Playa Uvas

[Stircrzy]

oops...doubled up.

[voyages]

First, I would like to apolozize to Eduardo, he is right about me not reconfirming our apointment. When I look at his message he sent me on the 29th of november, I didn't see the part at the bottom where he asks me to reconfirm. The first part of the message seemed to me as a confirmation of our appointment, so he is right about that but I did not receive any other emails from that day on and I check my emails everyday on the ship to see what's going on in my office while I'm away.

Now about UVA Beach, as I said in my message yesterday it is a beautiful BeachClub, very clean and the poeple that work there were very nice and helpfull, the chairs were confortable and the food looked good, but I repeat that there is no sandy entrance to the water, it is all rock all along that coast. Probably very good for snorkeling when weather permits but not safe for entry into the water for young children or senior citizens.

As for the pictures that STIRcRAZY posted, you cannot see any sandy entrance to the water but if you look at the only picture where you can see the shoreline (the one with the massage bed) you will notice in the background the rocky edge to the water. There is sand at the beachClub, the whole area where the beachchairs are and all the way up to the bar is sandy, but none along the shore.

As for EDCZM that is going there or to anyone else going there, please report to us on your return and if possible post pictures of the wateredge at UVA Beach. Yes you can have a wonderfull day at this Beach club and I hope anyone that goes there does enjoy themselves, but as a professional travel agent I could not bring over 100 passengers consisting of families with kids, senior citizens and poeple who were expecting to play in the sand and sea to go there.

A last word about Eduardo, ever since I first contacted him, he has been very quick at responding to all my emails, he has been very helpfull at trying to set up this beachbreak for my group and I'm very sorry we didn't meet. He seems to be very willing to please his guests and tries hard to make them happy. I hope that he will reply to this message and confirm what I'm saying, I also wish him the best of luck to him and all the poeple of Cozumel that deserve some good times after all they have suffered during and after Wilma.

As for my group, I now have decided to refund everyone for the excursion I was offering in Cozumel and have them buy whatever shore excursion they want from RCL or to do Cozumel on their own. I think that I will have some custumers that will go to UVA Beach anyway that day for the transparent Kayak trip that seems to be very nice.

This will be my last intervention on the subject. Just trying to help others make the right choices and know the TRUTH.

Voyages

[bobstack]

Thank you, everyone, for posting your comments. My wife and I will enjoy Playa Uvas on Friday, December 22, 2006, and will share our findings. I suspect that if the weather cooperates, we will have a good day with good people, and a lot of fun to report back.

 

Bob from Dallas / Ft. Worth

[trtllovr]

Hi All, Intriguing thread...

 

I'm doing my comparisons of A/I's around the island. I have a few questions about UVA.

 

Do you have to book the excursions to get the unlimited drinks/food?

Also, is there snorkeling right off shore that we can do without being guided? Same for the Kayaks, do you have to be part of the tour to use them?

 

This place looks great and am trying to find a spot that would fit the likings of 6 adults with mixed likings. Sorry if any of my questions have been asked before, just haven't had enough time to do the extensive research yet.

 

Thanks!

[xrayvin]

edczm~ Sorry I do not know how to pull a quote from another post so I just made it red:rolleyes:

"1.- Do you have to book the excursions to get the unlimited drinks/food?

 

you dont have to, you can get our open bar/lunch beach pack"

 

I tried to find this open bar/lunch beach pack and I did not see it listed in the packages. Can you tell me how much this would be? Actually what I really want is an enterance/open bar pack is this available? We have 4 people and 3 of us want to do the snorkel/open bar pack but the 4th does NOT want to snorkel.

I am so excited about your beach, but I am wondering if it will be the best place for my group. We were planning on going to a different beach and doing a catamaran snorkel (the 4th person was just going to go along for the catamaran) Everything about UVAS is just what we want except shore snorkeling. Cozumel is where we chose to snorkel and we definatly want to see some marine life. I have read that snorkeling off shore is not what it used to be and been advised to take a boat out to see more. Is the area in which you are better for snorkeling? I saw some amazing pictures on a previous page from someone that was there in Nov but I was not sure if that was snorkeling or diving. What can we expect with snorkeling off your shore?

Thank you so much for all your information and I hope to see you in a month!

