xcalak or cozumel- diving?

[Asrael]

Hi everyone,
My husband and I are thinking of heading to the Yucatan in April for 2 weeks. We are planning on doing a few days of diving and was hoping to gain some insight from you all here. I have searched the forum, but didn't get a clear idea of what would be best.

A little bit about us and what we are looking for. We are in our late 30's/early 40's and like to stay of the beaten path. We aren't into really touristy places, and try to find low key places to stay wherever we go (Example in Hawaii we head to Kealeekeakua Bay instead of Kohala Coast or Kona). We are looking to enjoy 2 weeks on holiday, and the Yucatan is easy for us to get too and seems to have lots to do. We are relatively new divers. Have been diving 3 years- and all in Hawaii- We usually do 4 days diving there every year that we go. When we look at the Yucatan, we are a little overwhelmed by how package tourist it seems to be, and how busy it is. We figure with renting a car for some or all of the trip we can explore and get a little off the beaten path.

We have about 25-30 dives, PADI open water, have done 1 night dive.


So here are our questions- I would love some insight

1. We are thinking of heading to Cozumel for 2-3 days, probably doing 2 days of diving. We do get a little concerned about all the cruise ships that dock, the numbers of people there (we are used to diving on a max 6 people boat at sites that are empty of others). But the diving looks great- Is it? Is it worth the time to go there- and stay in a little busier place?

2. Xcalak- When I look here- it looks beautiful- very chill- But is it too quiet? And the diving? Does it compare in any way to Cozumel? (I understand that they are different- I wouldn't expect them to be the same- what is different). Is it worth the 5 hour drive down to go there?
We would probably stay longer and do a few days of diving.

Any other thoughts or recommendations?

I don't have a desire to dive the Cenotes- more called to ocean diving.

Thanks so much for all your help. I also posted in the Mexico Posting
Asrael

 

[cicopo]

No idea what it's like at Xcalak & the only diving I did in Hawaii was at Kauai & that was a disappointment OTHER than seeing so many large turtles. I've done diving in the Florida Keys, Cuba & Freeport & none compare to Cozumel. I carry a camera (a P & S) & have for years so if you want to see the things most of see on a regular basis check out my photos here (& I have no interest in the Cenotes either).

ci_copo’s albums | Flickr

I won't try to help re where to stay because for us (non swimmer wife) it's a vacation which means no cleaning, cooking or shopping for groceries etc.

 

[Asrael]

No idea what it's like at Xcalak & the only diving I did in Hawaii was at Kauai & that was a disappointment OTHER than seeing so many large turtles.

That's why we are really thinking we will go to Cozumel- even with the "busyness"- unless we get more info on Xcalak and its worth it or comparable. Yes- Diving in Kona Coast is way better than Kauai- no runoff there. I think it is very different from the Carribean- and maybe not as nice- I know the coral isn't- alot of it has died back from ocean temps rising.. But amazing fish.. Lots of dolphins, turtles, sharks, rays, octopus- .. And the Manta Ray night dive is amazing.

Thanks for your help! And I will check out your photos later today!

 

[NDL_Diver]

Spent a week at Xcalak. Dove there a few days looking to goto Chinchorro bank. Never got enough people to make the min number for the trip. It it a long open water boat ride anyway, from what I hear many get seasick.

Xcalak diving was ok at best. Nothing like Cozumel. However loved Xcalak and the off the grid and we did alot of topside stuff (ruiens are fantastic in that area but a bit of a drive).

Very few restaurants, but what was there was very good.

Place we stayed at had no phone, tv, and had to generate there own power.

I don't think i would go back for diving. If I was there I would dive but is not the rwason I would go visit.

 

[Asrael]

Spent a week at Xcalak. Dove there a few days looking to goto Chinchorro bank. Never got enough people to make the min number for the trip. It it a long open water boat ride anyway, from what I hear many get seasick.

Xcalak diving was ok at best. Nothing like Cozumel. However loved Xcalak and the off the grid and we did alot of topside stuff (ruiens are fantastic in that area but a bit of a drive).

Very few restaurants, but what was there was very good.

Place we stayed at had no phone, tv, and had to generate there own power.

I don't think i would go back for diving. If I was there I would dive but is not the rwason I would go visit.

Great! This is exactly what I was wondering re:the diving. And again points to going to Cozumel for that!

Xcalak does look like such a chill place to be topside. We like off grid Just not sure we want to drive 5 hours for it.
What did you find the beaches like there? Would it be worth going down for 4-5 days just to be low key? We would probably stay out of town.. Don't mind doing some driving around

Thanks so much!

 

[Alan P]

I also spent a week in Xcalak. Was looking to dive Banco Chinchorro but because of the conditions and not enough people to go never made it.. Dove every day because not much else going on and the diving was okay with some interesting dives but not Cozumel. After the sun went down nothing really going on when I was there so it was really off the grid. I would never spend a week there again but a few days would be great.

 

[mikeycanuk]

BUGS.

Bugs and more bugs. That's what would keep me from going back. We stayed at Mahauhal several years ago. Sure it had it's charms and wasn't Xcalak but is close and it's a wild and woolly area. Problem is going outside puts YOU on the menu. TheTabano's are yellow deer flies that are horrible nasty biting insects that won't leave your alone. My wife got orange sized welts from them. I also got stung on the a$$ by a (obviously) non-lethal scorpion that was in the bed sheets.
Food is good, there are Mennonites I was told in Belize (and Mexico) that supply awesome fresh cheese and chorizo. We had some awesome omelettes every morning.

