Occidental Cozumel Resort

Overview

The Occidental Cozumel Resort (formerly Occidental Grand Cozumel) offers a range of luxury facilities in a stunning setting right on Cozumel’s beautiful San Francisco Beach. Surrounded by a lush, tropical mangrove, this resort is just minutes away from the famous dive sites of Palancar Reef and the Cozumel National Marine Park.

Accommodation

The 245 rooms at the Occidental Cozumel Resort are spread over several ‘hacienda-style’ buildings amongst lovely tropical gardens. The air-conditioned rooms offer one king or two double beds, ceiling fan, balcony or terrace (some rooms have pool views), full bathroom with shower, bath tub and hairdryer, satellite TV, telephone, mini bar (restocked every other day), coffee maker, alarm clock/radio, safety deposit box, iron and ironing board. Extra beds and children’s cots are available on request.

Rooms are available across several classes. Deluxe rooms are offered as standard and can accommodate up to three adults and a child, or two adults and two children. For the ultimate luxury and additional benefits including a private pool area, guests can upgrade to Royal Club status – please contact us for details.

Other Facilities

Guests staying at the Occidental Cozumel Resort will enjoy unlimited meals and beverages at five of the six hotel restaurants (one exclusive for Royal Club guests only), and four bars. La Posada offers international thematic buffets for breakfast and dinner, whilst the Sonora Grill and Los Olivas restaurants feature Mexican and Mediterranean a la carte menus respectively. Lunchtime buffets are available with a spectacular Ocean View at the Beach Club, whilst La Piazza offers casual Italian-style dining. The bars include a beach and pool bar, plus an evening Disco Bar, La Misión, with DJ music and cocktails.

There is plenty of space to relax around the three swimming pools, or on the stunning white sandy beach, when not diving. Use of two floodlit tennis courts, fitness centre, Jacuzzi and a variety of land and water sports including beach volleyball, kayaking, snorkelling and windsurfing are also included in the all-inclusive plan. There is a full programme of day and evening entertainment, and a Kids Club. The Occidental Cozumel Resort also boasts a spa and beauty salon, as well as a number of additional facilities (laundry, Wi-Fi etc.) that are available at extra charge.

Location

The Occidental Cozumel Resort is a 20 minute taxi journey from the ferry terminal which is located in the downtown area of San Miguel. The hotel is in a resort area. Regaldive guests dive with the Pro Dive Mexico dive centre which is conveniently located on site.

Dive info

Cozumel was a sleepy little fishing community until 1961, when a Frenchman by the name of Jacques Cousteau declared it one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas he had ever seen! Since then, Cozumel’s reputation has justifiably grown and grown, and it is now one of the most popular diving destinations worldwide. This area offers tremendous water clarity and abundant fish life but it is the currents, and subsequent drift dives that really make it stand out.

Cozumel’s west coast is bordered by a double row of parallel reefs and the water can funnel through here at an incredible rate of knots. This consistent movement has sculpted the reefs leading to a series of channels, ridges, grooves and overhangs providing much-needed shelter for marine creatures and plenty for divers to explore.

In 1966, this area became a protected National Park. Our dive centre in Cozumel visits only the best sites of the Cozumel Marine Park and sometimes a select number of reefs to the north of the island which are normally out of range of other operators.

Palancar Caves

This is a very popular dive with stunning topography. What starts as a simple wall dive (albeit with the persistent Cozumel current), ascends to a maze of tunnels, gullies and canyons that twist and turn from the outer wall through to the inner reef. This is an explorer’s dream. Aquatic life may be less prolific, but you will be having so much fun swimming through the labyrinthine formations here that you won’t have time to spot them! Out on the wall, turtles and eagle rays are common.

Punta Sur

This is a stunning dive spot at the southernmost tip of Cozumel. Only for very experienced divers and those with excellent air consumption. This is a deep dive with a series of caverns and a tunnel which narrows into ‘The Devil’s Throat’ and exits onto a sheer section of the wall at around 37m. Another passageway leads to the ‘cathedral’ chamber, a vast cavern lit by sunlight streaming through sponges above.

