Alexandra
Contributor
Diving in Cancun July 2010
Travel:
I booked my flight on AA because of their nonstop route from JFK to CUN. I am happy to say that this was one of my smoothest international trips in some time. The flight left on time, even maybe a few minutes early, and we landed in Cancun about 20mins early. We then we particularly lucky with a wide open customs area as no other intl flights had landed near ours, and luggage arrived after a few minutes wait.
I managed to completely ignore all the airport guys who look official but really just want to sell you on tourist trips/excursions/etc during your stay.
Hotel:
I stayed at the Hyatt Regency at the north edge of the Hotel zone in Cancun. The checked in was easy although the new girl at the counter was neither very friendly nor very helpful. She offered me a room on the first floor facing the street which was a bit surprising given the hotels 50-60% occupancy. I pushed to get a higher floor (without having to pay the $20 extra daily charge for an ocean front room). Lucky for me, the manager came out and saw that I had a status with Hyatt and upgraded me with out a charge to a room with a view on the 8th floor.
This is definitely not the highest quality Hyatt Ive been too but the room was clean and comfortable. The bathtub had peeling enamel but nothing too bad and still the room was clean.
The restaurants in the hotel look great but the prices were not cheap. The deli on the other hand was quite affordable and open in the am (croissants, muffins, banana, yogurts and coffees), afternoon I bought some gelato (50 pesos for 1 scoop, 75 for two) and it was goooood!! I also bought water there daily for 30 pesos for a litre.
The pool bar was pricey and the mixed drinks were not great (95 pesos for a 8oz margarita).
The pool was a good size, never too crowded. The beach was super close but given the storm left over winds and such, we didnt go swimming there. Perfect for a late afternoon or early morning walk though.
The hotel also had a bunch of couch/cabana beds that were fabulous to just lounge on at the end of the day, great breeze going through, and watch the waves on the beach.
Diving:
I had pre-arranged airport pick up with Scorpio Divers and was thrilled to see the driver waiting for me as soon as I got out of the airport. They brought me right to the hotel and discussed dive plans for me for the next day.
The weather had been very rough the past week due to a tropical storm so they decided to rearrange my dive plans. Day 1 was going to be Cenotes, Day 2 Cancun, day 3 Puerto Morelos.
Day 1: Cenotes
We were picked up by Ben around 7:30am and headed out to the Cenotes with another couple. We then picked up a father/son duo on the way and Gonzalez (a Cenotes expert diver/instructor). We got to the Pit around 11am blazing hot time of day. Because of the location we suited up a good 50 yards from where you get in so you have to walk this dirt/rocky path with all your gear in the sun (5-8min walk). You are definitely ready to jump in by the time you get there. The jump is about 20 so you need to do it with your fins and goggles off. The instructors walk you through the whole thing and one of them was waiting in the water to help you after you jump. Its a little daunting but really easier than it looks.
The Pit was a deep dive and you get to see real human bones down there. The sun coming through the entrance is absolutely incredible. Great dive!!
We then headed to Dos Ojos, a short drive away. This dive was a follow the leader through the cave system about 20-30 deep. Another really unique dive! My only complain, especially since I had a camera, was the speed that we did the swim through. It would have been perfect to slow it down just a bit and make the dive 40-45mins instead of 30.
Conclusion: if you have never done the Cenotes, I highly recommend it! If you get a chance to jump in the water more than once at the Pit, take it. Youll not be able to do that in many places.
Day 2: Cancun
We were picked up around 8am to go diving in Cancun. We had planned (and paid) to do 4 dives this day but midday we found out we could only do 3. Ben was not able to join us as he had a pretty bad toothache but told us we could make that 3rd afternoon dive super long if we felt like it. That unfortunately wasnt the case either.
The first dive of the day was at the wreck C-58. Pretty cool wreck broken in 2 with a swim between the two halves that had been separated after a hurricane came through. The next dive was at the black pit reef.
The last dive was at Manchones, a really nice reef. We headed out with a group of 6-7 people who were all part of a discover scuba class. We were told to follow the group but it was ok if we trailed a bit behind. The depth was 25-30. It was a beautiful dive and I was looking forward to making it a nice long one since we were shallow, it was warm, and there was plenty to see. After an hour, the dive master was calling me up. I stayed in an extra five minutes but felt like I was hounded to get out. I came up with 1400psi, which felt like a real shame.
Conclusion: Dont assume if you are told something by someone who is not on your boat that youll be able to do it. Avoid going on boats where you are the only certified divers or way more experienced that anyone else. If you book 4 dives but only 3, there is no price adjustment. Dont bring travelers checks even if they say thats ok. They did want ours and the hotel was not super accommodating about cashing them either (max limits per day).
