Cozumel

Introduction to Cozumel

Cozumel has ranked for years among the top five dive destinations in the world. Tall reefs line the southwest coast, creating towering walls that offer divers a fairy-tale landscape to explore. For nondivers, it has the beautiful water of the Caribbean with all the accompanying watersports and seaside activities. The island gets a lot more visitors from North America than Europe for reasons that probably have to do with the limited flights. It is in many ways more "cozy and mellow" than the mainland -- no big highways, no big construction projects. It's dependable. And one of my favorite things about this island is that the water on the protected side (western shore) is as calm as an aquarium, unless a norther is blowing. The island is 45km (28 miles) long and 18km (11 miles) wide, and lies 19km (12 miles) from the mainland. Most of the terrain is flat and clothed in a low tropical forest.

The only town on the island is San Miguel, which, despite the growth of the last 20 years, can't be called anything more than a small town. It's not a stunningly beautiful place, but it and its inhabitants are agreeable -- on Sunday evenings, everybody congregates around the plaza to be sociable and have a good time. Staying in town can be fun and convenient. You get a choice of a number of restaurants and nightspots. Because Cozumel enjoys such popularity with the cruise ships, the waterfront section of town holds wall-to-wall jewelry stores and souvenir shops. This and the area around the town's main square are about as far as most cruise ship passengers venture into town.

Should you come down with a case of island fever, Playa del Carmen and the mainland are a 40-minute ferry ride away. Some travel agencies on the island can set you up with a tour of the major ruins on the mainland, such as Tulum or Chichén Itzá, or a visit to a nature park such as Xel-Ha or Xcaret.

The island has its own ruins, but they cannot compare with the major sites of the mainland. During pre-Hispanic times, Maya women would cross over to the island to make offerings to the goddess of fertility, Ixchel. More than 40 sites containing shrines remain around the island, and archaeologists still uncover the small dolls that were customarily part of those offerings.

The 490-square-km (189-square-mi) island of Cozumel hangs 19 km (12 mi) off the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula. Calm waters wash the white sandy beaches on its leeward side, which is fringed by a spectacular reef system. On the windward Caribbean side, powerful surf and rocky strands are broken at intervals by calm bays and hidden coves. Aside from the 3% of the island that has been developed, Cozumel is made up of expanses of sandy or rocky beaches, quiet little coves, palm groves, scrubby jungle, lagoons and swamps, and a few low hills (the maximum elevation is 45 ft). A few Maya ruins provide what limited sightseeing there is aside from the island's glorious natural attractions.

The island's name comes from the Maya word Ah-Cuzamil-Peten, which means "land of the swallows." For the Maya, Cozumel was the sacred site of the fertility goddess Ixchel, as well as a key center of trade and navigation. For the Spanish, it was useful as a naval base in the late 16th century. For pirates, its safe harbors and the catacombs and tunnels the Maya dug were ideal for their treasure-gathering and -storing needs.

Despite the inevitable effects of cruise ships that dock here, the island's earthy charm remains largely intact, and the relaxing atmosphere remains typically Mexican -- friendly and unpretentious. A mainstay of Cozumel's mood is the isleños, descendents of the Maya who have inhabited the island for centuries.

Isla Mujeres
The minute you step off the boat, you'll get a sense of how small Isla is. The sights and properties on the island are strung along the coasts; there's not much to the interior except the two saltwater marshes, Salina Chica and Salina Grande, where Maya inhabitants harvested salt centuries ago. The main road is Avenida Rueda Medina, which runs the length of the island; southeast of a village known as El Colonia, it turns into Carretera El Garrafón. Smaller street names and other address details don't really matter much here.

When to Go to Cozumel

Weather conditions on Cozumel are more extreme than you might expect on a tropical island. Nortes -- winds from the north -- blow through in December, churning the sea and making air and water temperature drop. If you visit during this time, bring a shawl or jacket for the chilly 65° evenings. Summers, on the other hand, can be beastly hot and humid. The windward side is calmer in winter than the leeward side, and the interior is warmer than the coast.

Island Dining

The aromas of sizzling shrimp, grilled chicken and steak, spicy sauces, and crisp pizza fill the air of San Miguel in the evening. Waiters deliver platters of enchiladas, tacos, and fajitas to sidewalk tables along pedestrian walkways, where strollers eye others' dinners while deciding where to stop for a meal. At rooftop restaurants, groups gather over Cajun and Italian feasts; along the shoreline, lobster and the catch of the day are the delicacies of choice.

There's no shortage of dining choices on Cozumel, where entrepreneurs from Louisiana, Texas, Switzerland, and Italy have decided to make a go of their dreams. Foods familiar to American taste buds abound. In fact, in can be hard to find authentic regional cuisine. Yucatecan dishes such as cochinita pibíl (pork with achiote spice), queso relleno (Gouda cheese stuffed with ground meat), and sopa de lima (lime soup) rarely appear on tourist-oriented menus, but are served at small family-owned eateries in San Miguel. Look for groups of local families gathered at wobbly tables in tiny cafés to find authentic Mexican cooking.

Even the finest chefs tend to emphasize natural flavors and simple preparations rather than fancy sauces and experimental cuisine. Trends aren't important here. There are places where you can wear your finest sundress or silky Hawaiian shirt and dine by candlelight, for sure. But clean shorts and shirts with buttons are considered dress-up clothing suitable for most establishments. At the finer restaurants, guitarists or trios play soft ballads while customers savor lobster salad, filet mignon, and chocolate mousse. But the most popular dining spots are combination restaurant-bars in the Carlos 'n Charlie's style, where diners fuel up on barbecued ribs and burgers before burning those calories away on the dance floor.

Top 5 Reasons to Go

Scuba diving the world-famous 20-mi Maya Reef, where the technicolor profusion of fish coral and other underwater creatures reside.

Swing lazily in a hamaca at Mr. Sancho's, Nachi Cocom, or any of the other western beach clubs.

Watching beribboned traditional dancers at the annual Feria del Cedral festival.

Joining the locals at the Plaza Central in San Miguel on Sunday nights for music and dancing.

Riding a jeep along the wild, undeveloped eastern coast, and picnicking at secluded beaches.

Cozumel's Best Beaches

Cozumel's beaches vary from sandy treeless stretches to isolated coves to rocky shores. Most of the development on the island is on the leeward (western) side, where the coast is relatively sheltered by the mainland. Beach clubs have sprung up on the southwest coast; a few charge admission despite the fact that Mexican beaches are public property. However, admission is usually free, as long as you buy food and drinks.

Beware of tour buses in club parking lots -- they indicate that hordes of cruise-ship passengers have taken over the facilities. Clubs offer typical tourist fare: souvenir shops, palapa (thatch-roofed) restaurants, kayaks, and cold beer. A cab ride from San Miguel to most of the beach clubs costs about $15 each way. Reaching beaches on the windward (eastern) side is more difficult, but the solitude is worth the effort.

Leeward Beaches
Wide sandy beaches washed with shallow waters are typical at the far north and south ends of Cozumel's west coast. The topography changes between the two, with small sandy coves interspersed with limestone outcroppings. Generally, the best snorkeling is located wherever piers or rocky shorelines provide a haven for sergeant majors and angelfish. The southwest beaches have the best access to good shore diving.

Playa Santa Pilar runs along the northern hotel strip and ends at Punta Norte. Long stretches of pure white sand and shallow water encourage long leisurely swims. The privacy diminishes as you swim south past hotels and condos. Playa San Juan, south of Playa Santa Pilar, has a rocky shore with no easy ocean access. It's usually crowded with guests from nearby hotels. The wind can be strong here, which makes it popular with windsurfers. Playa Azul, beside the hotel of the same name, is among the north coast's few easily accessed beaches. It has a small restaurant and is packed with families on weekends. There's a small gate just north of the hotel for public access.

A small parking lot on the side of Carretera Sur just south of town marks the entrance to Playa Caletita. A few palapas are up for grabs, and the small restaurant has restrooms and beach chairs. There's nothing fancy about Dzul Ha though it has a small pool, snorkeling gear rentals and a bar where you can get guacamole, chips, and beer, it's very low-key here, and there's no cover charge. Climbing in and out of the water on ladders and slippery steps is a small price to pay for the relative solitude.

Uvas (Carretera Sur Km 8.5, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico. PHONE: 987/872-3539) is the one beach club/restaurant/nightclub on Cozumel with a sexy, South-Beach-style attitude. White couches and day beds around the pool and beach let you lounge like a pasha, and all the amenities you could wish for are here: lockers, restrooms with showers, a dive shop, and a shop that rents see-through kayaks for paddling. At night candles illuminate the pool and beach and Uvas becomes a hip restaurant and club. Though there's no cover charge, you're expected to buy food and drink when you're here. During the day, guests sit around in their bathing suits nibbling on fajitas and fish kebabs; at night, people dress up a little to feast on steak, shrimp and crab. Dinner and tapas are served until midnight. Playa Corona, on the old road to Chankanaab parallel to Careterra Sur, is a rocky beach that shares the park's access to the Yucab reef. Snorkeling equipment is available for rent, and the restaurant here serves conch and shrimp ceviche. The beach is best for experienced snorkelers who can handle the water dashing upon the rocks.

If it weren't for the pretentious stone arch at the entrance, Playa San Francisco would look much like it did a decade ago. The inviting 5-km (3-mi) stretch of sandy beach which extends along Carretera Sur, south of Parque Chankanaab at about Km 10, is among the longest and finest on Cozumel. Encompassing beaches known as Playa Maya and Santa Rosa, it's typically packed with cruise-ship passengers in high season. On Sunday locals flock here to eat fresh fish and hear live music. Amenities include two outdoor restaurants, a bar, dressing rooms, gift shops, volleyball nets, beach chairs, and water-sports equipment rentals. Divers use this beach as a jumping-off point for the San Francisco reef and Santa Rosa wall. However, the abundance of turtle grass in the water makes this a less-than-ideal spot for swimming.