Paso Del Cedral

An excellent intermediate dive site, it offers a maze of sloping reef at depths between 15 to 20 metres. Here you will discover schools of grunts and snappers sheltering in the swim-throughs and nurse sharks snoozing beneath rocky overhangs. The many under-cuts and hidden areas provide habitats for spiny lobsters and the elusive Splendid Toadfish, which is endemic to the island of Cozumel. Against a backdrop of bright and colourful sponges, this is an excellent site for photography.

Diving the Cenotes

Any dive holiday to Caribbean Mexico wouldn’t be complete without diving the world famous Cenotes. These are accessible as a day trip from the island of Cozumel and provide a dramatic juxtaposition to the current drenched reefs of Cozumel. Find out more about diving the Cenotes here

Dive prices

Pro Dive international - Cozumel

Established in 2003, Pro Dive International is an award winning water sports service provider operating several PADI 5 Star Gold Palm Resorts in the Riviera Maya and Cozumel area. All of Pro Dive's centres have been bestowed the prestigious National Geographic Dive Centre and PADI Green Star Awards and in 2012 they attained the much coveted Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence.

The secret of Pro Dive’s success is the quality of their services and the professionalism of their staff. Diver safety is Pro Dive’s main priority, however they have certainly not lost touch with the philosophy that “diving is fun!” Pro Dive International offers a complete range of PADI courses, from Bubblemaker and Discover Scuba experience programs all the way through to Instructor courses at its PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre.

The Pro Dive centres in Cozumel are located directly on site at the Allegro Cozumel Resort and the Occidental Cozumel Resort on the beautiful San Francisco beach. These resorts are located within the famous Cozumel National Marine Park and all reefs are accessible by boat from the resort jetties in just 5-10 minutes. Diving is operated on a two tank morning and two tank afternoon basis subject to availability. This offers guests greater flexibility and also the potential to make up to four dives a day. All dives and courses are led by fully certified PADI Instructors.

Excursions to the Cenotes on the mainland and special trips such as wreck diving, whale shark snorkelling, and bull shark diving out of Playa Del Carmen can also be organised from Cozumel.

Cenotes diving is conducted at any one of a number of sacred inland Maya sites. The excursion typically includes two dives with lunch and refreshment provided between the dives. All Cenote dives are led by fully qualified cave divers.

Dive Pack Prices (Guided)

Options available include 4, 5 and 6 days x 2 tank dive packages (8, 10 and 12 dives).  A typical 5 day/10 dive package starts from £400. Please discuss your requirements with the Regaldive team, who will prepare a quotation suited to your needs.

Dive Courses 

A range of diving courses is available for those looking to learn to dive. Please enquire for details.

Extras in Resort (USD)

Prices listed below are an indication only, and subject to change.

• Nitrox Fills: FREE
• Cozumel Marine Park Fee:  $6 per day
• Night Dive or Early Bird:  $75 excluding torch
• Torch:  $22 per dive
• Dive Computer Rental:  $10 for 1 tank, $16 for 2 tank dives
• Equipment Rental: $8-24 depending on item
• 15l tanks are not currently available
• Bull Shark Excursion:  $99 (supplement on top of your pre-booked day diving package. Excludes taxi and ferry to mainland
• Cenotes Excursion:  $109 (supplement on top of your pre-booked day diving package. Excludes taxi and ferry to mainland

Resort info

With great all year round diving conditions, Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is an ideal destination for those looking for a mix of different types of diving. If you want to combine diving with relaxing on beautiful beaches and visiting historical and tourist attractions topside, Mexico is hard to beat.

Getting Around

Mexico’s well-established tourist infrastructure and its proximity to the USA means that getting around here is relatively simple. Cozumel is reached by a regular 45 minute passenger ferry that departs from Playa Del Carmen every two hours. Taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive in both Playa Del Carmen and Cozumel. There are many well established tour agents that can provide excursions to the areas wealth of historical attractions.

Climate

Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula has a warm tropical climate with an average temperature between 24 and 30 °C throughout the year. There are pronounced wet and dry seasons. Most of the country experiences a rainy season from June to mid-October and significantly less rain during the remainder of the year. Mexico lies squarely within the hurricane belt, and all regions are susceptible to these storms from June through November.

Water Temperature and Underwater Visibility

Water temperature tends to mirror air temperature ranging from 24- 30°C. Visibility is generally excellent all year round and in excess of 40m is the norm. Diving in the fresh water of the Cenotes is considerably cooler after diving in the balmy Caribbean Sea and a 5mm semi-dry wetsuit is advised.

Time

Mexico is 6 hours behind GMT

Currency

The official currency is Mexican Peso ($), however US Dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Please note: the $ sign is used for both Pesos and US Dollars. This can cause a lot of confusion so always ask for clarification if you are unsure or if something seems unusually cheap, or far too expensive.

Language

Spanish is the national language but English is widely spoken in tourist areas.

Telephone and Internet

In Mexico, the predominant cellular service company is called Telcel. Most UK service providers will work on this network but roaming charges can be very expensive. If you have an unlocked GSM compatible phone it is possible to purchase a pay as you go Telcel Mexico SIM card. Wi-Fi internet is widely available; however it is comparatively expensive, so a holiday in Mexico could be the ideal opportunity to completely disconnect!

Activities

Mexico is both vast and fascinating. A rich tapestry of history and a well-established tourist infrastructure, coupled with superb natural resources make it perfect for holidays of all kinds. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site and sacred Maya city of Chichen Itza, dine on fine Mexican cuisine in the historic colonial town of Valladolid, explore the ancient coastal walled city of Tulum, or simply relax on perfect white sand beaches lapped by enticingly warm, turquoise seas. 

Travel info

Flight Information

Cancun (CUN) is the gateway for UK visitors visiting the Caribbean coast of Mexico and is well served with regular direct flights from London and Manchester, and regional departures may be available seasonally.

Flight times: 9.5-11 hours.

Departure tax: Charter flights are subject to a departure tax of approx. MXN $900 (approximately £50) – payable locally in cash only.

Transfers: Playa del Carmen Hotels - 45-60 minutes. Cozumel Hotels - 45 minutes by boat from Playa del Carmen, 12 services daily from 6am until 10pm.

Twin centre: Mexico makes an ideal twin centre destination and you can split your holiday across both Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. Please ask one of our sales executives for more information.

Passports & Visas

Passengers travelling to Mexico must have six months valid on their passport from the date of entry into Mexico. British passport holders visiting Mexico as a tourist do not need a visa, but you do need a tourist card, which you can get on arrival by completing an immigration form available on-board flights to Mexico.

Note: If you are travelling to Mexico via the US, even if you are only transiting, you must check the US entry requirements. If you do not have the correct authorisation you will not be allowed to travel to or transit through the US.

Vaccinations

There are no compulsory vaccinations, but we recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A and rabies. The risk of malaria in Mexico is generally very low and therefore anti-malarials are not required for travel to the Playa del Carmen or Cozumel area. However, there is a moderate risk in some south western parts of the country. If you intend to travel beyond the Yucatan Peninsula we would recommend that you contact a travel clinic for the most up to date advice.

Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure. For the most up to date advice please consult your travel clinic. Further information regarding vaccinations for travel to this country can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and from your local healthcare provider.

Prices

At Regaldive, we offer tailor-made scuba diving holidays to Mexico, including flights from the UK, transfers, accommodation and your scuba diving activities.

The price panel above provides an indication of a lead-in price for your holiday, based on the cheapest time to travel. Prices shown are per person, and based on two persons sharing. 

Our friendly and experienced team can arrange holidays of varying durations for singles, couples, friends and dive clubs. We can also advise you on the best time of year to travel to maximise your scuba diving experience, and receive the best value for money. Flights from regional UK airports may be available, depending on your destination and date of travel.

We can also arrange extensions to your diving or snorkelling holiday, including cultural tours, nature and wildlife-focused activities, plus city breaks.

Please call 01353 659999 or e-mail Regaldive, using the link below, for a quotation.

Our Price Promise

At Regaldive we are committed to offering you the best possible value for money on all our diving holidays. That's why we offer you a price match promise. Learn more about our promise to you.

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