Wanted: Dune Buggy - Snorkel combo excursion info

[HRHMadonna]

Anyone have any experience with the dune buggy-snorkel combo trip offered through Royal Caribbean? What was it like? Assume the snorkeling was from the shore -- how was the snorkeling in Cozumel since hurricane Wilma?

[pbkirk]

Hi!

 

I'm interested in taking this excursion, but am also wondering about how Wilma has affected the snorkeling on the east side northern reefs. The tour description makes it sound like paradise, but says nothing specific on how well the reef survived the hurricane. West side shallow shore snorkeling seems to have been wiped out based on all I've read, but what about the East/Wild side where the dune buggies go? If anyone takes this excursion in the next month or so, PLEASE let me know! Other than a simple day at the beach, this appears to be the best deal in Cozumel - IF you can still snorkel and see live reef. I haven't seen any post-Wilma info on the Eastern reef conditions.

[andynlala]

I just booked our dune buggy tour through Cozumel Vacation Homes. We will be going in about 2 weeks. YAY!!! I hear that that is a better tour than through the cruiseline.

[pbkirk]

PLEASE let me know how you like it when you get back. As long as I can get a review before they book for my cruise date in June, I'll be fine. They appear to be booking up now for April, so I think I've got time to wait to hear from you. I went ahead and pre-reserved a 5 hour Palancar/Columbia reef sail and snorkel in case the dune buggy tour doesn't have good snorkeling. I've read where anything shallow on the West side is scraped off and ruined - but except for maybe some of the deeper reefs down south (Palancar/Columbia 10-40 ft.). I asked the tour operator some questions, and here's the responses:

 

Has your tour route been modified since Wilma?

- Yes, slightly. It still goes to the east coast and generally does one ruin (small one) and usually snorkeling at a different beach/reef.

 

What vehicles are you substituting for dune buggies?

- Normally jeeps. However, this is a temporary situation because due to the hurricane, some of the dune buggies were damaged and parts/supplies to fix them are very limited on the island right now. The situation should be back to normal soon.

 

How many vehicles typically travel together on a tour?

- 12 buggies/vehicles

 

Do you need mosquito spray?

- Not particularly (other info on their site said to bring it!)

 

Did Wilma scrape off and ruin the reef on the East/North side the way it did the West? (Note that their answer here didn't really say how snorkeling on the reef had been affected)

- No. Wilma caused roads to be "messy" and the government needs to clear it. It is a protected area. The military has currently closed off access.

 

The snorkeling is definitely one of the biggest reasons for us to take this tour. What do you mean by snorkeling being available if weather permits, and what do you do if you can't snorkel?

- If the weather is bad/unsafe for snorkeling, then snorkeling at the reef is not included. However, you can still enjoy the beach and the water (just not farther out at the reef).

 

Do you fill each vehicle with four passengers, and rotate among those who want to drive?

- Normally, each couple/small family gets a buggy. However, not guaranteed in case of a situation where a vehicle gets broken down, or something unexpected.

 

** This Dune Buggy Tour is the original tour that has been running for about 20 years. All others are modifications or copies of this tour. This tour is NOT sold on cruise ships. Also, this tour lasts about 6-7 hours (longer than ones offered on cruise ships) and you drive from the beginning to the end (not so on the cruise ships) and offers a full mexican lunch and drinks/local beers (beverages available throughout the day) - (not so on cruise ship tours).

[boatdrinx]

We took the dune buggy/snorkel tour last week. The snorkel area was to the right of some of the popular beaches ( Paradise Beach etc) and before you got to the docks. The area is only accessible by dune buggy.

 

In my opinion, there was not so much to see. I did not swim out very far, though. My past experiences snorkeling have been in Hawaii and also last week in Grand Cayman. This did not compare.

 

For me, the highlight of the dune buggy tour was not so much the snorkeling but rather seeing the other side of the island and spending time on deserted beaches.

[pbkirk]

Was this the "Original Dune Buggy Tour" with Omar? Pre-Wilma they snorkeled on the Wild (East) side per their advertising. If this is the same tour operator as described in an earlier post, and they're not snorkeling on the East side (because maybe the reef is trashed over there too?), then what half-way decent snorkeling that's left may be on the southwest reef of Palancar and Columbia, reachable by snorkel boat tour. The Dune Buggy tour operator did mention a changed route (less ruins? see above), but what did you think of the tour overall?

