Coz or Roitan for SCUBA

[Jim2112]

Just got re-certified and girlfriend got her PADI...From the cruise Am i reading that Roitan is better than Cozumel:D? Thought Coz was "the place"

Im interested in opinions on which to choose and if you have time why?

[092306]

I have dove in both places.

 

Roatan had more sea life and water was alot warmer. However visibility was ok. Turtles and groupers are EVERYWHERE.

 

 

Cozumel the visibility is out of this world. More along the lines of alot of fish, however there are turtles, lobsters, eels. Water temp was a little cooler, but its not bad.

 

If you ask me I would do both, if possible, but if i had to choose one, COZUMEL w/o a doubt.

 

Just what i prefer

[Kryssa]

I have never been to Roatan, but I feel like Cozumel is over-hyped. Also you have to be comfortable drift diving as I believe it is all drift diving. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If you have the opportunity, I would dive both. There isn't much else to do in both those ports other than beach, shopping, ziplining, ect. I feel like diving would be better than all those options :)

[Fourseventeen]

Both are nice but personally I would pick Roatan if I had to choose one or the other.

[tdcjerry]

I have never been to Roatan, but I feel like Cozumel is over-hyped. Also you have to be comfortable drift diving as I believe it is all drift diving. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If you have the opportunity, I would dive both. There isn't much else to do in both those ports other than beach, shopping, ziplining, ect. I feel like diving would be better than all those options :)

 

We are diving in Roatan ( first time) Costa Maya (first time) Cozumel ( second time) and Belize ( third time) in two weeks, I'll get updates. I do remember Cozumel was a drift dive.

[tdcjerry]

Costa Maya we had rain but some fun dives after the rain stopped, we used Dream dive

Roatan we did 2 great dives, viz was over 50 feet. We used Anthonys key resort, we will be back to stay at this one.

[gliner]

Roatan for sure now. Cozumel was incredible prior to hurricane damage and would have been my first choice. The reefs have not recovered from that.

[Laurie S.]

I dove Cozumel in May and August this year and the reefs looked pretty darn good to me. In fact, they looked better than at Roatan. I'm going back to both places in December and January.

[Friscorays]

Both: nice reefs at each location but nature being nature you never know what wildlife you'll get to see until you see it!

[gliner]

I dove Cozumel in May and August this year and the reefs looked pretty darn good to me. In fact, they looked better than at Roatan. I'm going back to both places in December and January.

 

If you had seen the reefs prior to the hurricane damage, you would see the difference. Of course, opinions are like dives, every one is different.

[Stevesan]

Roatan for sure now. Cozumel was incredible prior to hurricane damage and would have been my first choice. The reefs have not recovered from that.

 

 

The near shore reefs at Cozumel suffered extensive damage from Wilma. Fortunately, 80% of the off shore reefs were left in tact. They are still excellent, especially Punta Sur and Palancar.

 

http://www.travelnotes.cc/cozumel/links/reefs.html

[Laurie S.]

Punta Tunich, Chankanaab, and Cedar Grove also are excellent.

[gliner]

As I said, opinions vary. I dove Palancar reef many times prior to hurricane Wilma and after. I saw a big change in the reef. It's not what it was, and likely never will be again given the decades it takes for the coral to grow. Of course your mileage may vary.