Scuba - Cancun vs. Cozumel?
 

We are attending a wedding in Cancun next week, and have decided to make it a week long vacation. I am very interested in scuba diving on one of the days. We are wondering if the trek to Cozumel is really worth if for novice divers or if there is any good diving in Cancun? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Frankly, there is NO diving in Cancun.

(As opposed to Coz which has some of the best diving in the world.)

I had read on a diving site that Cozumel is not as good for beginner divers and that Cancun actually has a larger variey of things to see. I know the reputation of Cozumel for diving, but was trying to decide if it was worth the trip for a day or not.

The reason one would say that Coz is not as good for beginning divers is that most of the diving (but not all) is drift diving, and most of the sites are 70-80' with a current that can be a challenge for the buoyancy skills of new divers.

If you are just going for the day though, there are two very nice dive sites that are great for new divers - Chankanaab Park and Paradise reef.

BUT, the trip would be all day and you would have to take a bus/taxi/car to Playa del Carmen and then the ferry over to Coz.

Another option would be to take the ferry over to Isla Mujeres and dive there.

Or, you could take a bus/taxi a little further down the road to Akumal and dive there.

My guess is (and correct me if I'm wrong) that you would just like to have a fun low-stress dive where you can enjoy your new skills and see some neat underwater life.

I'd opt for Isla Mujeres or Akumal (Akumal is better).

What I would NOT do is go anywhere with Aqua World in Cancun. They pack a bunch of people on board and by the time everyone gets in the water, the fish have fled and there is pandemonium in the water.

Go with a small group that will give you personal attention.

Hi Diana,

How do you think the snorkeling is at Isla Mujer? Maybe you can rate it on a scale from 1-10 with Cozumel being a 10. Actual can you rate Akumal too. I'm on my way out of town today for the week so I won't be able to answer you back for a few days should you have questions. Thanks.

For snorkeling, I'd rate IM at a 5 and Akumal at a 7.
(There are more sites, and more coral and lots of fish in Akumal.)
Cozumel is a definite 10 though.
Another possibility would be Puerto Morelos.
It's not nearly as far as Akumal, and has very good snorkeling right offshore with loads of people ready to take you out on their boats from the collectivo for $20 pp (negotiable) for 2 hours; and some neat beach bars/restaurants to go to after you snorkel.

Thanks for getting back so fast. This gives me a good perspective on things. I have one more question. What condo in Playa do you think is the best? Playa Inn Xaman Ha or Fisherman's Wharf. I've read that staying on the beach can sometimes be noisy at night because of the beach bars. It seems that these two are the only facilities that offer a two bedroom on the beach so I wondered if one is nicer than the other, or quieter at night, or is a closer walk (probably tough for one of 'em to have all three). Thanks again.

Actually, I would look into Playa Maya hotel. playa-maya.com

We have stayed there twice - most recently in May.

Very clean, quiet and have rooms that you can connect to make a family suite. (Also is very reasonably priced.) They have little tables and a mini-fridge, but there are so many great restaurants to sample, we never wanted to stay in and eat anyway.

It is at a much better location than the others you asked about, and you would only need to take taxis or rent a car if you wanted to leave PDC for some reason.

It is centrally-located within walking distance of everything, and a great small family-oriented place.

Thanks, I'll look into this. It will only be for a few days before we stay in Cozumel for the week so maybe getting connecting rooms will be the way to go. We want to enjoy all the restaurants anyways and probably wouldn't really cook, the minifridge would allow the snacks.

Nutmeg: for the novice diver, Cancun offers some good diving. Having dived both Cancun and Cozumel, I think the main difference is that Coz has more reefs to dive than Cancun, and the reefs are a bit healthier. Otherwise, you can see some amazine marine life in Cancun. The key is getting the right dive op. I recommend Manta Divers. It is operated by John and Mimi, a couple from Texas, and they run a good operation. They only take out small groups and are reasonably priced. We've used them before when we either didn't have a whole day to trek to Cozumel or didn't want to take the time. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you use them for your dive in Cancun.

