.png){kind=small}
Check out our video on Cozumel here!
Crystal clear waters at Playa Chen Rio
What is Cozumel?
Many people usually think about Cancun or Tulum when it comes to beaches in Mexico or Yucatan Peninsula. There are actually many other areas that are worth visiting (even nicer than Cancun!) in Yucatan. Cozumel is one of them. It is an island in the Caribbean Sea that is just off the coast of Playa del Carmen. Cozumel is relatively undeveloped compared to its more touristy neighbours, but boasts tranquil beaches on the southeastern and southwestern parts of the island.
Cozumel's location relative to Cancun and Playa del Carmen
We found out that Cozumel is pit stop for many cruises and we saw the MSC Seashore cruise (the largest cruise in the world) docked at the port when we were there. Naturally, there will be a lot of restaurants and shops catered to this tourist crowd.
How to get to Cozumel?
There is an International airport in Cozumel with flights from North America and Mexico. We flew into Cancun first before travelling around the Yucatan Peninsula.
To get to Cozumel from most places within the Yucatan Peninsula, you can take an ADO bus to Playa Del Carmen (tickets can be booked in advance online) before taking a ferry to Cozumel.
There are 2 ferry providers between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel: Winjet and Ultramar that run every hour. There is no need to purchase the tickets in advance, we had no issues buying the tickets for the next available ferry. The tickets cost us MXN250 (USD13) each. The companies were selling round trip tickets for MXN500, so it didn’t make sense to purchase the return ticket in advance either.
Ultramar ferry
What to do in Cozumel?
Cozumel is a typical laidback beach town so the activities mainly revolve around beach/sea activities.
1. Explore the island via scooter (highly recommend!)
Check out our video here!
Riding a scooter along the coastline
This was the best experience we had on Cozumel. The main city (San Miguel de Cozumel) was still pretty touristy and crowded, especially from the cruise passengers, but the best beaches are on the western side of the island. Many of the cruise passengers do not have time to go to the western side so the beaches were way less crowded and tranquil.
We rented a scooter from a random shop near the central area for USD35 a day (we were quoted in the range of USD35-USD50), inclusive of helmets and insurance. We also had to place a USD100 security deposit. Our scooter’s fuel gauge and speedometer were not working, so it is probably best to go for more reputable and pricier options (google reviews is your best friend).
The route was very straightforward and impossible to get lost as there was only 1 loop road around the island. The ride was along the coastline was beautiful and there were very few vehicles around.
These were our pitstops along the island:
Coconuts (bar with beach vibes and views of the beach)
Playa Chen Rio (one of the nicest beaches, it had a sheltered bay area perfect for swimming)
Beachfront views
El Pescador (restaurant next to Playa Chen Rio, honestly the food wasn’t great but we were thirsty!)
El Mirador (viewpoint of a stone arch and cliffs with Mexico and pirate flags)
I don’t think you can swim here as the beach was rocky and the waves were strong
We spent around 4 hours riding around the island and had a tremendous time! You can refer to our route in the map below.
Our pitstops along the island
2. Diving
Diving is one of the main activities in Cozumel and is perfect for beginners. It is known for having abundant coral reefs, superb visibility (more than 30m!), calm waters and comfortably warm waters of 28C(only shortie required). We saw baby shark, turtles, barracudas and reef fishes. Overall, it wasn’t a particularly exciting or amazing dive but a good introductory dive for us (we haven’t dived for 2 years due to COVID!) and to prepare us for bigger dive trips ahead.
The waters were so clear and blue!
3. Spend the day at the Beach Clubs
We didn’t manage to visit any beach clubs due to budget (backpacker style!) and time constraints but we saw a couple that looked amazing. The beach clubs are fully decked out in amenities including pool, showers, spas, some even have a house reef to snorkel in! They also have all inclusive packages which definitely makes for a relaxing day at the beach.
Buccanos
Del Mar beach club
Paradise beach
Mr Sanchos
How long to spend in Cozumel?
We only spent 2 full days in Cozumel- 1 day for diving and 1 day for the scooter trip around the island. I wished we had 1 more day to spend at the beach clubs so 3 full days would be optimal in Cozumel.
Comments