Where to stay? w/good snorkeling

[jeremyl]

My wife and I are going to a wedding in Playa del Carmen so I thought I would pop over and dive for a week in Cozumel. Never been there and I can't wait. She doesnt dive, but would love to do some snorkeling. We went to Bonaire last year and she had a great time just snorkeling off the hotel pier. Not sure if there are places with good easy accesible shore diving in Cozumel???

Plan is probably 5 days of diving. I would like to get in some good night dives as well (can't get enough). We will be there early March (wedding is March 8th). Dont want to break the bank on this trip, but we don't need to go dirtbag either. From my surfing the forum the best I have found is Caribe Blue - people say there is good diving from the pier... does this mean the snorkeling will also be good? And Blue Angel sounds like a fine op.

If there is a good place to stay with a good dive shop, then great - but I am fine going doing dive and stay independently. For dive op I want a small group. Some extras are nice (fruit and such for SI). I have ~75 dives logged, full gear, and do fine on air... I prefer nice long dives looking at cool critters & snapping photos. Sounds like any of the forum recommeded ops will be fine, but I would probably go with Blue XT Sea first if available, or Diving with Alison or Bottom Time or something if the Hotel dive op were not great.

We dont have kids - and prefer someplace that is not overrun with them. Prefer someplace not too far from town. AI is not needed, but if it is cheap enough then why not. Pool would be ok, but not needed... plan on diving a lot and chillin' on the beach.

Thanks!
Jeremy

 

[Moodiejeff]

You've got it all figured out... all by yourself!

Caribe Blu would fit the bill nicely, but as you've obviously read Cozumel is not a very good snorkeling/shore diving destination. There are probably some scattered coral heads still around and she can peek into the stingray prison next door... not really a beach there though.

The 3 dive ops mentioned are all top notch (I prefer BlueXT~Sea myself). The onsite dive op - Blue Angel does have a combo Snorkel/Scuba trip leaving around 10:00am (I think) but I would guess that you wouldn't get to the more challenging sites.

Others will chime in (i'm sure) but you got it right the first time around...

 

[loudives]

Jeff is right, Caribe Blue is what you want. On the water, pool, quiet, small, 15 min. leisure walk to town for fine restaurants. On-site dive operator is OK but the others are better for extended bottom times. I've been with all four and can say that BXT, Alison, and Bottom Time, will give you the best service. BXT and Bottom Time will keep and rinse gear for you.

I dive primarily with Raul at Bottom Time Divers because I like him and his style of diving. (slow and critter finder)

Pedro Pablo at BTX is the same way and a very good master.

Alison also very nice.

You picked them and they are all excellent, make reservations now as that is high season and they will fill up fast.

 

[cicopo]

I have a similar problem to yours, but even worse; my wife doesn't swim let alone snorkel. I haven't stayed at Caribe Blu but it has caught me eye & I would certainly like to try it, and I have read good things from people that have stayed there. I have also read some good reviews of their dive op, but based on my trip in Sept I am NOT going to say the snorkeling in that area is very good. I will add the address for my Cozumel photo albums at the end, and although there was great snorkeling in that area before it isn't even remotely close to the pre hurricane Wilma days. Another hotel to consider for your wife's entertainment might be Hotel Cozumel (check the price difference re all inclusive vs European plan or as one travel agent put it Empty Plate). Its bigger & closer to town and for my wife that's good because she window shops while I dive.
Re dive ops the in house at Caribe Blu gets good reviews & I can personally recommend Blue XT Sea plus Scuba Tony (Welcome to Scuba Tony in Cozumel Mexico, Scuba Instrution, Private Dive Trips, Hotel reservations and more.) as being extremely good and have read enough believable reviews re Dive With Martin, Aldora, & Living Underwater to think all of them deserve consideration if the one you first choose is booked for the time of your visit. Photo albums of many Cozumel related things are here, including a look at the Caribe Blu waterfront area, Hotel Cozumel, and some diving & snorkeling albums.
Picasa Web Albums - Larry

 

[sbaggs]

We stayed at a small 8 condo type place called Condumel. It's worth at least checking out online. Fairly inexpensive, has a kitchen, a small manmade beach with ocean access. While we were there for 11 days in November, there was only one other condo being used so it was like having the place to ourselves. It's about a 15 minute walk to town. The snorkeling right outside the condo is awesome. We've stayed there twice and love it. The only negative is that the bed is pretty darn hard. We dove with Living Underwater last time, and would highly recommend them.

