Reasons for visiting Cozumel

Cozumel's relaxed and casual ambiance is a result of the unique blend of Mexican and Caribbean culture. The people are as warm and hospitable as the climate, and you'll be delighted by the diverse pleasures they offer. Small-town shops and homey restaurants will win your heart, and world-class snorkeling and diving will get it pumping with excitement. Your adventurous spirit will exult in hikes through jungles and ancient Mayan ruins. And when you're ready for the thrill of a wild nightlife, the mainland is just a quick ferry ride away. No matter what your pleasures, from the depths of the sea to the heights of ancient wonders, you'll be excited and bewitched by Cozumel.

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Twelve miles off Mexico's Yucatán coast lies a tantalizing island getaway. Welcome to Cozumel, Mexico's largest island and a laid-back Caribbean jewel! Legend has it that this island was the home of the Mayan goddess Ixchel, and temples were built in her honor throughout the island. She sent her favorite bird, the swallow, as a sign of her gratitude, leading the Mayans to name the island Cozumel, "land of the swallows." And while it is just a short trip away from Cancún, this pristine island and top diving destination is not lost in the shadow of its flashy mainland neighbor.

Approximate Air Travel Time

• New York City: 6 hrs
• Boston: 6.5 hrs
• Miami: 4.5 hrs
• Los Angeles: 6 hrs
• Chicago: 4.5 hrs
• Dallas-Forth Worth: 3 hrs
• San Francisco: 6.5 hrs

Please note that direct flights may be available seasonally. All travel times are subject to change.

Areas Within Cozumel

San Miguel

This beautiful city is where you find the island's cultural attractions. You can dine at over 100 restaurants, shop at the downtown's classy storefronts, and enjoy the sun and surf at one of the pristine beaches. This is also where you find Cozumel's highly regarded resorts and hotels, and the busy port of call that brings in a steady stream of discriminating cruise ship travelers. Catering to them on the waterfront are a host of stores selling quality, duty-free goods.

Western Coast

This side of the island is calm, and ideal for swimming, diving, or just relaxing in the sun. This part of the island is also the most-developed with banks, markets, shops, restaurants, and hotels. A scuba diver's dream come true, the west coast's ivory white beaches are rimmed by one of the most spectacular ensembles of coral reefs in this hemisphere.

Eastern Coast

In sharp contrast to the west, the eastward side of the island is more secluded, and the only activity you'll find here are the waves crashing into shore. There are some calm beaches with clear waters and live reefs for snorkeling and diving.

Yucatán Peninsula and the Mainland

Cancún and some of Mexico's most famed Mayan ruins are only a short boat ride away, across the Cozumel Channel. On the mainland, you can spend a wild night out in the world-famous nightlife or take advantage of the region's many cultural attractions, including theatre and art galleries.

Topography

Cozumel is 28 miles long and 11 miles wide, and mostly undeveloped. Stretches of jungle and pristine shorelines are largely uninterrupted. The west shore of Cozumel faces the Cozumel Channel, which reaches depths of over a quarter mile. The coast of the Yucatán Peninsula lies to the west, and the islands of the Caribbean are to the east.

Climate

Because of its tropical location, Cozumel is warm and sunny all year long. The weather is breezy with low humidity, and the temperature fluctuates only slightly throughout the year between 80° and 90°. May through October is the area's rainy season. The rain is brief, however, and does not interfere often with daily activities. The heart of hurricane season lasts from early September to late October, though strikes are rare and there is plenty of advance notice to prepare.

What To Do & See on Cozumel

Island Tour

Enjoy the best of Cozumel with an expert guide who takes you on a visit to the museum and the archaeological park, as well as on a drive along the Caribbean coast with a stop for the island's best snorkeling at Chankanaab National Park. Tours include transportation, entrance fees, soft drinks, and beer.

Snorkeling

Snorkel trips by boat venture off to water depths of 30 to 35 feet where the visibility can easily reach over 100 feet. Some of the island's best snorkeling can be found at Chankanaab Lagoon National Park, a marine inlet where snorkelers swim freely among sea urchins, huge angelfish, and large schools of rainbow-colored fish. A botanical garden surrounds the area with over 350 species of tropical plants from around the world.

Scuba Diving

If Cozumel had to be billed with only one attraction, the one thing most visitors would agree upon is that it is one of the world's top destinations for scuba diving. The island's abundant coral reefs include the second largest reef in the world, and there are many varieties of fish from the common to the exotic, including moray eels, nurse sharks, barracudas, crabs, lobsters, sting rays, and more!

Mayan Sites on the Island

Explore the remains of an ancient civilization. The Mayans thrived for thousands of years then mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind fantastic ghost cities. El Cedral, believed to be the oldest on the island, is the easiest to reach of Cozumel's sites. San Gervasio is another, located in center of the island.

Mayan Sites on the Mainland

Take a ferry and hop a tour bus, or really go in style and take a plane to Chichen-Itza - the most spectacular of all Mayan ruins in eastern Mexico. This huge complex dates to 600AD and includes the pyramid of the serpent deity Kulkulkan and its accompanying buildings. Tulum, also on the mainland, is a spectacular 60-structure city built in honor of the sun and is the only walled city the Mayans ever constructed near the ocean. At Coba, one of the largest Mayan cities in existence, visitors marvel at Nohoch Mul, the tallest pyramid on the peninsula at a height of 138 feet.

Shopping

Bargain hunters take heed! As a duty-free port of call, one of Cozumel's other big draws is shopping. Downtown stores offer Mexican crafts at incredibly cheap prices, and there are several reputable jewelry shops with excellent choices at very attractive prices.

Horseback Riding

Follow an expert guide on a wilderness safari on horseback through the island's interior. Discover temples, caves, idols, and archeological sites along the way!

Hiking

Immerse yourself in the exotic flora and fauna of the island. With the majority of the island undeveloped, you will quickly find yourself surrounded by tropical birds, lizards, coati (similar to a raccoon), deer, and other wildlife. The scrub and jungles are bursting with beautiful indigenous flowers and other plants.

Beaches

You'll find 2 very different kinds of beaches on Cozumel. The island's west coast, facing Mexico's mainland, showcases beautiful stretches of golden sand and resorts. The east side of the island, which faces the Caribbean Sea, features quiet beaches and rocky shores. Common to both coasts, though, are the many diving and snorkeling sites.

Nightlife Jaunt to Cancun

After you've spent a good day exploring the island of Cozumel, go ashore and enjoy the mainland! "Playacar" is just a quick boat ride away. Cancún is a boat ride and then a 45-minute drive away.

Dining on Cozumel

Mexican cuisine is centered around 3 national staples: tortillas, fried beans, and chili peppers. Of course, you can find much more than just tacos and such in Cozumel. Chain eateries are plentiful throughout Mexican tourism spots and, for its size, Cozumel also has a surprising variety of ethnic dining catering to every budget and taste, from Italian and French to Lebanese and Japanese. And almost all places serve the famous mezcal and tequila.

Nightlife on Cozumel

This is actually a place where you go to get away from the bright lights and blaring music of the mainland's hotbeds of tourism. But everybody loves a night out on the town from time to time, so there are a few night spots. Additionally, many of the larger hotels and resorts offer nightly entertainment, including karaoke, shows, and discos. If you really want to party hearty, hop a ferry for a quick trip to the legendary nightlife of Cancún.

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