Lots of variables there. I’ve done the race once, going again this year l, and have attended the race and / or volunteered during a dive trip several times.

Where to stay - IMO near the finish. Casa Mexicana is a good hotel right on the run course, Hotel Cozumel just down the road the other side of the finish. Cozumel Palace is on the hot corner but pretty pricey compared to other options. We stay where we always stay, Blue Angel about a mile from the finish and between host hotels Hotel Coz and Park Royal.

There are also now plenty of VRBO types. Or if you want a condo El Cantil is the best choice

When to fly in. Whatever your schedule can handle. I’ve gone in Thursday for the Sunday race but have to be there by Friday for bike drop off. Might also help with acclimation (if not there are other acclimation tips you can use ). Choices are Cozumel which is typically expensive or Cancun and ferry or fly over. Depending on where you are coming from landing at CZM might not be the fastest (it’s not for us due to layovers from the west coast)

Entertainment. For us Cozumel is diving and reataurants and hanging at the pool. Other than beaches there is not a lot of “entertainment.” There is the Cedral ruins (meh) and Punta Sur (worth it). You don’t need a car as taxis are all over the place but renting a car for a day and going around the island (well half of it) is worthwhile. There are also boat trips of course to snorkeling etc. don’t patronize the dolphin swims, that’s just cruel IMO.

Could also take the ferry over to PDC and snorkel (or dive) the cenotes, see Chitchen Itza or Tulum

reservations - can’t think of a thing you’d need to reserve prior to getting there

If staying in Cancum or Playa del Carmen- will transportation back to the hotel in the later evening after finishing be difficult?

Depends on how fast you are. Last ferry this year left 10pm Sunday night from Cozumel to Playa. I think the pre race logistics would be much tougher staying on the mainland though.

Thanks! I finished IM AZ this year at 9:00... that's too close. Hoping to stay in a timeshare in Playa del Carmen for the week.... but I guess that's unrealistic.

If you can get to the ferry before the last one - think the last one is at 10- i guess so. But not sure why you'd want to stay over there as opposed to Coz

FYI, the ferry take a full hour, i'm pretty sure the first one is at 5:30 or 6:00am... so there is no way you could be at the transition before it close (6:30am if memory serve)

Also, need to be on the Island to pick up you Bib on Friday and drop your bike your bike on Saturday. So i don't think it's possible / realistic to stay on the mainland between Friday morning and Monday morning (maybe Sunday if you know you will finish early, you have sherpas and you are not looking for a Kona spot)

I was actually surprise how many time i had to take a cab to do something race related, even if i was at a walking distance from T1.

As far as i could tell, Cozumel is the place to be for divers... not so much for anything else. So could be an idea to move to the mainland after the race.

My advices, be on the island on Thursday, depending where you fly from you their may not be any option to be there on Friday and have a reasonable chance of picking up your bib... let alone giving your self some margin if ever your bike take a different airplane than you. Also don't do anything that is no race related before the actual race... unnecessary distraction.

I did two boat dives Thursday and one shore dive Saturday before this year’s race. It’s a hobby not a job and I ain’t winning my age group so might as well dive instead of sitting around on my a$$ for 3 days ;)

That makes sense. My first thought was because we can access timeshares for the thanksgiving week in playa del Carmen- but sounds like I’ll need a hotel on Cozumel Thursday- Monday morning...

Thanks!

We are heading there in November.Where did you stay, would you recommend it? Has anyone ever stayed at El Cantil? It looks nice but doesn't seem to have much of a beach. Does anyone have any other beachfront recommendations? I don't want all inclusive but breakfast would be ok. Thanks