Question VRBO area - Dive OP - and non-mexican food.

[Ty Hamby]

Lots of great reading in here but still have a few questions. Two couples traveling to Coz with various requests. All inclusive food and drinks not prefered. One person in our group does not like mexican food. Another diver wants to do devils throat and doesn't care what food we eat. Another person doesn't dive and just wants to sit on the beach getting served drinks while the last diver just requests good food. 3 divers 1 non-diver.
Really want to dive Cozumel but would consider Roatan or Belize if better lodging/food option existed.
Option 1) VRBO and Dive shop close to beach where drinks can be served.
Option 2) Resort close to town where outside food options could be located. Security is a concern.
Option 3) If it exists is a resort away from town that had food options other than mexican.

We plan on staying a week to 10 days. Looking for advice as I am having a difficult time trying to check each box.

 

[rick00001967]

option 4) leave the non diver at home and do what you want lol

 

[ReefHound]

Sounds like an incompatible group.

Food - there are plenty of places to get burgers and steaks and pizza and pasta and other things but they may be done "Mexican style". This person going to Mexico and unable to eat Mexican food might be a drag on the group wanting "good food". Maybe 7 of my top 10 restaurants focus on "Mexican food" and I'd be pissed if they were off limits because someone in the group won't eat the local cuisine of a country they are visiting.

Diving - Devil's Throat is overrated imo but you shouldn't have an issue finding an op to take you there. Just don't wait until you're on the boat and they ask where you want to go today. They need advance notice to ensure the group has the experience and desire. You should verify before booking.

Town - security is not a concern unless you're stumbling in the streets drunk at 2am or trying to buy drugs.

AI resorts - typically have a variety of options on the buffet that are not Mexican but few people consider AI food to be "good".

Beaches - The beach lover can taxi to a beach club. The southern AI resorts have decent beaches.

Cost - you didn't mention this but I will because you can get anything you want if you're willing to pay for it. The dive op that can promise Devils Throat might not be the cheapest dive op. If you stay in town to cater to the food lover then the beach lover will be paying expensive taxi fares and beach club fees. If you stay at an AI to cater to the beach lover then you will be paying expensive taxi fares to restaurants in town to make the food lover happy.

 

[ReefHound]

option 4) leave the non diver at home and do what you want lol

And leave the non-Mexican food eater at home and eat where you want.

 

[ggunn]

And leave the non-Mexican food eater at home and eat where you want.

What does that person consider to be "Mexican food"? Taco Bell fare? Tamales and tacos? Anything with beans and rice? Grilled octopus or dorado? If he or she is eating in town, there are pizza places, sushi restaurants, even a KFC (I think it is still there). There is plenty of "Gringo food" available on Cozumel.

 

[FishWatcher747]

There are plenty of interesting swim throughs in the Palancar area to satisfy the swim through desire without going to the hassle of doing Devil's throat. But you need to discuss this with your guide and you don't want to do it if there are divers with poor trim and buoyancy or new divers on the boat.

If you do want to do Devil's throat you need to arrange this in advance and the weather needs to be good.

 

[ggunn]

There is a long swimthrough where sometimes we start dives at Palancar Bricks that rivals any of the others I have seen. My favorite for many years was the Cathedral at Punta Sur, which is spectacular and IMO is much better than the Throat, but I don't dive that deep or go into deco any more.

 

[OregonDM]

I know you said you don't want to do AI........but if you were willing to consider AI and your budget allows, Cozumel Palace would check most/all the boxes for you. The food is very good and not just by AI standards, it really is good. They have 4 restaurants on site- Mexican (for those in your group who want it), Italian, Asian, and an outdoor buffet with lots of different choices. There is a lot of variety for breakfast & lunch too. There isn't a true beach, but the resort is right on the ocean and has a sandy area where your non-diver could sit in a lounger under a palm tree and be served drinks all day. The service there is top notch. It's very close to town and safe. Aqua Safari is the on-site dive operation but you can have any other dive op pick you up at the pier, no sweat. I prefer Aldora but there are lots of other good operations. As others have said, need to give the dive op advanced notice that you want to dive Devil's Throat.

 

[OregonDM]

There is a long swimthrough where sometimes we start dives at Palancar Bricks that rivals any of the others I have seen. My favorite for many years was the Cathedral at Punta Sur, which is spectacular and IMO is much better than the Throat, but I don't dive that deep or go into deco any more.

When people ask me my favorite dive site, I always just say "all of them" but if I'm pressed, I say anywhere in the Palancar complex. Bricks, Caves, Horseshoe, Gardens, all of it is amazing.

 

[Ty Hamby]

Sounds like an incompatible group.

Food - there are plenty of places to get burgers and steaks and pizza and pasta and other things but they may be done "Mexican style". This person going to Mexico and unable to eat Mexican food might be a drag on the group wanting "good food". Maybe 7 of my top 10 restaurants focus on "Mexican food" and I'd be pissed if they were off limits because someone in the group won't eat the local cuisine of a country they are visiting.

Diving - Devil's Throat is overrated imo but you shouldn't have an issue finding an op to take you there. Just don't wait until you're on the boat and they ask where you want to go today. They need advance notice to ensure the group has the experience and desire. You should verify before booking.

Town - security is not a concern unless you're stumbling in the streets drunk at 2am or trying to buy drugs.

AI resorts - typically have a variety of options on the buffet that are not Mexican but few people consider AI food to be "good".

Beaches - The beach lover can taxi to a beach club. The southern AI resorts have decent beaches.

Cost - you didn't mention this but I will because you can get anything you want if you're willing to pay for it. The dive op that can promise Devils Throat might not be the cheapest dive op. If you stay in town to cater to the food lover then the beach lover will be paying expensive taxi fares and beach club fees. If you stay at an AI to cater to the beach lover then you will be paying expensive taxi fares to restaurants in town to make the food lover happy.

Wow! Thank you, all great info.
Upon more active discussion, we may end up in Roatan at a hotel with a dive op that is not an all inclusive. Mexican type food is not an issue as much as I laid out originally. She just says she doesn't want beans and rice, breakfast lunch and dinner.