Recommendations : Cozumel + Playa Del Carmen (Mexico)

[CUunderH2O]

PdC is a great place to dive if you're not used to drift diving. Coz has stronger currents, and as others have mentioned before, PdC has more abundant sea life. Lots of nice reefs with turtles, morays, and huge amounts of fish. I dove with Abyss dive shop, they were right on the beach and had small groups and great service.

If you want to get more dives in, do some dives around PdC first, then take the ferry over & do some Coz dives. Try to do some cavern diving in the cenotes if you have a chance.

If you want to dive in Coz too, take the ferry over and dive with one of the shops there. You can go diving in Coz with the PdC shops, but it'll cost you a lot more.

Have fun!

 

[DivingDoc]

I posted this somewhere else - one of our port of calls this past week was Cozumel. I wasn't able to do a boat dive but sorta stumbled on a dive at the national park there (5 minute taxi ride from the cruise ship)....I can't remember the name. We did the dolphin encounter and then went for a walk and there was a dive shop right on the beach. $40 for full gear and one tank dive right off the beach - very nice dive, reefs, lobster, tropical fish, HUGE FREAKIN' TARPON, barracuda, small cave swim-through...no current to speak of, very relaxing experience. Prob 30 - 35 ft max depth... I'll do the boat dive next time - this was great for anyone pushed for time or a novice diver. They'll take you individually or in groups. Made my whole cruise.

I suspect you were at Chankanaab National Park -- that's where they have the Dolphin encounters and alot of other things too.

 

[DivingDoc]

Just wondering...I'm going down to Cozumel over Christmas/New Year- should I bring my gear, or rent? Most of my gear is in solid shape, but getting up there in age.
Also, what about wetsuits? I usually don't need anything more than a t-shirt when I dive in the Caribbean, but I'm curious if a Mexican January will change that (I've dived Belize in January, and I was fine).
Any feedback would be helpful.

I think it's always better to use your own equipment because you are more familiar with it's operation and therefore you are safer. The water temp in Coz in Feb is around 80. But in the group I go with, everyone wears a full exposure suit in order to guard against stinging sea life such as jelly fish. I usually do fine with a .5ml compressed neoprene suit, but toward the end of the week I might switch to a 3 mm (I love my Henderson hyperstretch), because when you're spending 1 1/2 to 2 hours submerged in the water every day, your core temp may start to decline after a few days. Some of the divemasters down there who dive every day use 7mm full suits!

 

[dbosullivan]

Doc:
Thanks.

 

[AmyJ]

Chocoholic,

Hi there. We are headed to Mayan Palace riviera in (let me count!) 11 days. This will be our third stay there and we love it. It is out of the mess of Cancun, and so close to everything else. We haven't ventured across to Coz yet, but there is lots on the Playa side. There is great diving, snorkeling (try Yal-Ku), great and cheap food in Playa.

One thing I would recommend is renting a car (if you're staying at Mayan). It is not expensive and everything is just a few minutes drive and (for us) sure beats the hassle and cost of the taxis and buses. The road is great, driving is easy and again, everything is really close. Have a great time!

 

[ishapira]

Just got back from few days in Playa.

Don't miss the cenote. We did Dos Ojos cenote. It is only 7 meter deep and it a uniqe diving exprience. There is no need for cave diving training. The dive is save and easy. Simply join a guid and enjoy.
Diving in Playa ocean is quite good. We did two drift dives and they were very nice. It is said that Playa has more fish, turtles and other sea cretures and Cozomel has better corral scenery.
Dive shops in Playa has either tours to cozomel or an arrangment with one of the dive shops on the island so you can reserve a place.
We used "Dive Mike" services in our dives. They were ok.

 

[caribou]

You all have been of an amazing ressource to me. I originally launched this thread and surely didn't expect that much info. This convinced me to go for two weeks instead of one. ;-)

Fiesta americana in Cozumel for 6 days (8 boats dives) and 5 days in playa del carmen for easy access to the ruins and maybe cenote diving if we feel ready for it.

Thanx again

Caribou

 

[scuba-girl]

PDC is wonderful. we just came back from there sept. i love it. make sure you check out freda's bar. love it!!!! my ? to you is are u renting a car? if you are u can have the best of both worlds. as far as cave diving and cozumel. if you don't have a car get one and head for tulum. there are guys that my husband and i know that will take you on a tour of mexican rivera, such as cenote's and resteraunt's it is an all day event so get plenty of rest and be ready to do some serious stuff. we were constantly on the go. we got our guide all day for $25.00. he took us to plenty of cenotes and brackish water snorkeling. he does have a website if you want to check it out it is www.edventuretours.net. his name is eduardo romano. tour shop #is (984)871-2209. email- edventure68@hotmail.com. his brother took us, but i think you will like eddie a lot better. make sure he takes u to his dad's resteraunt (oscar y lalos) and get the hawk fish!!! wonderfull, best meal we have ever had. salsa is the best including the onion salsa. u will pass the sign on your way to tulum. which is where his shop is at the tulum ruins. if you do this tell him that the fireman from cincinnati sent you. anyway back to cozumel. yes it is definately well worth it. $18 ferry ride. we have been to 2 scuba shops. the blue angel and papa hogs. both close to each other, but take a taxi from the ferry. before u go book them on line. if you decide to go w/ papa hogs make sure you get enrique. he's the best reminds me of a manatee in the water!!! :lol2: enrique is very personable and funny!!! the diving is most excellant. i myself like corals and invertabrates which is in paradise. this will usually be ur 2nd dive. planacar horseshoe and caves most excellant for ur 1st dive. as far as pdc diving never considered it because of cozumel. it is very breath taking!!! it's like diving in a pool. i was at 90ft and could see the top. p.s. i've never seen even an inkling of a shark!! let me know if you need any more assistance. if you don't have fun and let me know how things went if you go to tulum!!!

Hi,

I'm gonna stay at Playa Del Carmen for a week in november, half of it
for scuba diving. I heard Cozumel is gorgeous for diving and is just
a ferry ticket away.

However, being open water only, I'm not into cave diving or wreck
penetration. However, using this trip to discover some specialty
dives (drift ? wreck ? night ? deep ?) with an instructor I imagine,
would set me on my way to advanced open water.

so the questions are :
-for my level, is it worth going to cozumel to dive ?
-it is doable without staying in cozumel ?
-is Playa Del Carmen a satisfying dive site ?

Thanks

Caribou

 

[Chocoholic]

PDC is wonderful. QUOTE]

We will be going there in just under a month... I am hoping to dive both PDC and Coz and possibly Cancun. Will be taking my own stuff. Just trying to find a good place to stay for a couple days in Cancun before we go to the Mayan Palace. :dazzler1:

 

[epbaxter]

I'd suggest either Albatros Charters or Eco Divers. www.albatroscharters.com or ecodivers@prodigy.net.mx. Good luck!