Dive Review of Dive Palancar/Occidental Grand in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan

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Dive Palancar/Occidental Grand, Nov, 2007, by Randall S. Preissig, TX, United States ( Top Contributor 38 reports with 15 Helpful votes). Report 3729.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	As everyone knows, Cozumel was "skinned" by hurricane Wilma. The Occidental Grande has recovered very well, but is now only excellent rather than "one of the best ever" all inclusive resorts. It's minutes from all the great dive sites, and dive Palancar services its quests well. "Hard core" divers can request Punta Sur and other challenging dives and night dives are scheduled three times a week. Other dive operations routinely pick up divers on the pier, so you're not locked in. The shallower dive sites were scalped by Wilma, and many of the deeper dives have lots of sand on them. However, the fish life is little changed--giant grouper and giant parrotfish, nurse sharks, turtles on most dives, occasional schools of jacks,parrotfish or barracuda, toadfish, dolphins seen behind the boat, green and spotted morays, tons of all types of angelfish, octopi(eight on one night dive), etc. You won't be disappointed in the fish life by Caribean standards. The cruise ships have brought prosperity to Cozumel and the overall quality of lodging, dive operations, eating, etc. has risen. Cozumel is no longer a dangerous place to dive (as it was 25 years ago). But avoid town and the cruise ship areas, unless you like that sort of stuff. It is impossible to beat Cozumel on the combination of ease of getting to, quality of diving and price. I've been 20 times and have seen a lot of changes--mostly for the better.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Red Sea, Palau, PNG, Sipadan, Truk, Hawaii, Bonaire, Belize, Caymans, Tahiti, etc.
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	74-77°F / 23-25°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	50-120 Ft/ 15-37 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	we always dove as a group, always 40 min. on the first deep dive and 45 min. on the second shallow dive. Punta Sur was the exception.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Not geared for photographers, but I have done many times with very good results.

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Dive Review of Dive Palancar/Occidental Grand in Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan

Dive Palancar/Occidental Grand, Nov, 2007,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Dive Palancar/Occidental Grand in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan