Main Menu
Join Undercurrent on Facebook

The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975 | |
For Divers since 1975
The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975
"Best of the Web: scuba tips no other
source dares to publish" -- Forbes
X
 

Dive Review of Dive Palancar/Allegro Cozumel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan

Dive Palancar/Allegro Cozumel: "Cozumel February 2015", Feb, 2015,

by Shawn McDermott, FL, US (Contributor Contributor 16 reports with 12 Helpful votes). Report 8155.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation N/A Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments First trip of 2015, three more trips planned this year, and the first time I visited since the hotel burned in August 2014. The Allegro Cozumel is now open and has some of the best food I've had there for as long as I can remember--but I came to dive!
I did 35 nitrox tanks with Dive Palancar. DP is no longer associated with any particular hotel, but will pick you up at any hotel if you call them ahead of time or make arrangements by email. I don't bother with the on-site operator aside from saying buenos dias when I board a Dive Palancar boat from the Allegro pier.
It's mostly the same schedule every day--900 dive 1 deep dive, 45-60 min interval, 1030 back in on dive 2 less than 60ft. Each dive 40-45 minutes, for the most part they'll have you back at your hotel by 1200 or 1230. Memorable dives include a squadron of four 8' wingspan spotted eagle rays all stacked in formation like stealth bombers--nearly motionless. Awesome. And turtles on most shallow dives, one day 12 or more, also plenty of nurse sharks swimming freely, big green morays, clouds of literally millions of fish at my fave shallow dive. The water got down to maybe 76F and I had to laugh at all the divers from "up north" in their multiple layers of neoprene--I might have been a little chilly on one or two dives, but I only wear a lycra skin. I guess if I were a true dive monster I'd be going 4 or 5 times a day and would need some more exposure protection, but that would cut into my afternoon/evening relax time.
The reefs are in pretty good shape, some better than others. I watched in shock as a photographer from another group lagged behind, set up a little tripod with his gopro on the coral, then produced a light on a handle which was also propped up on the reef. I swam up and read him the riot act (underwater) with appropriate hand gestures, and he shrugged and swam off. Where the heck was my underwater taser when I really needed it?
See you down there in May/June, August/September, and November/December!
Websites Dive Palancar   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Florida, Jamaica, Cayman, San Sal, Provo, St. Vincent, Bonaire, Curacao, Belize, Abaco, Grand Bahama, Dom Republic, Costa Rica
Closest Airport San Miguel, Cozumel Getting There Never easy--not too many gateway cities direct to Cozumel, also pretty pricey these days

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy, cloudy, dry Seas calm, choppy, currents, no currents
Water Temp 76-79°F / 24-26°C Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility 50-150 Ft/ 15-46 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions No deeper than 90', start ascent with 700psi, 3 minute hang time, second dive no deeper than 60'
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments My Nauticam housing gets a soak in fresh water after two dives back at the room.
Was this report helpful to you?
Leave a comment (Subscribers only -- 200 words max)
Subscribers can comment here
 

Subscribe Now
Subscribers can post comments, ask the reviewer questions, as well as getting immediate and complete access to ALL 1098 dive reviews of Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

 

Want to assemble your own collection of Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan reports in one place?
Use the Mini Chapbook Facility to create your personalized collection.

Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

Undercurrent Home


Get more dive info like these and other important scuba updates sent monthly to your email.
And a FREE Recent Issue of Undercurrent

Free Undercurrent Issue
Get a free
monthly email and
a sample issue!


Find in  

| Home | Online Members Area | My Account | Login | Join |
| Travel Index | Dive Resort & Liveaboard Reviews | Featured Reports | Recent Issues | Back Issues |
| Dive Gear Index | Health/Safety Index | Environment & Misc. Index | Seasonal Planner | Blogs | Free Articles | Book Picks | News |
| Special Offers | RSS | FAQ | About Us | Contact Us | Links |

Copyright © 1996-2024 Undercurrent (www.undercurrent.org)
3020 Bridgeway, Ste 102, Sausalito, Ca 94965
All rights reserved.

Page computed and displayed in 0.18 seconds