Cozumel vs. Roatan for a week's stay?

[mikeerdas]

What's the best Western Caribbean port for a week's stay? So far, I'm looking at Cozumel and Roatan and here are my criteria:

 

* Great snorkeling, preferably from a beach in whatever hotel I'm staying at--that's my #1 preference

* Possibly get SCUBA certified

* Where it's safe and where I won't be pestered much, or at all, by beach vendors

* Safe town to walk around in with good restaurants

* A good place to take day trips from to spectacular ruins (Tulum sounds interesting, but I'd prefer a larger site like Chichen Itza, etc).

* Good value for the money

 

Was considering taking a Western Caribbean cruise, but thought I might compare the cost of a cruise with simply flying direct to a good port and not having to feel so rushed. Love cruising and seeing different ports but hate the feeling that I'm rushing my way through each port. It's always tough for me to look at a long list of excursions at a good port and only being able to choose one thing.

 

Again, my main interest is great snorkeling at or close to a hotel. And secondarily where I can take a day trip to spectacular ruins (ones larger than at Tulum). Although I'd trade ruins for a day trip to do an active volcano hike somewhere.

 

Are there other ports I should look at for what I want to do (minus ruins) in the Southern Caribbean? Been to the Eastern Caribbean before and wanted to try something different.

[mikeerdas]

Any thoughts? And does anyone know if it's cheaper to get from Cozumel to Chichen Itza or from Roatan to the ruins of Copan?

[jasminelee]

I don't know abut cheaper, but from Cozumel you have to cross to the mainland on a ferry to get to any of the ruins in the Yucatan, so you would need to factor in the time for that-I think about 45 minutes or so. There is one ruins area on the island of Cozumel to see, San Gervasio. We took our ruins trip from Progreso.

[mikeerdas]

I don't know abut cheaper, but from Cozumel you have to cross to the mainland on a ferry to get to any of the ruins in the Yucatan, so you would need to factor in the time for that-I think about 45 minutes or so. There is one ruins area on the island of Cozumel to see, San Gervasio. We took our ruins trip from Progreso.

 

Thanks Jasminelee.

 

Here's another way to put what I'm after--on certain excursions, you head to a particular resort and use its facilities. Can anyone post the names of some of those resorts where you can snorkel? Surely I'm thinking some cruisers have done excursions like these and then wished they were staying at that particular resort for several days and regretting leaving it.

[LHP]

Thanks Jasminelee.

 

Here's another way to put what I'm after--on certain excursions, you head to a particular resort and use its facilities. Can anyone post the names of some of those resorts where you can snorkel? Surely I'm thinking some cruisers have done excursions like these and then wished they were staying at that particular resort for several days and regretting leaving it.

 

Because of a lot of geographical reasons that I don't understand, Cozumel is NOT the best place to snorkel from the beach. Something about Ore rock or something along the beach line?????

 

Chankanaab Park is suppose to be the exception and the Money Bar is also suppose to be a nice snorkeling spot.

 

Seasoned snorkelers have told me that they go to the reefs.

 

We have been to both ports (Cozumel 20+ times and Roatan twice)...

 

We found both to be tourist friendly.

 

We walked through West Bay (the town) on our own and it is a scuba divers dream. Every where you looked .... there were dive places.

 

From what we saw from the exterior, the accommodations in West End did not look fancy in Roatan....so I don't know how important that is.

 

We were not pestered much at either place.

 

I don't know about ruins around Roatan..... I hear great things about Tulum and Xcaret Park (not ruins just something different to do) (sp?) in Calica. (a ferry ride away from Cozumel)