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Dive Review of Babieca Dive Center/La Ceiba Beach in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel

Babieca Dive Center/La Ceiba Beach: "Very good except for the elevator in the tower", Aug, 2022,

by Ronald Bailey, VA, US (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 20 reports with 2 Helpful votes). Report 12010.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling 3 stars
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments The dive shop, dive master, boat crew did a very good job. Compared to other dive operations that picked up divers, some of those boats were packed jammed. Babieca's boat had only 8 max divers, had twin engines and zipped to the dive sites very quickly. Maybe the fastest boat there. Many dives were drift dives, but that is Cozumel. Highly recommend Babieca dive Center. Shore dives were okay and the remains of the airplane are just off shore in about 27 feet of water.
La Ceiba for the most part did a very good job. Rooms were good and clean. Food was buffet during lunch and dinner. Used menu for lunch. Only problem was to use mask when at the buffet. Other than that, no mask required. Pool area was good. Small beach area not much for entering the water.
When booked, asked for two rooms together and no higher than the 3rd floor. That did not happen. One room was on the 7th floor and one was on the 12th floor in the tower building. Into the week, the elevator broke. Imagine walking to the higher floors! A real pain. Elevator out for about 2.5 days.
The elevator was very small in floor area. El Cid resorts should build a new, larger elevator on the outside of the tower building. I do not recommend staying in the tower without guarantees of staying in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd floor. The other 3 story building would be good also.
When coming to the airport, no masks required upon landing and going thru immigration or customs. But flying out, had to have a mask when entering airport for tickets and waiting for flights. Go figure.
Websites Babieca Dive Center   La Ceiba Beach

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Bahamas, Roatan, Florida Keys and springs, Saba, Fiji, Palau, Hawaii, Turk and Caicos, Caymans, St. Kitts, St. Croix, Curacaqo, Dominican Republic
Closest Airport czm Getting There Roanoke to Charlotte to Cozumel
Flight was a little late getting there. Coming back flight from Charlotte to Roanoke was about 2 hours late.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas calm, choppy
Water Temp 82-84°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 110-130 Ft/ 34-40 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Dive depths recommended and Watched carefully by the dive guide. But done with safety in mind.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

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

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments At the end of the first day of shore diving, my strobe conked out. So I did some first time video and still with no flash. The dive boat had no special camera tubs, but only eight divers permitted so there was plenty of room in general for those with a camera
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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.

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