Vivid01

Hi All,

I am trying to plan a first-time trip to Mexico, PDC area and would like some tips. What I want to do is get some quality snorkeling done (been before on the Great Barrier Reef) and not at all adverse to boat cruises (just not 100 people on board). I also want to see some ruins and culture. My thoughts so far is to base out of PDC/Tulum area at an all-inclusive place and daytrip to Cozumel for snorkeling. Is it feasible to get a quality offshore snorkeling trip in Cozumel and get back to PDC in a reasonable time or should I plan to spend a night there? Do the AI's offer these types of tours as well?

Thanks much!

jette

Was there something specific on Coz you wanted to do? I'm asking because if it's just about the snorkeling I'm not sure you need/want to go all the way over there JUST to snorkle. The reefs over there were hit very hard in a hurricane 2+ years ago and generally are overused by the hoards of cruisers Coz normally gets.

There are lots of places in the PDC/Tulum/Puerto Morales area with great snorkeling that are much easier to get to if you're not already over on Coz.

TC

I agree with Jette. We spend every February on Cozumel and I snorkel everyday. The reefs were hit hard during Hurricane Wilma. They are making a wonderful recovery, but it certainly is no comparison to the GBR (I've been there too). In fact, there is no place in the Caribbean that compares to the GBR. The Caribbean just doesn't have the soft corals or bommies that you saw in AU. A day trip to CZM would really be disappointing to you. The standard boat trips would indeed take you to overused locations that would hold little or no interest. We have a condo in CZM and stay for a month each year. In that long time period, I spend hours and hours in the water. Our condo is located right on a big coral wall, so I am able to just "sit" in the water and watch for the reef's micro life. On occasion we are rewarded with the appearance of rays or dolphins or large eels, but the odds are you wouldn't see that on the typical one afternoon boat trip. At this point in time, the CZM reefs are more about fish than about coral and it takes some time to sit still enough to allow those encounters to happen.

Here's the question -- what is your priority? Do you want to go to Mexico or do you want to do "quality" snorkeling? If its Mexico, then you would love Cozumel. Its a wonderful little island with plenty to offer. I would suggest you base there and spend some slow time in the water, knowing that the snorkeling isn't as good as the GBR. If its all about the snorkeling, I would suggest you consider other destinations. We especially loved Roatan, Honduras for the shore snorkeling. Others on this board have many good suggestions. If you really want some <u>amazing snorkeling</u>, consider going to French Polynesia.

TC

Additionally: If you still want to do this trip, it would be easier to base in CZM and do your snorkeling there on a leisurly basis while making a day trip by ferry crossing to Tulum or to Chichen Itza by car or by plane for the ruins.

Vivid01

Thanks so much for the suggestions, my only reason for hitting Cozumel was for the snorkeling and it seems I can do that reasonably down in PDC/Tulum area. I will keep in mind that note on French Polynesia though