Snorkling/Diving in the Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico

[Lance]

We have decided to take a trip to the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico this winter. As we have always holidayed on the Pacific side we have little knowledge of the Atlantic. I'm looking for suggestions from those of you who have. I'm going to get my diving certification, and Joan wants to try some snorkling; so we are looking for a destination that can provide both. IE: a shallow reef, (she's afraid of deeper water), where she and I can snorkel together; as well as a good diving area for me. Of course, we also want to partake in the eating, drinking, laying around on the beach, sight seeing, shopping, part of a holiday as well. :lol:
We have been researching these areas but personal experiences are always better; so we would be grateful for any of your input.
Thanks, Lance

[kien]

We have decided to take a trip to the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico this winter. As we have always holidayed on the Pacific side we have little knowledge of the Atlantic. I'm looking for suggestions from those of you who have. I'm going to get my diving certification, and Joan wants to try some snorkling; so we are looking for a destination that can provide both. IE: a shallow reef, (she's afraid of deeper water), where she and I can snorkel together; as well as a good diving area for me. Of course, we also want to partake in the eating, drinking, laying around on the beach, sight seeing, shopping, part of a holiday as well. :lol:
We have been researching these areas but personal experiences are always better; so we would be grateful for any of your input.
Thanks, Lance

I don't have location suggestions for that area, but if you get a chance or the opportunity while you are there, I would highly recommend that your wife try snuba. You may have already heard about it or even tried it. If not, it is a great compromise between snorkling and scuba diving. If you google it you'll learn all about it. My wife and I tried it while we were in Maui this past april. No certification required and we went down as deep as the diving crew that was with us on our boat. Not super deep (maybe 15, 20 feet?) but deep enough to see some more interesting things than snorkling.

[Bayside Corals]

I Have been to the Myan rivera (Mexico) Cozumel (Mexico) and Holguin (Cuba)

If you want to see really awesome stuff close to shore then the Grand sirennis in the Myan was the best by far! Crazy colored zoas, ricordea, elk horn coral sting rays, and tonns of other sweet stuff close to shore for snorkeling.

The diving around there was ok but not the greatest. The Diving in Cozumel was way better! One of the dive sites we went to was called the santa rosa wall dive it is a steep reef wall dive with tons of nice coral/sponges, schools of fully grown queen angels, grey angels, french angels, lots of yellow tail snapper, and many more too much to list! we also saw a seahore closer to shore in Cozumel.

Holguin Cuba had good snorkeling but most of the cool stuff was further from shore about 20 - 30' deep water. We would hold our breath and swim down. Saw lots of Volitan lionfish, scorpionfish, squid, Tangs, damsels, many kinds of coral etc. The diving there was pretty sweet with the coral and the very uniqe reef structure. But there were not many Larger fish like Angels, Baraccuda like I have seen in other places.

I hope that helps and if you have any other questions let me know! I also have pictures from Cuba i will see if i can find them.

Colby

[sphelps]

I stayed in the Myan but wasn't impressed with the condition of the local reefs near by. If you stay anywhere near Playa de Carmen or Cancun you really need to take full day trips to see the good stuff, absolutely nothing off the resort shores. Also a hurricane was through there recently and when I was there in May you could see it certainly had a big effect on the reefs. Diving will be much better than snorkeling.

Cuba was good, I was at the same place as Colby. The snorkeling off the resort was good and the diving was also very good. Diving was a little sketchier than I like, equipment was fairly old and likely poorly maintained. On every dive someone had some kind of leak problem, I myself ran out once due to a leak from the tank valve. But I wasn't ever really that worried, but my gf was pretty freaked out the whole time. Actually most of Cuba's stuff was a little rough around the edges, I recall breaking through a net on a catamaran and being tossed in the open ocean, ahaha but if I could back I wouldn't change a thing. Good thing was we used the dives as certification dives and didn't have to do any skills :biggrin: Not too many fish except for the lions, which were certainly the highlight of the trip, but lots of unusual corals if you looked close enough. I also have pictures posted here (http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=49134).

