Whale Sharks, Cenotes and Cozumel advice please!

[MissDoo]

I've got two weeks end of June to beginning of July when I' hoping to plan a trip to Mexico. The idea is to snorkel with Whale Sharks in Isla Mujeres, dive the Cenotes and also dive in Cozumel as I hear the diving is better there than Playa del Carmen. I need some advice in how to actually go about it. I will fly to Cancun from the UK. Should I go straight to Isla Mujeres for a couple of days to do the whale sharks, then somehow get down to Playa del Carmen and stay there a few days to do the Cenotes (how many days would be required?) and then cross for a week to Cozumel to chill and dive? Is that plan even possible? How long should I spend in each place? Do I have to stay in IM? How would I get to Playa del Carmen from IM? Never been to Mexico before and would really love some advice from all you experts who've been there and done that!

Thanks

 

[Mike]

Yes to all of your thoughts with one exception - fly in and out of Cancun. So just change your itenerary a little bit, do Isla Mujeres first, then Cozumel, then Playa Del Carmen. From Cancun to Isla Mujeres you take either a cab or a van to the ferry, then the ferry over to Isla, then a cab or walk to your hotel there. From Isla Mujeres to Cozumel, you take the ferry back over to Cancun, there you could fly a puddle jumper over to Cozumel airport from Cancun airport or take a van or taxi down to Play Del Carmen and take the ferry across to Cozumel. From Cozumel back to Playa Del Carmen it's a ferry ride back. Then from Playa to Cancun it's a taxi or van ride back to the airport to leave. This itenerary works easier and should be cheaper, plus you get the ole free fresh water rinse on your gear diving the cenotes last.

 

[Coconut Divers]

Yes you can do that, but it involves a lot of packing up traveling by bus and changing Hotels. Doesn't sound very relaxing!
All this is, possible to do from Cancun since the Whale Shark trips also leave from the main land. Local diving like isle mujeres and cancun are available every day and cozumel and cavern trips are done from here too.

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Saludos Leif

 

[TXreefer]

I would stay on Cozumel for the week of diving in Cozumel. I can recommend some condos to rent if you like that sort if thing better than resort stuff. Send me a pm.

I would then stay in playa for the other half and just take cabs or the shuttle to the whale shark excursion. Find a dive shop in playa to take you to the cenotes.

We do this trip every year!!

 

[DandyDon]

Yep, sounds like a good dive trip. We did it once in 8 nights I think it was, so a 2 week trip will give you plenty of time.

Yes to all of your thoughts with one exception - fly in and out of Cancun. So just change your itenerary a little bit, do Isla Mujeres first, then Cozumel, then Playa Del Carmen. From Cancun to Isla Mujeres you take either a cab or a van to the ferry, then the ferry over to Isla, then a cab or walk to your hotel there. From Isla Mujeres to Cozumel, you take the ferry back over to Cancun, there you could fly a puddle jumper over to Cozumel airport from Cancun airport or take a van or taxi down to Play Del Carmen and take the ferry across to Cozumel. From Cozumel back to Playa Del Carmen it's a ferry ride back. Then from Playa to Cancun it's a taxi or van ride back to the airport to leave. This itenerary works easier and should be cheaper, plus you get the ole free fresh water rinse on your gear diving the cenotes last.

Agreed. Mike left out the detail of when you dive cenotes maybe, or maybe it was understandable: Last, while staying in Playa del Carmen, just before flying home from Cancun.

Yes you can do that, but it involves a lot of packing up traveling by bus and changing Hotels. Doesn't sound very relaxing!
All this is, possible to do from Cancun since the Whale Shark trips also leave from the main land. Local diving like isle mujeres and cancun are available every day and cozumel and cavern trips are done from here too.

Check us out on Facebook Coconut Divers
Saludos Leif

MissDoo could do the whale shark trips from Cancun, but commuting from there to dive Cozumel would suck. :nope:

 

[MissDoo]

Thanks guys!!! It does sound like a lot of packing and repacking but I think it's better than long day trips and I don't really want to stay in Cancun, it's too busy. Mike, diving the Cenotes last is a great tip for cleaning the gear!!!! Thanks!!

 

[DandyDon]

So you repack a couple of times. No biggie. It's at least one hour from Cancun to PDC before catching a ferry so you don't want to do that more than once. Nearly another hour to Tulum area cenotes so staying in PDC on the way back from Coz would be a lot easier than commuting from Cancun.

 

[MissDoo]

I'll pack light then

 

[DandyDon]

I'll pack light then

I don't. I take what I want, up to paying for one bag. My airline allows 1-50# free so I take 2; they also allow 1 roll-on & 1 backpack, so I take those full. I buy a $12 coffee pot at my first overnight location, take it with me as I move, then give it to someone when I leave. You're only moving twice - no biggie. Your airline may have tighter limits...?

Good luck on booking all of your charters, hotels, cars, etc. Let us know if you want more suggestion; many of us have lots of opinions to share.

For your Cozumel visit, try our Cozumel sub forum. Cozumel

 

[cmulvaney]

I would fly to Cozumel and stay there for the first week. When you check out of your hotel head straight for the ferry to Playa del Carmen. The $12 ferry gets you there in about an hour. Once in PDC check into your hotel for the remainder of your trip. You can book your whale shark excursion in PDC and they will take you to the ferry in Cancun to Isla Mujeres and back to PDC. You can then do the ceynotes in PDC and Tulum and fresh water rince your gear while diving. Check out of your hotel in Playa and head to Cancun to fly home. Recap: Fly into Cozumel and Fly out of Cancun. Just my 2 pesos. Have fun and dive safe. If you need any suggestions feel free to pm me.