[xrayvin]

did not think this posted so I reposted it!

[xrayvin]

NolaALIVE posted some amazing underwater pictures on page 16. I am wondering if those where taken snorkeling or diving at UVAS?:rolleyes:

[Stircrzy]

edczm~ Sorry I do not know how to pull a quote from another post so I just made it red:rolleyes:

 

"1.- Do you have to book the excursions to get the unlimited drinks/food?

 

you dont have to, you can get our open bar/lunch beach pack"

 

I tried to find this open bar/lunch beach pack and I did not see it listed in the packages. Can you tell me how much this would be? Actually what I really want is an enterance/open bar pack is this available? We have 4 people and 3 of us want to do the snorkel/open bar pack but the 4th does NOT want to snorkel.

I am so excited about your beach, but I am wondering if it will be the best place for my group. We were planning on going to a different beach and doing a catamaran snorkel (the 4th person was just going to go along for the catamaran) Everything about UVAS is just what we want except shore snorkeling. Cozumel is where we chose to snorkel and we definatly want to see some marine life. I have read that snorkeling off shore is not what it used to be and been advised to take a boat out to see more. Is the area in which you are better for snorkeling? I saw some amazing pictures on a previous page from someone that was there in Nov but I was not sure if that was snorkeling or diving. What can we expect with snorkeling off your shore?

Thank you so much for all your information and I hope to see you in a month!

 

 

To pull a quote from another post:

 

Click on "quote" at the bottom right of the post you want to quote from. Choose your pertinent information between "quote" and "/quote", and add your reply or question.

 

 

I haven't been to Uvas since the end of May, so I can't answer your snorkel question. Email Eduardo and I'm sure he'll reply quickly with all of the information you need.

 

I can't wait to be at Uvas...23 more days for me!!!

[artseeker]

To Simply Southern:

Your trip sounded like great fun, and I'm so looking forward to ours! We're booked to be in Uvas in February and I wanted to ask you a question, what kind of camera would you recomend for underwater? I hope they're not very expensive! Also, how big were the barracudas you saw? I can't even imagine being that close to all that marine life! Unbelievable! I'd love to see your answer. Thanks,

 

Artseeker

[familycruzer]

Can you do the $39 beach break with the clear kayak tour instead of the snorkeling? I like the idea of lunch and 2 hours open bar but would rather kayak than snorkel.

[mangowife]

Great question! I wanted the same thing, but didn't ask for it and instead booked the Clear Kayak tour (no food included, just two drinks).

[trtllovr]

Can you do the $39 beach break with the clear kayak tour instead of the snorkeling? I like the idea of lunch and 2 hours open bar but would rather kayak than snorkel.

 

Yes, I was thinking the same question as well, especially since you can snorkel on your own but you can't use the kayak on your own... and I wanted the food and bar :)

[bluecruisin]

Playa Uvas sounds wonderful!! But..Okay, here is my dream package, admission, open bar, lunch, towels and locker. (also a couples massage but know that will have to be seperate). Do they have that type of package? If not, can you rent towels and locker seperate and how much is that?Basically just want to get the best buy and not interested in snorkle or kayak as doing that in another port. Thanks for any help!

[Stillfloatin']

Playa Uvas sounds wonderful!! But..Okay, here is my dream package, admission, open bar, lunch, towels and locker. (also a couples massage but know that will have to be seperate). Do they have that type of package? If not, can you rent towels and locker seperate and how much is that?Basically just want to get the best buy and not interested in snorkle or kayak as doing that in another port. Thanks for any help!

 

I would email Eduardo and see if he can quote you a price for your "custom" package. He's pretty accomodating.

[CrystalClearWater]

Hello everyone! I've been a "lurker" for several months now while I planned my recent cruise. I found these boards incredibly helpful, so I wanted to return the favor.

 

I visited Playa Uvas on 12/14 with my DH and three friends. Our ages range from 25-35, and we are more of a "calm" group than a "party" group. We all thoroughly enjoyed the day there. For several of us, it was the highlight of the entire trip.

 

I made an advance reservation via email. Eduardo responded the same day with answers to my questions and confirmed my reservation. This was only the beginning of the high quality of service we received. When we arrived at the beach, Carmen greeted us by name. She then proceeded to personally introduce us to each member of the staff! I could tell they were honestly grateful for our business.