Day 3: Puerto Moreles
We met up the father/son divers and 2 other divers when we got there. The first dive the day was a ton of fun on the wreck C-56. Great swim through lead by Diego from Scorpio Divers. It was one of the coolest wrecks Ive been through; we had good visibility and lots of sea life.
The second dive was ok on a reef called Puente and the 3rd dive was a total dud (at Jadines), barely 30mins in the water, 15-20 vis in surgy waters, no reef, few fish. Kind of felt we dove there just to count that we did a 3rd dive instead of spending a little time heading to another location. A shame to end our diving trip with this one but so the cookie crumbles.
Conclusion: if they say there is no vis before you get it, speak up and ask if there isnt another dive spot nearby that wouldnt be worth checking out. Dont miss the wreck!!
Last Day: Swimming with the whale sharks
Oh my . What an experience! I cannot stress how absolutely incredible this was. Not only did we get to swim right along this huge docile fish but we also go to swim along side a manta ray. Wow! We were lucky that we were told to bring our wetsuits as everyone else had to wear big orange super buoyant life vests. I also had my own fins, maks and snorkel although the equipment they give out seemed to be pretty good quality. The ride out to the whale sharks took a good 50mins and of course there is no guarantee when theyll find them. The waters were a bit choppy which make for some tummy weariness although I was ok (a few others on our boat did look a bit green). I highly recommend those magnetic/anti nausea bracelets for boat rides like these.
Once with the whale sharks, they have one master swimmer in the water (with camera/video) along with 2 people from the boat as to not overwhelm the animals. They were pretty flexible on letting me stay in the water a bit longer though as I am good swimmer and would follow the whale shark for some time.
After a good hour of swimming with these great animals, we then headed to a shallow reef for some snorkeling and lunch on the boat where they made fresh shrimp ceviche and had sandwiches, sodas and beer. We then got back to the dock at 2pm. We probably could have dragged out our snorkeling a bit longer but I had to leave at 2pm on the dot in order to catch my flight at 4:20pm. The driver picked up me from the dock and brought me directly to the airport. I got there on time but was a bit crusty with salt. Who cares, huh? I had an extraordinary day
Meals:
Due to the cost of breakfast in the hotel, we had that on the road. Scorpio Divers brought us to this excellent sandwich place on the main street of the hotel zone where we had scrambled eggs and ham or chorizo on a baguette for $30 pesos. Yummmmy!
Lunches were also with Scorpio Divers. The day of the Cenotes we had a late lunch after the two dives at a Pizza place. The plan had been to have shrimp tacos but the couple with us didnt eat seafood so pizza was the only other option. I have to say it was actually pretty good and hit the spot with a cold beer or two or three.
The day we went diving in Cancun, we had lunch at the marina a not-so-good cheeseburger and fries. And the last day, in Puerto Moreles, we had some yummy delicious fish tacos. Mmmm mmm. They also served ceviche there, which looked fabulous. The only thing we couldnt have was a cold beer due to the restriction on alcohol sales because of the local lections.
Dinners were a bit of a challenge, as I did not have time to do research before leaving. The first night we didnt ask where to go and ended up walking to Carlos n Charlies. Super duper tourist trap. The large margaritas were really good tast wise but had practically no booze and were quite pricey ($18 US). The ambiance was unbelievably loud and the weathers had whistles which theyd blow when they dd their silly dances. UGH! The food was surprisingly good though I had a club sandwich with real chicken and crispy bacon!
Dinner the next night was much better as Ben from Scorpio Divers suggested we go to La Farola, an Argentinean restaurant on ave Yaxchillan. We shared a garlic shrimp dish and their special steak and both were excellent. We also have a really good bottle of Malbec. The dinner came to a total of $65 US for 2.
The next night we ended up walking to Mocambo, a seafood specialty restaurant about 10mins from the Hyatt. For being in the tourist area, it was nice and quiet and the table we got was right on the pier looking over the water. The ceviche was excellent, and the grouper delicious. Dinner again was about $70 US for 2.
The last night we asked the hotel where to go that wasnt too expensive and the guy at the front was not upfront that he didnt know any of the restaurants locally. So, he opened a draw with cards and sent us to Harrys steakhouse assuring us it wouldnt be more than $30-40 per person. Well, that was NOT the case. It looked like a beautiful restaurant but really quite expensive. But since we already spent $10 on the cab ride to the place we decided to find something else nearby. So, we ended up at Puerto Madero, Argentinean steak/fish place. It was great. More than we wanted to spend but we ended up having the best piece of grilled octopus EVER! We also had a fabulous flank steak and started with a Big Eye tuna tartar, a rare treat. The whole thing accompanied by a very nice bottle of Mendoza. Total was $120 US for 2.
