the ruins. (or at least I did, Angie said she did not care as long as we got some diving in) We are flying in Cancun and out of Cozumel. Finally opted for 10 days at Caribe Blue. Have not gone wrong there yet.

I did narrow down some choices in PM for hotels. But you have probably looked at them all as well. Either way, sure you guys will have a great time. We still plan to spend a week on the mainland one day.