 

All five members of my group reserved the clear kayak tour and two of us (including myself) also reserved the snorkel tour. When I made the reservation, I was told that tours were scheduled for each hour, and we could join whatever tour worked best with our schedule and plans. However, we were the first visitors to arrive at the beach. (It was a little before 9am.) We were informed that the first group of kayakers was going to be fairly large (about 30 people), so one of the guides offered to take my group on a personal tour with just the five of us! I was very impressed with this, and, of course, we took him up on his offer.

 

We all thought the kayaks were really cool! We saw many fish (including an eel) and some nice coral. The guides intentionally took the group directly over coral and areas where fish can regularly be found. I was pleased with how much you could actually see through the kayak. (Be careful, though. There is a tendency to lean over when you see something cool - that's not a good idea when you're in a kayak!) :) One member of my group was having significant problems paddling, so the assistant guide hooked both kayaks together with a rope, which resulted in the guide pulling the second kayak. The other members of my group found this quite humorous, since this was a grown man who couldn't paddle :D but I wanted to let everyone know in case someone is concerned about being able to kayak.

 

Immediately after kayaking, the same guide took my friend and I on our own personal snokeling tour. I have snorkeled previously, but I would still consider myself a beginner. I don't have too many other sites to compare this to, but I was very pleased with the variety of fish we saw. I even saw a small sting ray and a couple barracudas! I've visited several locations throughout the caribbean, and this was some of the clearest water I've ever seen.

 

As for the land facilities, everything was clean and well cared for (including the bathrooms). We loved the beach beds! Lunch was delicious, and I am a picky eater. Rafael was our server for the day, and he was wonderful! If we wanted to, we could've stayed in our chairs all day long. He brought everything to us, and he checked in with us regularly.

 

Regarding the entrance to the water, it's true that there is not a sandy entrance. I found this to be a positive thing, though, because by the time I was in the water above my ankles, I was already seeing tropical fish. That certainly wouldn't happen at your typical sandy beach! My DH had knee surgery in September, and he was able to get in and out of the water just fine. If you plan to come with very small children, you will probably want to carry them into the water. There's rough rock where the waves hit, but after the first couple steps, there is flat rock which we had no problems walking on. I was impressed with the snorkeling directly in front of the beach area, too. As I said, you only had to take a few steps and there were fish. I certainly wouldn't let the rocks stop you from visiting this place. The beauty and the service far outweigh having to walk over a couple rocks!

 

I'm happy to answer questions that anyone might have. I'm going to try to post some photos, but this is my first time - hopefully it will work! Enjoy your visit!

 

 

 

 

[familycruzer]

So water shoes would be a must for swimming?

I already have them in preparation of Labadee so that would not be a problem.

How much of a deposit is required for a beach break?

[CrystalClearWater]

Hello familycruzer.

 

We did not have water shoes, but they would be helpful. (Especially since you are already purchasing them for another excursion).

 

Two members of my group purchased the all-inclusive "beach pass 1" and the deposit was $18/person. It was $13/person for the "beach pass 2" (we substituted kayaking for snorkeling).

[BeadBabe]

I'm happy to answer questions that anyone might have. I'm going to try to post some photos, but this is my first time - hopefully it will work! Enjoy your visit!

 

Thank you for the review!!! I do have a question for you though. How was the water temperature? Is a shortie wet suit in order? I know the water temp was 79F yesterday...and am wondering if that is a bit chilly for this time of year.

[lady in tx]

Hello everyone! I've been a "lurker" for several months now while I planned my recent cruise. I found these boards incredibly helpful, so I wanted to return the favor.

 

I visited Playa Uvas on 12/14 with my DH and three friends. Our ages range from 25-35, and we are more of a "calm" group than a "party" group. We all thoroughly enjoyed the day there. For several of us, it was the highlight of the entire trip.

 

I made an advance reservation via email. Eduardo responded the same day with answers to my questions and confirmed my reservation. This was only the beginning of the high quality of service we received. When we arrived at the beach, Carmen greeted us by name. She then proceeded to personally introduce us to each member of the staff! I could tell they were honestly grateful for our business.

