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Dive Review of Sea Robin Diving/Villablanca Hotel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan

Sea Robin Diving/Villablanca Hotel: "COZUMEL with Sea Robin Diving", Nov, 2022,

by NEAL LANGERMAN, CA, US (Contributor Contributor 17 reports with 19 Helpful votes). Report 12194 has 1 Helpful vote.

Photos Submitted with this Report


Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions

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

Accommodations 1 stars Food N/A
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments I have been diving with Sea Robin for many years. I am loyal because Eduardo and Victor make the fun, excellent diving of Cozumel fantastic. Great service, great guiding around the beautiful reefs, and really good finding of critters, large, small, and tiny.

If you stay south of the Marina Fonatura, they will pick you up at most resort piers. NOTE> Many resorts now charge a dockage fee of about $5.00 USD per diver per day, even for guests. If you stay north of the cruise ship terminal, you will need to take a taxi to the Marina - $7.00 - $20.00, depending on distance.

Sea Robin has good rental gear. They will take care of your gear for the duration of your trip, if you want. They handle your gear so you can take it easy.

The Sea Robin dive boat “Ballena” uses back roll entries. The dive ladder is very good, but could use another step at the bottom.
I am a serious U/W photographer and Cozumel offers a wide variety of subjects from the huge reef structure to tiny nudibranchs. Your choice. Water is clear with 30+ meter visibility the norm. Small cameras are easier to handle in the pangas of Cozumel. I opted to use a GoPro Hero 10 Black with two professional level video lights in lieu of my vary large DSLR kit. I am pleased with the wide angle, wide angle-close focus, and video. The Backscatter flip macro lens is very good, but its shallow depth of field makes getting sharp macros hard.

I am really irritated by this unfair dockage fee. It is as if the resorts and the island want diver’s money but want to make diving difficult. The dockage fee is nothing more than a minor profit center. It serves no purpose except to collect money. Yes, if you are not a guest of the resort, a small fee is acceptable. Come on, Cozumel Tourist Bureau; get rid of this.

THE FOLLOWING APPLIES TO THE VILLABLANCA DIVE HOTEL - not related to Sea Robin.

This property seems privately owned, not part of a chain. The grounds are well tended and lovely. The location is OK for getting both into town and to dive sites. The staff is friendly, and the rooms clean and adequate. The wifi supports a Zoom call with video.

BUT… the maintenance of the property is terrible, to the point it earns a “do not stay here” from me. The room lock failed repeatedly, locking me out of my 3rd floor room six times and there is no elevator. They finally got that fixed. The refrigerator in the room leaks water and I feel a mild current of I touch any of the rusty spots. An extension cord provided in the kitchenette blew a circuit breaker as soon as I plugged it in. Not good, but easily replaced.

My dive bag weighs 24.5 kg (54 pounds). Hauling it up the flights of stairs was a chore. Another guest helped me.

Water to the sink and shower is very salty. Definitely not drinkable.
My room as a small porch, about 2 meters in length. I dry my wet suit there effectively. But, there is not enough space in this room for two divers with wetsuits and cameras.

In a word, I will not return to Villablanca.

Websites Sea Robin Diving   Villablanca Hotel

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving All of continental USA; Caribbean, Gulf, Sea of Cortez, Eastern & Western Pacific & more
Closest Airport CZM - Cozumel Getting There I had not trouble on AA from San Diego to Cozumel via Miami

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 28-29°C / 82-84°F Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 30-50 M / 98-164 Ft

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Depth was suggested but not monitored.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

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

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments See above
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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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