I've also dove in Jamaica which had Padi certified shops and much better equipment. Diving was OK but I saw more in Cuba, but it also depends where you go and what you're looking for and hoping to see. They have a few nursery reefs around the island which are the best I've seen to date, great for snorkeling and quick ride on the boat from the resort. Snorkeling off the resort was good but it depends where you go, we went to the Gran Bahia Principe in Runaway Bay, it was brand new at the time so the reefs off shore where still in good shape.

We're now planning a trip to the Dreams La Romana Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic. The snorkeling off the resort is suppose to be awesome and I've seen a few pictures that look promising. They are also suppose to have some of the best dive sites in a Caribbean close by. We chose this resort mainly for the snorkeling and diving opportunities but also because the price is reasonable.

Good luck with your decision, no matter what it'll be a good time.

[Treebeard]

I did my certification dives in November 2008 in Akumal, which is just south of Playa del Carmen, and saw oodles of fish and coral. The Mayan Riviera is a very long coast, so I guess it depends on where you go.
There is also great shallow water snorkeling in Half Moon bay which is north of Akumal Bay. Lots and lots of fish and huge coral formations there!

There is also lots of cenote dives you can do on the Mayan Riviera.

Xel-Ha (http://www.xelha.com/) is also close by.

We also spent a few days on Cozumel, but only managed a couple of dives do to windy conditions. I actually enjoyed the diving in Akumal better, but we were limited to where we could dive off Cozumel because of the wind. We definitely want to go back to Cozumel.

Before my wife immigrated to Canada, she worked as a dive instructor on Grand Cayman, and we plan on going there one of these winters too.

[sphelps]

If you do go to the Myan, do lots of research and find out exactly where you should go and be prepared to do it without tour groups. I think our biggest mistake was going in a reputable tour group, we went to a bay in Akumal which is apparently known for snorkeling but it had brackish water which really screwed up the visibility. My gf has been to Xel-Ha but says it's over rated with a good amount of fish but nothing much else to see.

The cenotes were definitely the coolest part of the trip. Not 100% sure but you may need special certification to dive them though.

[lastlight]

I snorkelled quite a bit off the shore of Akumal Beach Resort and saw some cool things like a school of massive tarpons (scared me BAD), a big turtle, big ray and huge schools of blue tangs grazing. I followed these schools (hundreds of tangs) from one pile of rock to another it was a blast.

As far as corals go I didn't know what I was seeing at the time but there isn't anything crazy colorful. I think mostly big piles of the greey/yellow porites? No idea I'm still no good with Id. I don't think I saw any branching acros or anything.

That resort is for families. Pretty quiet and great for a non party-guy such as myself. I gained a few pounds and burned about 10 layers off my back and legs snorkelling. Great success!

[Treebeard]

Hey Brett, I stayed at ABR in September 2007, about a month after hurricane Dean. When did you stay there?

We snorkeled directly in front of the Lo Ha and the water was really clear. I wonder what happened to make it brackish.

Last November we stayed at the Hotel Akumal Caribe, next door to the dive shop and the Lo Ha. It's not an AI like the ABR, but it was nice to be able to eat and drink where ever we wanted.

[Bayside Corals]

I have also been to Xel-Ha and would not spend the money to go back. Lots of fish but hardly any coral if any at all.

I did my Certification with The Akumel Dive shop in and around that area and it was ok. Saw some Sea Turtels which were cool but Cozumel and Cuba were better in my opinion as there was alot more coral diversity to go along with the fish.

Colby

[Treebeard]

There is no special certification is required to dive the cenotes unless the dive is listed as a cave dive.