Didn't dive then BUT we did make it to Chinchorro! THAT's a cool place. I booked the date months in advance and it turned out to be only decent sea day of our 10 day stay. They did want to move the date as it was after father's day and they like to sleep their hangovers away, but I said no and lucky I did.

Did I mention the teeny tiny ants bite too?

The beaches down that way are insane, miles and miles of wide open beautiful -but- garbage strewn beaches. Sad the amount of garbage in the oceans. And what's with all the flip flops? We had lots of fun collecting sea beans, we couldn't do much in the water due to a tropical storm leaving behind a wind storm that stuck around for a week afterward.

You will pass through some nice towns and villages with chances to buy lemons, mango's, pineapples depending on season of course. Bacalar is a nice town with a fort from the 1600's I believe.

And if you rent a car make sure they give you the lug that allows the spare to be taken off if you get a jeep (4X4's are good idea).

There isn't the marine park like in Coz so the big fish are gone, the groupers (aka the "crunch" in Chinchorro) are MIA.

It was a memorable vacation but not a place we would ever go back to, Cozumel is fun with a good dive/cost/ease ratio.

 

[Asrael]

I also spent a week in Xcalak. Was looking to dive Banco Chinchorro but because of the conditions and not enough people to go never made it.. Dove every day because not much else going on and the diving was okay with some interesting dives but not Cozumel. After the sun went down nothing really going on when I was there so it was really off the grid. I would never spend a week there again but a few days would be great.

Great! Appreciate this info and feedback It's helpful- as we only have 2 weeks

 

[Asrael]

BUGS.

Bugs and more bugs. That's what would keep me from going back. We stayed at Mahauhal several years ago. Sure it had it's charms and wasn't Xcalak but is close and it's a wild and woolly area. Problem is going outside puts YOU on the menu. TheTabano's are yellow deer flies that are horrible nasty biting insects that won't leave your alone. My wife got orange sized welts from them. I also got stung on the a$$ by a (obviously) non-lethal scorpion that was in the bed sheets.
Food is good, there are Mennonites I was told in Belize (and Mexico) that supply awesome fresh cheese and chorizo. We had some awesome omelettes every morning.

Didn't dive then BUT we did make it to Chinchorro! THAT's a cool place. I booked the date months in advance and it turned out to be only decent sea day of our 10 day stay. They did want to move the date as it was after father's day and they like to sleep their hangovers away, but I said no and lucky I did.

Did I mention the teeny tiny ants bite too?

The beaches down that way are insane, miles and miles of wide open beautiful -but- garbage strewn beaches. Sad the amount of garbage in the oceans. And what's with all the flip flops? We had lots of fun collecting sea beans, we couldn't do much in the water due to a tropical storm leaving behind a wind storm that stuck around for a week afterward.

You will pass through some nice towns and villages with chances to buy lemons, mango's, pineapples depending on season of course. Bacalar is a nice town with a fort from the 1600's I believe.

And if you rent a car make sure they give you the lug that allows the spare to be taken off if you get a jeep (4X4's are good idea).

There isn't the marine park like in Coz so the big fish are gone, the groupers (aka the "crunch" in Chinchorro) are MIA.

It was a memorable vacation but not a place we would ever go back to, Cozumel is fun with a good dive/cost/ease ratio.

Thanks for all this info! I had heard that the currents bring the garbage that way- it's so sad to see I am sure. And great to know about the bugs.. Thinking it may not be worth our time to go that way- BUT I have heard about Bacalar too.. and t sounds beautiful!

Where do you like to stay in Coz? and it sounds like you have travelled a bit in the Yucatan? Any other places you may recommend (or anyone that is reading this thread?)

Thanks!

 

[gopbroek]

About 5 ½ years back, prior to my first trip to Cozumel, I went down to Xcalak for 3-4 days and enjoyed the local reefs very much. I was able to make a day trip over to Chinchoro and found it very interesting but overall I think I preferred the local reefs around Xcalak. Xcalak is about 2/3rds the way down a peninsula between Chetumal bay and the Caribe with a boat channel to the bay cut through mangroves about a mile south of the village, which is the border with Belize. The lower third of the peninsula is Ambergris ‘Key’, Belize. I would assume the diving would be similar to Ambergris Key (I haven’t personally been there) but with a lot less divers due to it being in Mexican waters at the tail end of a sparsely populated area, it’s also a protected national marine park. I used the XTC dive center and found it to be a very professional shop and would highly recommend it. XTC Dive Center

Since that trip I got hooked on Cozumel and keep saying I will go back and visit Xcalak but somehow find myself unable to break loose from my Cozumel addiction for the last 600+ dives there. Overall I find the reefs of Cozumel beautiful and I just really like the island. It’s different from any other place in Mexico.

I would recommend a mid-trip excursion down to Xcalak for at least 2-3 days of diving. Highway 307 is a good road and the travel time is closer to 4 hours from Playa. When I went down I left Akumal at around 2:30 and pulled into Xcalak around 6 PM (I have a tendency to drive fast). I used Easyway car rental outside of the airport in CUN but they also have an office a couple blocks from the pier in Playa.

PS I went at the beginning of August and did not have a problem with bugs, but I do use bug spray whenever I am in a tropical area. Also went to Roatan and used bug spray religiously, no bites.