Where to Snorkel: Cozumel, Costa Maya or Grand Cayman?

[iujen94]

DS and I are going on Western Caribbean cruise at the end of this month. Our stops include Cozumel, Costa Maya and Grand Cayman. We only want to spend one day snorkeling - which of these places would be best? Thanks!

[Trvlbugs]

If the condition of the reefs are still good in cozymel, that would be my advice. the reefs were beautiful there. My husband and I went snorkelling in grand caymen with the stingrays and this was a once in a lifetime experience!

[gkrebs]

DS and I are going on Western Caribbean cruise at the end of this month. Our stops include Cozumel, Costa Maya and Grand Cayman. We only want to spend one day snorkeling - which of these places would be best? Thanks!

 

If I had to choose only one day, I would do it in GC. Since shopping is expensive you can save that for Cozumel

[Lsimon]

Grand Cayman is great. Essentially all the snorkeling tours go to Sting Ray city and then stop at one or two other snorkeling spots. Highly recommended! If you look at the Cayman board you'll see several vendors recommended over the ships excursions. We went on Captain Marvins and enjoyed it - but make sure you have time to meet them. Tendering in Grand Cayman can be slow at times.

 

There is also great snorkeling from shore a couple of blocks south (turn left on road) of the tender docks - Eden Rock.

 

Cozumel had great spots too. We've heard great reports in past on reef excursions but always went to a park ourselves. Don't know how it is at the park post-hurricane.

 

Costa Maya - No good snorkeling by the pier - not sure about excursions from this port as we stayed near pier.

[shay1]

We have been to Costa Maya twice now and we have snorkeled right off the beach once on the side that you are not allowed to go to now. Last time was 12/28/05.

 

If you have your own snorkel equipment you will have a great time here.

 

Although you will not have a colorful reef you will get to see quite a lot of fish. In fact we saw two of the largest Porcupinefish we have ever seen by the rocky shore line. Saw a couple of large lobsters too. We had a Remora fish try to attach to us the whole time we were out there diving. Saw a Barracuda, many Butterfly fish and a lot of other color and large fish.

 

We love to dive/snorkel and always take our own equipment with us on our 23 cruises so far (booked #24 for May 14 Valor Western Caribbean). This will be our first time to Roatan and Belize, would love to hear of recommendations of where to go to snorkel while we are there. We have been to the South Pacific, Hawaii, Eastern, Southern, Western Caribbean we love cruise to be able to dive/snorkel all over the world (working on it) :)

 

Cozumel we went on a small boat that we booked right off the downtown pier that we tendered into. We were here on 12/29/05. The Island has suffered a lot of damage and our favorite dive site right off shore Dzuhal was destroyed. I understand that the inshore reefs suffered the most damage. :( We did 3 drift dives for $25 pp) The water clarity was great, saw a lot of beautiful fish, some of the largest Parrot fish I have ever seen. We saw 2 Eagle Rays feeding on the bottom they were beautiful.

 

Grand Cayman we love to go to Eden Rocks if weather permits. We have been there diving with the turtels, nurse sharks and tons of beautiful fish. The reef is really nice the further you go out into the deep blue water.

 

Anytime under water is great! Just get out there and enjoy. :)

[scubaran]

Hi,

 

I have to add my vote for GC. Depending on your snorkel skills it has the calmest waters and the snorkeling is close to shore. As the last poster said, Cozumel is a drift snorkel due to the top-side currents around the island. Both offer clear, warm water but I know my wife, who isn't that great of a swimmer felt much more comfortable in GC than drifting off the coast of Cozumel. You actually have two choices in GC, if you haven't done Stingray City, it is pretty amazing to play and swim with the stingrays (and we aren't talking about 1 or 2 but a huge number of them), or if you want to go with an independent operator, they go along the reefs on the western edge (Georgetown side) of GC. Both choices are really nice.

 

Randall

[spot on the map]

Iujen94,

Being a diver, I am a big fan of Cozumel, been there on 5 different occasions. 3 times as week long land based stays and twice as day trips from ships port of calls, but not since last summer’s storms. In 20 days (but who’s counting) the wife and I will be returning there on NCL’s Sun western Caribbean itinerary. If your skill level is good, you will love the feeling of flying over the reef on the mild current taking you northward. Paradise Reef was “THE” snorkeling place to be, but again that was before last summer’s storms. I will post a review of how Under Sea Cozumel is recovering from the disaster upon my return.

 

Shay1,

Rotan is near the top of my list of dive destinations in the western Caribbean. If your taking your SCUBA gear try to get to Coco View Resort, they have a wall just off their beach the is the most breath taking wall I have ever dove on. From the surface it drops more than 400’ darn near straight down. Protected from fishing, it (was at the time ) full of life and very colorful. They also have a wreck that is a shore dive just off their beach.

As far as Belize goes, most of the good stuff is out off the mainland in the cays. Ambergris, Truneffe, Half Moon, and Light House are the ones I have been to. But if you call yourself a diver you must, at least once in your life, dive THE BLUE HOLE. DIVE BELIZE, The Great Blue Hole, Ambergris Caye, Belize, Diving in the Caribbean.

 

I hope this was helpful to both of you.

Spot On The Map

[ISLABONITA]

We love to dive/snorkel and always take our own equipment with us on our 23 cruises so far (booked #24 for May 14 Valor Western Caribbean).

Cozumel we went on a small boat that we booked right off the downtown pier that we tendered into. We did 3 drift dives for $25 pp) The water clarity was great, saw a lot of beautiful fish, some of the largest Parrot fish I have ever seen. We saw 2 Eagle Rays feeding on the bottom they were beautiful. :)

 

What boat tour did you take in Cozumel? and when you take gear do you take your fins also? I signed up with Mayan tours and they are taking us to 3 reefs over a 3 and 1/2 hour period near Aldora pier. Is this the same one you took for $25?

[shay1]

Yes we take fins, botties, wet suite, mask and snorkel with us in our dive bags.

 

They took us to Pardise Reef, we did 3 different spots. They actually put us in a taxi from the dock to the marina where we boarded the boat.

 

I am sorry I do not remember the name of the operation we used. I do know we stopped at a couple of them to see where they went, how many dive sites, how long and what price.