Dive Travel Notes:
Cozumel
By Jen Hopper, November 2014.
If you only have one day for diving in Cozumel, a good day would be: Colombia Deep, Colombia Shallow or Gardens, and a night dive at Paradise Reef. Also Bricks in the Colombia area, nice swim-throughs and canyons.
Great operation in Cozumel: Chili Charters, René Mena ("Canamaya").
Web page: www.chilicharters.com/scuba/
Phone (Mexico): +52-987-872-1685
Phone (US): 954-999-4215
Email: info@chilicharters.com
Boat: Belinda.
Pick up at Aqua Safaris pier: Rafael Melgar and Calle 5 sur
US$142.50/person (as of 2014).
Ferry terminal location: https://goo.gl/maps/shte2
Cost (2014): MX$163/person single trip
Ferry to Cozumel: There are two companies, Mexico Water Jets and Ultramar. They both work every day, but they take alternating days in their starting location. That is, if one day you take the 9 am ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel and it was with Mexico Water Jets, the following day the 9 am ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel will be with Ultramar. So, check which company will be leaving on the day and time you want. And don't pay attention to all the people around the ferry terminal trying to trick you into listening to their sales pitch!
México Water Jets
Ph: +52-984-8793-112
Ing. Omar Fabian Rodriguez
ofrodriguez@mexicowaterjets.com.mx
Web page: www.mexicowaterjets.com.mx
Ultramar
Ph: +52-998-881-5890
Web page: www.granpuerto.com.mx
Car ferry to Cozumel: Leaving from the quarry south of Playa del Carmen. MX$460/car (as of 2014).
Posted by Bill Gomez on BA Diving on 8 January 2015.
You can drive a rental car from Playa del Carmen or Cancun to Chechen Itza on the toll road in about 4 hours. From there, Merida is a pretty short drive. Then, it is about 1.5 hours from Merida to Uxmal by car. Both sites are well worthwhile.
Posted by Bob Brockman on BA Diving on 8 January 2015.
American Airlines is the way to go - you get in Cozumel at 12pm. I recommend flying into Texas the day before so you miss the red eye.
Posted by Barbara Dwyer on BA Diving on 9 January 2015.
I recommend contacting German Yañez on Cozumel. He has lived there for years and has explored the local caves. He can recommend a guide or even guide you himself. Here is his info: http://www.germanyanez.com/training/buceo-subterraneo.html. If you want to ask me offline, I can recommend several other shops/guides on the mainland (no caverns on Cozumel).
Posted by Kevin Dow on BA Diving on 9 January 2015.
A couple other names as well that I would recommend if you are looking for an operator on the mainland side.
Dennis Weeks - Diablo Divers (http://diablodivers.com/)
Steve Bogaerts - Go Side Mount (http://www.gosidemount.com/)
and on the GUE side of diving: Zero Gravity - (http://www.zerogravity.com.mx/)
With a safe and responsibile guide, the cavern diving in Mexico is not to be missed.