Thank you all for your wonderful adivce. I was wondering if you knew of any reputable dive shops on Isla Mujeres? It looks like the best place within the closest proximity to go diving. =)

Hi Diana,

The Playa Mayan Hotel won't take our reservation because it is only for three nights in March. We would have to stay a minimum of 7 nights but already have a place in Cozumal for 7 nights. We wanted to spend 3 nights of our 10 night vacation in PDC so we can experience it (Plus I don't want to take the ferry back and forth for a few of the things we want to do on the mainland - kids get seasick too easy. Any other suggestions? I'm checking around but it looks like a lot of people have this policy.

WOW! People sure are picky during high season. I never would have thought they would have a minimum stay of 7 nights.

There have got to be other condos in the area.

I know, go to playadelcarmeninfo.com and post.

They have a VERY active board with lots of locals and tourists, and I know someone there can point you in the right direction to get the perfect.

Since it's just my husband and me, I'm not too familiar with places that would be as good fit for families with kids, but I know there are lots of places to stay, and someone will be able to help you find a place in PDC for 3 nights.

Good luck!

As to Xaman ha condos vs. fisherman's, xaman ha is located closer to town, is a bit older (most rooms are showing a little age, but are still in good shape) and, while close to the action, not noisy.

Fisherman's is further into Playacar (closer to the all inclusives), is more posh (I really liked the rooms), has a few timeshare hawkers and is busier. I didn't find it noisy, either.

Both are great, but I like Xaman Ha because of its proximity to town.

I don't believe there are any dive ops on Isla Mujeres - you would have to come over to Cancun.

Thanks for the advice. I'll have a look at playadelcarmeninfo it will be nice to look at other boards just for the info. I have a travel agent looking into Xaman Ha since I can't book direct. I don't like to usually do this, I always like to book direct with the property, less chance of a problem. I'm sure I'll find someone who will be willing to take us in. Also, Thanks Elvis. I was wondering the difference between these two properties. I would rather be closer to town too since it's such a short stay.

I need to correct myself on the seven night minimum at Playa Maya in March, it is actually a four night minimum - not seven. I misinterpreted the info. I can definitely understand this minimum, especially if you're a small property. You need to fill all the rooms the best you can, it's just smart business this time of year. A three night stay like we need is probably unusual.

Sorry for posting wrong info.

Diana - could I ask you a quick Q about what you wrote in an earlier post in thread?

"Another possibility would be Puerto Morelos. It's not nearly as far as Akumal, and has very good snorkeling right offshore with loads of people ready to take you out on their boats from the collectivo for $20 pp (negotiable) for 2 hours; and some neat beach bars/restaurants to go to after you snorkel"

Could you elaborate? We will be near Puerto Morelos in March as we are staying 7 nights at the Paraiso de la Bonita. They offer 2 hours of snorkeling for 300 pesos per person (4 to 8 in a group), or 900 (for two people) for 2 hours private snorkel trip.

What is the "collectivo" you refer to, and where does one find it? How many folks do they try to take out in the boat? Also, do you recall the names of some of the neat bars/restaurants or aren't there that many and it will be obvious?

Thanks for your help if you see this!

Hi Happy.

The collectivo is a kind of cooperative of fishermen and local boat owners who are permitted to take tourists out to the reef on their boats.

You don't have to worry about finding them - they will find you! :) As soon as you get out of the taxi or rental car, you will begin getting people asking you if you would like to snorkel.

They are not rude or insistent about it. I would suggest going on down to the beach/dock area where everyone is and indicating that you would like to go. I imagine it would depend on the size of the boat (most are small fishing boats) as to how many they can take, but I'm sure if you had a large group they could take more than one boat out. The reef is not far - just offshore - but too far to swim to.

I'm not sure if they do it like a taxi stand, and the next person in line gets to take the snorkelers out, but that is what it looked like to me.

The town is really cute, and the best restaurant is right on the beach (can't miss it) - the Pelicano. Also good we heard is the (I think) Black Mushroom and also there's a new place that was opened by one of the partners in Johnny Cairo's that is supposed to be fantastic. Most of them are all right there together.

Thank you, Diana! I am glad to know there are a few spots in Puerto Morelos for dinner, etc... The resort doesn't have too much variety restaurant-wise and I am sure we won't want to eat there much. We are looking to snorkle a couple of times so this is great info!