Travel:
I booked my flight on AA because of their nonstop route from JFK to CUN. I am happy to say that this was one of my smoothest international trips in some time. The flight left on time, even maybe a few minutes early, and we landed in Cancun about 20mins early. We then we particularly lucky with a wide open customs area as no other intl flights had landed near ours, and luggage arrived after a few minutes wait.
I managed to completely ignore all the airport guys who look official but really just want to sell you on tourist trips/excursions/etc during your stay.
Hotel:
I stayed at the Hyatt Regency at the north edge of the Hotel zone in Cancun. The checked in was easy although the new girl at the counter was neither very friendly nor very helpful. She offered me a room on the first floor facing the street which was a bit surprising given the hotels 50-60% occupancy. I pushed to get a higher floor (without having to pay the $20 extra daily charge for an ocean front room). Lucky for me, the manager came out and saw that I had a status with Hyatt and upgraded me with out a charge to a room with a view on the 8th floor.
This is definitely not the highest quality Hyatt Ive been too but the room was clean and comfortable. The bathtub had peeling enamel but nothing too bad and still the room was clean.
The restaurants in the hotel look great but the prices were not cheap. The deli on the other hand was quite affordable and open in the am (croissants, muffins, banana, yogurts and coffees), afternoon I bought some gelato (50 pesos for 1 scoop, 75 for two) and it was goooood!! I also bought water there daily for 30 pesos for a litre.
The pool bar was pricey and the mixed drinks were not great (95 pesos for a 8oz margarita).
The pool was a good size, never too crowded. The beach was super close but given the storm left over winds and such, we didnt go swimming there. Perfect for a late afternoon or early morning walk though.
The hotel also had a bunch of couch/cabana beds that were fabulous to just lounge on at the end of the day, great breeze going through, and watch the waves on the beach.
Diving:
I had pre-arranged airport pick up with Scorpio Divers and was thrilled to see the driver waiting for me as soon as I got out of the airport. They brought me right to the hotel and discussed dive plans for me for the next day.
The weather had been very rough the past week due to a tropical storm so they decided to rearrange my dive plans. Day 1 was going to be Cenotes, Day 2 Cancun, day 3 Puerto Morelos.
Day 1: Cenotes
We were picked up by Ben around 7:30am and headed out to the Cenotes with another couple. We then picked up a father/son duo on the way and Gonzalez (a Cenotes expert diver/instructor). We got to the Pit around 11am blazing hot time of day. Because of the location we suited up a good 50 yards from where you get in so you have to walk this dirt/rocky path with all your gear in the sun (5-8min walk). You are definitely ready to jump in by the time you get there. The jump is about 20 so you need to do it with your fins and goggles off. The instructors walk you through the whole thing and one of them was waiting in the water to help you after you jump. Its a little daunting but really easier than it looks.
The Pit was a deep dive and you get to see real human bones down there. The sun coming through the entrance is absolutely incredible. Great dive!!
We then headed to Dos Ojos, a short drive away. This dive was a follow the leader through the cave system about 20-30 deep. Another really unique dive! My only complain, especially since I had a camera, was the speed that we did the swim through. It would have been perfect to slow it down just a bit and make the dive 40-45mins instead of 30.
Conclusion: if you have never done the Cenotes, I highly recommend it! If you get a chance to jump in the water more than once at the Pit, take it. Youll not be able to do that in many places.
Day 2: Cancun
We were picked up around 8am to go diving in Cancun. We had planned (and paid) to do 4 dives this day but midday we found out we could only do 3. Ben was not able to join us as he had a pretty bad toothache but told us we could make that 3rd afternoon dive super long if we felt like it. That unfortunately wasnt the case either.
The first dive of the day was at the wreck C-58. Pretty cool wreck broken in 2 with a swim between the two halves that had been separated after a hurricane came through. The next dive was at the black pit reef.
The last dive was at Manchones, a really nice reef. We headed out with a group of 6-7 people who were all part of a discover scuba class. We were told to follow the group but it was ok if we trailed a bit behind. The depth was 25-30. It was a beautiful dive and I was looking forward to making it a nice long one since we were shallow, it was warm, and there was plenty to see. After an hour, the dive master was calling me up. I stayed in an extra five minutes but felt like I was hounded to get out. I came up with 1400psi, which felt like a real shame.
Conclusion: Dont assume if you are told something by someone who is not on your boat that youll be able to do it. Avoid going on boats where you are the only certified divers or way more experienced that anyone else. If you book 4 dives but only 3, there is no price adjustment. Dont bring travelers checks even if they say thats ok. They did want ours and the hotel was not super accommodating about cashing them either (max limits per day).