The club at Paradise Beach (Carretera Sur, Km 14.5, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico. PHONE: 987/871-9010, paradise-beach-cozumel.net) has cushy lounge chairs and charges a flat $5 fee for full-day use of kayaks, snorkel gear, a trampoline, and a climbing wall that looks like an iceberg in the water. Food prices are high (few beach burgers are worth $9.50). The beach club is open until 11 PM for those who can't bear to stay out of the water until bedtime. Seemingly every water toy known to man is here; kids shriek happily as they hang onto banana boats dragged behind speedboats. Guides lead horseback and ATV rides into the jungle and along the beach, and the restaurant holds a lively, informative tequila seminar at lunchtime. Grab a swing seat at the beach bar and sip a mango margarita, settle into the 30-person hot tub, or nap through a massage. Showers and lockers are available, and souvenirs aplenty are for sale. Mr. Sancho's is one of the few Cozumel beaches whose lifeguard tower sometimes actually houses a lifeguard.

Usually one of the calmer beach clubs, Nachi-Cocom (Carretera Sur, Km 16.5, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico. PHONE: 987/872-0555, www.cozumelnachicocom.net) has a wide, uncluttered, and shallow beach, a freshwater pool, lounge chairs, a dive shop, a restaurant, and a beach bar. It gets around charging an admission by having a food-or-beer minimum of $10 per adult and $5 per child. South of the resorts lies the mostly ignored (and therefore serene) Playa Palancar (Carretera Sur, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico. PHONE: 987/878-5238). The deeply rutted and potholed road to the beach is a sure sign you've left tourist hell. Offshore is the famous Palancar Reef, easily accessed by the on-site dive shop. There's also a water-sports center, a bar-café, and a long beach with hammocks hanging under coconut palms. The aroma of grilled fish with garlic butter is tantalizing. Playa del Palancar keeps prices low and rarely feels crowded.

Windward Beaches
The east coast of Cozumel presents a splendid succession of mostly deserted rocky coves and narrow powdery beaches poised dramatically against the turquoise Caribbean. Swimming can be treacherous here if you go out too far -- in some parts, a deadly undertow can sweep you out to sea in minutes. But the beaches are perfect for solitary sunbathing. Several casual restaurants dot the coastline here; all close after sunset.

Punta Chiqueros, a half-moon-shaped cove sheltered by an offshore reef, is the first popular swimming area as you drive north on the coastal road (it's about 12 km [8 mi] north of Parque Punta Sur). Part of a longer beach that some locals call Playa Bonita, it has fine sand, clear water, and moderate waves. This is a great place to swim, watch the sunset, and eat fresh fish at the restaurant, also called Playa Bonita. Not quite 5 km (3 mi) north of Punta Chiqueros, a long stretch of beach begins along the Chen Río Reef. Turtles come to lay their eggs on the section known as Playa de San Martín (although some locals call it Chen Río, after the reef). During full moons in May and June, the beach is sometimes blocked by soldiers or ecologists to prevent the poaching of the turtle eggs. Directly in front of the reef is a small bay with clear waters and surf that's relatively mild, thanks to a protective rock formation. This is a particularly good spot for swimming when the water is calm. A restaurant, also called Chen Río, serves cold drinks and decent seafood.

About 1 km to the north of Playa San Martín, the island road turns hilly, providing panoramic ocean views. Coconuts, a hilltop restaurant, offers additional lookout spots as well as good food. The adjacent Ventanas al Mar hotel is the only hotel on the windward coast and attracts locals and travelers who enjoy solitude. Locals picnic on the long beach directly north of the hotel. When the water's calm, there's good snorkeling around the rocks beneath the hotel. Surfers and boogie-boarders have adopted Punta Morena, a short drive north of Ventanas al Mar, as their official hangout. The pounding surf creates great waves, and the local restaurant serves typical surfer food (hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries). Vendors sell hammocks by the side of the road. The owners allow camping here. The beach at Punta Este has been nicknamed Mezcalitos, after the much-loved restaurant here. The Mezcalito Café serves seafood and beer and can get pretty rowdy. Punta Este is a typical windward beach -- great for beachcombing but unsuitable for swimming.

A sandy road beside Mezcalitos leads to Punta Molas and a scattering of Maya ruins on private property. When the cruise piers are busy, tour groups on ATVs parade down the road, interspersed with other groups in four-wheel-drive vehicles. Don't even think about taking a moped or standard rental vehicle down this road. Your chances of getting stuck in a sand drift or plowing into a rock are excellent, and rescues are unpredictable. A small Navy base is the only permanent settlement on the road for now, though some of the scrub jungle is divided into housing lots. Beachcombers find sea glass, bottles, seedpods and other treasures on the wild windswept beaches, which are sometimes horrifically littered with trash from the open sea.

Cozumel Hotels and Resorts