 

All five members of my group reserved the clear kayak tour and two of us (including myself) also reserved the snorkel tour. When I made the reservation, I was told that tours were scheduled for each hour, and we could join whatever tour worked best with our schedule and plans. However, we were the first visitors to arrive at the beach. (It was a little before 9am.) We were informed that the first group of kayakers was going to be fairly large (about 30 people), so one of the guides offered to take my group on a personal tour with just the five of us! I was very impressed with this, and, of course, we took him up on his offer.

 

We all thought the kayaks were really cool! We saw many fish (including an eel) and some nice coral. The guides intentionally took the group directly over coral and areas where fish can regularly be found. I was pleased with how much you could actually see through the kayak. (Be careful, though. There is a tendency to lean over when you see something cool - that's not a good idea when you're in a kayak!) :) One member of my group was having significant problems paddling, so the assistant guide hooked both kayaks together with a rope, which resulted in the guide pulling the second kayak. The other members of my group found this quite humorous, since this was a grown man who couldn't paddle :D but I wanted to let everyone know in case someone is concerned about being able to kayak.

 

Immediately after kayaking, the same guide took my friend and I on our own personal snokeling tour. I have snorkeled previously, but I would still consider myself a beginner. I don't have too many other sites to compare this to, but I was very pleased with the variety of fish we saw. I even saw a small sting ray and a couple barracudas! I've visited several locations throughout the caribbean, and this was some of the clearest water I've ever seen.

 

As for the land facilities, everything was clean and well cared for (including the bathrooms). We loved the beach beds! Lunch was delicious, and I am a picky eater. Rafael was our server for the day, and he was wonderful! If we wanted to, we could've stayed in our chairs all day long. He brought everything to us, and he checked in with us regularly.

 

Regarding the entrance to the water, it's true that there is not a sandy entrance. I found this to be a positive thing, though, because by the time I was in the water above my ankles, I was already seeing tropical fish. That certainly wouldn't happen at your typical sandy beach! My DH had knee surgery in September, and he was able to get in and out of the water just fine. If you plan to come with very small children, you will probably want to carry them into the water. There's rough rock where the waves hit, but after the first couple steps, there is flat rock which we had no problems walking on. I was impressed with the snorkeling directly in front of the beach area, too. As I said, you only had to take a few steps and there were fish. I certainly wouldn't let the rocks stop you from visiting this place. The beauty and the service far outweigh having to walk over a couple rocks!

 

I'm happy to answer questions that anyone might have. I'm going to try to post some photos, but this is my first time - hopefully it will work! Enjoy your visit.

 

 

Thank you for posting your review and sharing the pictures with us!

:D

[BeadBabe]

Eduardo...how is the water temp this time of year? Should I consider finding a 1 or 2 mil snorkel suit?

[CrystalClearWater]

Thank you for the review!!! I do have a question for you though. How was the water temperature? Is a shortie wet suit in order? I know the water temp was 79F yesterday...and am wondering if that is a bit chilly for this time of year.

 

Hello BeadBabe.

 

I didn't find the water to be cold, but it was a hot sunny day when I was there. My DH did get chilly, but it was after he had been in the water for about 45 minutes. (He always seems to get cold, though.) Out of everyone who came just for the snorkeling tour, I only remember seeing 3-4 people in wet suits. You may want to consider it if you easily get cold.

 

Do you have any additional comments, Eduardo?

[EduardoE]

Hello BeadBabe

 

the water temperature is changing daily due to the cold fronts we get this season even though we operate tour on daily basis and the guests are happy with the water conditions. in case you are a warm water person, try to do the snorkel tour at 11am or noon when the water is nice and warm ...... the water are mostly no deeper then 6-8 feet and they warm pretty fast.

 

 

Saludos

 

 

Eduardo

[familycruzer]

Thank you for the review!!! I do have a question for you though. How was the water temperature? Is a shortie wet suit in order? I know the water temp was 79F yesterday...and am wondering if that is a bit chilly for this time of year.

 

Thats tropical for me. I leave near the Jersey Shore.;)

[familycruzer]

So, if we come to Playa Uvas to take a clear kayak tour and then snorkel, where is the next closest beach that has a sandy entrance?

[Stircrzy]

About a 10 minute/$10 taxi ride (for 4 people) away...Paradise Beach or Nachi Cocom.