Day 3: Puerto Moreles
We met up the father/son divers and 2 other divers when we got there. The first dive the day was a ton of fun on the wreck C-56. Great swim through lead by Diego from Scorpio Divers. It was one of the coolest wrecks Ive been through; we had good visibility and lots of sea life.
The second dive was ok on a reef called Puente and the 3rd dive was a total dud (at Jadines), barely 30mins in the water, 15-20 vis in surgy waters, no reef, few fish. Kind of felt we dove there just to count that we did a 3rd dive instead of spending a little time heading to another location. A shame to end our diving trip with this one but so the cookie crumbles.
Conclusion: if they say there is no vis before you get it, speak up and ask if there isnt another dive spot nearby that wouldnt be worth checking out. Dont miss the wreck!!
Last Day: Swimming with the whale sharks
Oh my . What an experience! I cannot stress how absolutely incredible this was. Not only did we get to swim right along this huge docile fish but we also go to swim along side a manta ray. Wow! We were lucky that we were told to bring our wetsuits as everyone else had to wear big orange super buoyant life vests. I also had my own fins, maks and snorkel although the equipment they give out seemed to be pretty good quality. The ride out to the whale sharks took a good 50mins and of course there is no guarantee when theyll find them. The waters were a bit choppy which make for some tummy weariness although I was ok (a few others on our boat did look a bit green). I highly recommend those magnetic/anti nausea bracelets for boat rides like these.
Once with the whale sharks, they have one master swimmer in the water (with camera/video) along with 2 people from the boat as to not overwhelm the animals. They were pretty flexible on letting me stay in the water a bit longer though as I am good swimmer and would follow the whale shark for some time.
After a good hour of swimming with these great animals, we then headed to a shallow reef for some snorkeling and lunch on the boat where they made fresh shrimp ceviche and had sandwiches, sodas and beer. We then got back to the dock at 2pm. We probably could have dragged out our snorkeling a bit longer but I had to leave at 2pm on the dot in order to catch my flight at 4:20pm. The driver picked up me from the dock and brought me directly to the airport. I got there on time but was a bit crusty with salt. Who cares, huh? I had an extraordinary day
Meals:
Due to the cost of breakfast in the hotel, we had that on the road. Scorpio Divers brought us to this excellent sandwich place on the main street of the hotel zone where we had scrambled eggs and ham or chorizo on a baguette for $30 pesos. Yummmmy!
Lunches were also with Scorpio Divers. The day of the Cenotes we had a late lunch after the two dives at a Pizza place. The plan had been to have shrimp tacos but the couple with us didnt eat seafood so pizza was the only other option. I have to say it was actually pretty good and hit the spot with a cold beer or two or three.
The day we went diving in Cancun, we had lunch at the marina a not-so-good cheeseburger and fries. And the last day, in Puerto Moreles, we had some yummy delicious fish tacos. Mmmm mmm. They also served ceviche there, which looked fabulous. The only thing we couldnt have was a cold beer due to the restriction on alcohol sales because of the local lections.
Dinners were a bit of a challenge, as I did not have time to do research before leaving. The first night we didnt ask where to go and ended up walking to Carlos n Charlies. Super duper tourist trap. The large margaritas were really good tast wise but had practically no booze and were quite pricey ($18 US). The ambiance was unbelievably loud and the weathers had whistles which theyd blow when they dd their silly dances. UGH! The food was surprisingly good though I had a club sandwich with real chicken and crispy bacon!
Dinner the next night was much better as Ben from Scorpio Divers suggested we go to La Farola, an Argentinean restaurant on ave Yaxchillan. We shared a garlic shrimp dish and their special steak and both were excellent. We also have a really good bottle of Malbec. The dinner came to a total of $65 US for 2.
The next night we ended up walking to Mocambo, a seafood specialty restaurant about 10mins from the Hyatt. For being in the tourist area, it was nice and quiet and the table we got was right on the pier looking over the water. The ceviche was excellent, and the grouper delicious. Dinner again was about $70 US for 2.
The last night we asked the hotel where to go that wasnt too expensive and the guy at the front was not upfront that he didnt know any of the restaurants locally. So, he opened a draw with cards and sent us to Harrys steakhouse assuring us it wouldnt be more than $30-40 per person. Well, that was NOT the case. It looked like a beautiful restaurant but really quite expensive. But since we already spent $10 on the cab ride to the place we decided to find something else nearby. So, we ended up at Puerto Madero, Argentinean steak/fish place. It was great. More than we wanted to spend but we ended up having the best piece of grilled octopus EVER! We also had a fabulous flank steak and started with a Big Eye tuna tartar, a rare treat. The whole thing accompanied by a very nice bottle of Mendoza. Total was $120 US for 2.