[boatdrinx]

Was this the "Original Dune Buggy Tour" with Omar? what did you think of the tour overall?

 

The tour we took was with Omar. There was an area he tried to take us to that we couldn't go to - something about a dispute with local government.

 

In any case we really enjoyed the tour. There were only 6 of us.

Omar made us a delicious lunch with homemade pico de gallo and guacomole and marinated grilled chicken and we tailgated at the snorkel beach. We went to another beach and swam, also. We stopped at Coconuts and a small ruin site. Most of the places we went, we

felt like we had the place to ourselves with no one else around.

It was a blazing hot day and driving around in the dune buggy with the breeze, we were quite comfortable. We had a fun day.

[andynlala]

So, we're back and we loved the tour!!! We booked through Cozumel homes, and they used Tarzan Tours to do the tour. We had a BLAST! First stop was snorkeling at Chakkanab (???) Park, then we drove a small Mayan Ruin, no big deal, then proceeded to the other side to a beach where they served us lunch. The 2 guides made some guacamole and salsa for us, and served chicken, rice, and tortillas. The food was excellant. There was an off-road section we drove on which was pretty much parallel to the main road, but bumpy and fun. The kids giggled the whole way through! After lunch and some swimming we drove the rest of the way around the island back to our starting point. We saw the whole island and it wasn't one of those boring sight seeing deals. The only thing I would be careful of is where your ship tenders to. There a 3 different piers they use. The direction were walikin directions from the Punta Langosta pier, and the other one close to it. We in fact ended up at the International Cruise Ship Pier, and we had to take a taxi. We were the only ship at that one.

I would definately recommend it!!!! I would even go on it again next time I'm there. Have fun!!!!

[EmmaRae]

andynlala,

 

We have a group of 10 (3-7yr, 1-4yr, 6 adults) booked I believe on the tour you are talking about (Cozumel Homes). Do you feel it is appropriate for kids? We are looking for an adventure:) Also, what time did your tour leave? We don't get in until 10:30. I was told that they will wait for us especially since we gave them a deposit.

 

Any tips for the day's events?

 

Thanks!

[pbkirk]

Andynlala,

 

Sounds like you had a great time. The park's name is Chankanaab - we've been there twice and enjoyed it both times. How was the snorkeling there since hurricane Wilma? I heard that it's just reopened. We had seen lots of fish there, but no live coral - and were looking for something different, preferrably live coral in a more natural environment. You can take a cab from the pier to the park and stay all day for about $30-40. One of the selling points for the dune buggy tour for me was the promise of snorkeling out on a pristine reef 200 yards offshore on the EAST side of the island. However, I haven't been able to tell if the storm trashed the East side reef the same as it damaged the West side formations - or if the dune buggy tour was still taking you out to the wild side reef for snorkeling. It sounds like they're not, and if that's the case, then the best snorkeling (post Wilma, that is) can probably only be found from a boat around Palancar and Columbia reefs - at least, based on what I can tell from checking posts on the boards. These appear to the the shallowest reefs that were least damaged, and even then they're 15-40 feet down. If we can't snorkel the East side, I'm not sure we'll take the dune buggy tour. My back and neck aren't what they used to be, and I certainly regret that. I love ATVs, and used to enjoy snowmobiles - but can't handle the pounding/jerking anymore.

[andynlala]

Emmarae-

The kids will love this tour! The dune buggies are alot of fun. The rough part isn't too long, but the kids thought that was the best part. We had to be there by 10:30, but the tour didn't leave until 11. We had to be back to the tender by 4, and they made sure we were back in time. They were an hour behind ships time, I'm not sure if that's the case when you go because of Daylight savings time. They will wait for sure because you are a large group.

pbkirk-

The snorkeling was OK, it was about 15 feet deep, and we didn't get to snorkel for too long. They said 45 minutes, but it seemed shorter to me. They day the Eastern side was hit bad, so they aren't going there. So if snorkeling is your main interest, I would book a trip on a boat. The rough part of the road is really rough, so you might want to think about that with your back. It isn't a long distance, and the rest is on the main highway.

 

I have no complaints about this trip, it was awesome! The beach was beautiful, and the kids had fun hanging out and swimming there. Have fun!!!

[cpayne]

We are looking for a tour that's more dune buggying than snorkeling. Anyone have any recommendations? We've snorkeled so much we could care less about this aspect of the tour. Would prefer to spend our day bouncing around the island!

 

Thanks.