If you do go to the Myan, do lots of research and find out exactly where you should go and be prepared to do it without tour groups. I think our biggest mistake was going in a reputable tour group, we went to a bay in Akumal which is apparently known for snorkeling but it had brackish water which really screwed up the visibility. My gf has been to Xel-Ha but says it's over rated with a good amount of fish but nothing much else to see.

The cenotes were definitely the coolest part of the trip. Not 100% sure but you may need special certification to dive them though.

[russp]

we go to Akumal every winter & stay at the Akumal Beach Resort , it is a small 3 star all inclusive resort. the rooms are nothing great , the food is good but the location is the best anywhere in the Mayan Riviera. y ou can walk out in the bay in front of the hotel & swim with giant sea turtles ,we regularly see 6-8 turtles every time we snorkle. as well we have seen leopard rays , cow nose ray , & dozens of sand rays of all sizes, barracuda all types of angelfish ,anemones etc. walk 3 minutes down the beach & you are in town, not a posh resort but a great place to stay & close to everything you need. the cenote tours are great as well & available for cert. divers or snorkelers.

[pinhead]

I have snorkled in Fiji, Bali, Hawaii, Mexico, the Barrier Reef and in Jamaica and I was very impressed with Jamaica this past spring.

Where we stayed, the reef was accessible right off the beach with as good a variety of fish and corals as I've seen anywhere. For someone who is not a confident snorkeler, this is a huge advantage because you are in shallow, protected waters. A boat trip out to an outer reef can be expensive, through rough waters, hours in length, inflexible as far as departure times and very intimidating to snorkelers who have to jump in off of a boat.

A direct flight to Jamaica is only about an hour longer than that to Mexico and we found the food, people and variety of activities to be superior than Mexico.

[Treebeard]

Just in case you are missing the beach... (http://www.locogringo.com/Upload/akumal-beach-cam.html) :biggrin:

we go to Akumal every winter & stay at the Akumal Beach Resort , it is a small 3 star all inclusive resort. the rooms are nothing great , the food is good but the location is the best anywhere in the Mayan Riviera. y ou can walk out in the bay in front of the hotel & swim with giant sea turtles ,we regularly see 6-8 turtles every time we snorkle. as well we have seen leopard rays , cow nose ray , & dozens of sand rays of all sizes, barracuda all types of angelfish ,anemones etc. walk 3 minutes down the beach & you are in town, not a posh resort but a great place to stay & close to everything you need. the cenote tours are great as well & available for cert. divers or snorkelers.

[russp]

sure, now i won't be able to get any work done cause i will be watching the web cam all day. last year we stood in front of the camera & called home to our kids , they thought it was neat. can't wait till january

[68shelby]

I have been there the last 4 years and like a few others have said the reefs are still beat up from previous hurricanes. That being said if you want to stay at the akumal beach resort they have probably the best beach and reef in frt of it for snorkeling by far. I have stayed at four different resorts in the mayan but the akumal wins hands down for reefs just off the beach. The diving I have done down on the rest of my trips was forgetable. Try grand cayman for diving . I think mexico needs a few more years to heal, for diving.

[Lance]

Ok, thanks for the info people. Much appreciated. We are researching Akumal, Cozumel as well as Cuba. I know lots of people who have vacationed in Cuba and love it, but as far as the diving goes I can't find nearly as much info as the Mexican dive sites. :noidea:

[Lance]

She has made a decision: We are staying at Barcelo Maya Colonial Resort in Puerto Aventuras. Anybody been her before?

[Treebeard]

Never been there, but I see the place I use when I book handles it. If you have not already booked it, I recommend LocoGringo (http://www.locogringo.com/index.cfm). Here is the specific page (http://www.locogringo.com/pto-aventuras/barcelomayacolonialtropical.html?name=Barcelo%20Ma ya%20Colonial%20Tropical) on the place you are staying. Looks nice! If you sign up on for forums (http://forums.locogringo.com/forums/default.asp)and ask a question about the resort in the All Inclusive section, I am sure you will get some answers about the place.