Interline Adventures....

COZUMEL:

SI, THE SCUBA DIVING IS BUENO

If you're a scuba diver, interline your way right away to Cozumel. If you're not a scuba diver, go to Cozumel anyway.

For divers, Cozumel is a Mexican diving mecca. For non-divers, Cozumel is the perfect place to try it or get certified during your interline vacation.

Simply stated, the Mexican island of Cozumel is one of the top diving destinations in the world. When you combine spectacular wall diving, excellent operators and resorts, and bargain-basement prices for tourists (thanks to the weak peso), you have a great dive destination.

Located just 12 miles from the Yucatan Peninsula and less than two hours by plane from Miami and Houston, Cozumel has been a diver's delight ever since the late Jacques Cousteau featured the island in a 1960s documentary. However, it still feels very much like a frontier Mexican destination and the intrusion of tacky tourist facilities has been limited. Thankfully, they can't build a McDonald's franchise underwater (yet).

Cozumel is a great diving destination thanks to the wall that drops off its western shore. A steady current running from the south brings in fresh nutrients and sea life, making each drift dive special. Just jump in the water and drift along the famed wall, surfacing to your awaiting dive boat. The gin-clear waters usually offer around 100 feet or so of visibility and common marine life sightings include huge groupers, black corals, giant sponges, moray eels, and much more.

Cozumel offers more than 100 dive operators, ranging from small one- or two-person operations to several major multi-boat facilities known throughout the world for service and offerings. This means recently certified and veteran divers can find what they want in a dive operation, including specialty dives, night dives, and advanced certification opportunities. In addition, the range of operators means Cozumel is a great place for interliners to try scuba diving for the first time or to get certified during a vacation. Novice divers can complete some certification work in advance or simply do everything once you get there (about 30-40 hours total time).

Each morning, dozens of dive boats head out to the reef, generally going south to famed dives at Punta Sur or Santa Rosa Wall. This is Cozumel wall diving at its best. The second, more shallow, dive features dive sites like Paradise Reef, Tormentos, Cedar Pass, Tormentos, Palancar Horseshoe and Gardens, or Chankanaab Caves. Afternoon dives follow a similar, though generally more shallow, pattern. In addition, night dives are available virtually every evening, with coral crabs and spiny lobsters among many flashlit highlights of the dark deep. These dives are just the tip of the sombrero, as divers can return for years without visiting the same dive sites.

Along with a wide range of operators, there's also a large variety of accommodations options. More than 5,000 rooms are available on the island, ranging from modern oceanfront resorts to small family-run hotels in the small island town of San Miguel. Dive package prices and interline discounts can make Cozumel siesta options quite reasonable.

Cozumel's residents welcome divers with open arms (and fins). The local people and dive shop employees are incredibly friendly. Though Spanish is the official language and tourist attempts at it always appreciated, English is spoken throughout the island. To get around, inexpensive taxis are available for short trips or longer tours. In addition, it's easy to rent a car or open jeep.

Downtown San Miguel is the place to head during topside time. The bustling town square is the best base, where weekend fiesta celebrations are quite common. Other surface interval highlights on Cozumel, include the Mayan ruins at San Gervasio, various recreational activities at Chankanaab Park, an awesome view from the lighthouse at Punta Celerain, and the Museum of Cozumel in San Miguel. At night, many restaurants and bars, including famed Carlos 'n Charlie's, offer Mexican fare, cold cervezas, and entertainment.

Further afield, it's easy to catch the frequent ferry over to Playa del Carmen on the mainland. From this fun beach town, you can arrange a trip north to Cancun, the cenotes of Akumel, or the extensive ruins of Tulum.

Whether you're a veteran interlining diver or an underwater virgin, Cozumel should be a top spot on your flight plans. Just say "Si!"

Some Spanish for Cozumel Divers

What time does the boat leave?

A que' hora sale el barco?

Is the equipment included in the cost?

Esta' incluido el equipo en el costo?

Who is the divemaster?

Quie'n es el li'der del eqipo de buceo?

Help!

Ayuda!

This is not working properly.

Esto no esta' funcionando bien.