 

[kuip]

I would not recommend Caribe Blue for snorkeling. For the best snorkeling I would go to Coral Princess. There is not much to do at Caribe Blue for the non-diver. Coral Princess is further north and the dive ops will not pick you up there but the snorkeling is the best there. Don't get me wrong. I am not being negative towards caribe blu, as it is a very clean, well run, small hotel. As for a dive op, I use Sea Urchin. I am sure all the others down there are also great and Christi with Blu xt sea is a great liaison for this board. Have a blast.

 

[jeremyl]

Thanks for the all the input. My wife is pretty content sitting on the beach reading a book while I am out diving, but it would be very nice to have access to a beach to play in and very nice to have good snorkeling there - but I still want to be within walking distance (10min -15min would be ok) of town. So is there a nice place close to town with a nice beach and nice snokeling? If I had to rank our priorities I would say 1) ~10min to town, 2) Good Snorkeling 3) Nice beach. But taxis are easy, right - so I guess if there is really good snorkeling somewhere that would be fine. I personally like to hang out and meet people on vacation, hence the reason to be somewhat close to town. Not having been to the Island yet I really dont know what to expect and how "happening" things are.

Jeremy

 

[DiverMo]

Another option you might want to check out is Villa Aldora and Aldora Divers. I'm guessing it's about 3/4 mile north of town. My wife, kids, and I walk to town all the time from there. Usually walk to town, and taxi back. They have a couple of mountain bikes that guests can take to town as well. Also, the managers are plenty helpful and will drive you to town and drop you off, if needed. Taxi is about $5, give or take a buck.

Private, quiet beach. My wife and daughter sunbathed all day, while the boys and I went diving, and then snorkeled most of the rest of the time right in front of the villa. You will not see things like on the reef, but we have seen squid, octopi, eels, crabs, some coral and sponges, and all kinds of fish, and even a barracuda right in front of the villa. Probably about the best that you are gonna do snorkeling in Cozumel.

You can get one of the Courtyard rooms for $85 a night, or I would recommend the Kristal for $115, if it's in your budget. I have been in all the rooms, and they are very nice. The website will have more info.

The best part of staying at the Villa, is the dive shop will pick you up and drop you off literally about 20 steps from your door. They have the smaller fast boats, small groups, and great divemasters. Their dive rates are about the highest on the island, but I think they are pretty much offset by the rates for the villa. I don't think you can find that nice a place, that close to town, on the water for those rates.

Just another option. If you have any specific questions about the Villa or Aldora Divers, let me know. Good Luck!

Villa: Villa Aldora

Dive Op: Aldora Divers of Cozumel

 

[jeremyl]

Thanks DiverMo. Aldora was also recommended to me in a PM, and the dive shop is in my top 5. They are a little more money ($87 v/s $70-75), but it sounds like nobody has regretted paying it.

I am also considering taking the Advanced course while I am here. Obviously it makes sense to take it with whoever I am diving with for the week. Does that affect peoples recommendations? Is there one place just just kicks butt in instruction? (My LDS does, but I can never seem to make the time to take it here - so I figure I should just make it part of my vacation).

This puts a twist on price as well - because Aldora only charges $175 v/s $375 for BlueXTSea. Are they not including the price of the dives themselves??? I know my LDS is $200 - but of course we do all shore dives. Actually I am kinda confused about the AOW course and what it included - I know you need 5 specialty dives (including Deep and Nav) - and you need 5 open water dives... but if I read about the specialties from "Diving with Allison" (also in my top 5) just about all the specialties involve a fair amount of class time and several dives (deep alone is 4 dives). So how does this work? Are the extra specialties extra time/money not included in the AOW price? Or does the AOW just give you a taste of the specialties and the actual specialty cert is different?

Thanks!
Jeremy

 

[DiverMo]

Like I said - they are the highest priced, but you can offset that with the lower prices at the villa for comparable digs.

As far as the instruction - I can't say for sure who's best. Last time we were at the villa, there was a gentleman staying in Coz taking his divemaster instruction. He would do his class work in the morning, then come over to the villa for his pool-work, then into the ocean right there for his open-water work. Would certainly be convenient if you were staying at the villa.

I've been thinking about getting some instruction there, myself. Let us know what you decide, and how it works out for you.