All about Cozumel
Shopping Guide - Tours & Attractions - Restaurants Guide - Night Life - Cancun Weather - Resorts and Hotels
The Island of Cozumel is located off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. This Mexican island is the tourist destination for scuba diving, snorkeling and a major cruise ship port. With time, the island has become the top destination for any family vacation, adventure travel, romance and a number of attractions.
The Maya were the first settlers in the island; although artifacts found there point to an older Pre-classic Olmec civilization also visited. To the Mayans, the island was sacred to Ix Chel, the Maya Moon Goddess. Women desiring fertility made this their place of pilgrimage and travelled across the sea from modern Cancun and Riviera Maya to visit the island.
Visitors today can find a number of activities to enjoy a tour to Cozumel including archeological sites, swim with dolphin programs, snorkeling and scuba diving tours, shopping and a number of activities and adventures.
- Population: 560,011
- Location: 20º 25' North, 86º 55' West
- Official language: Spanish
- Other languages spoken: English, Maya
- Electrical Outlets: 127V 60Hz
- Time Zone: Central (GMT -6)
- Weights and measures: Metric
- Climate: Semi-tropical
Cozumel Shopping Guide
Cozumel Island is the one stop shop for all your souvenir needs. The world’s finest in jewelry, fashion, artists, leather goods and hand-crafted pottery are all housed here and no matter what you’re looking for, there are plenty of choices for you to take a little bit of heaven on Earth to your home.
There are a number of shops all throughout the island, but three main shopping malls.
Forum Plaza – It offers a new shopping experience known as Caribbean Shopping style. Customers usually save up to 50% on what is customary in U.S. or Canada items. The biggest attraction of the plaza is the interactive jewelry maker, where visitors can observe while the jewelry is being made. Forum Plaza is a two-story shopping center with air-conditioning, an auditorium, and Cozumel’s beautiful scenery.
Punta Langosta - Located in the heart of the island on the main street, Punta Langosta offers a shopping area, a walking and entertainment section, restaurants, and coffee shops. From Monday through Saturday, the plaza is filled with performers showcasing dances from all regions of the country, human statues and the lively mariachi music.
Jewelers - Cozumel is one of the world’s busiest cities for retail jewelry sales and safe-bet to find Mexican-crafted silver, exotic stones and the finest diamonds. Most jewelry stores on the island are duty-free.
Tours and Attractions in Cozumel
Ecological Parks
Chankanaab, a Mayan word meaning “Little Sea”, is located within the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park and home to the world-renowned Chankanaab Lagoon. The Lagoon features the only inland coral reef formation in the world. Encompassing nearly 450,000 square feet, the park offers a number of activities such as swim with dolphins, snuba and seatrek, and snorkel and scuba in an amazing underwater world. It is located just 10 minutes away on taxi from downtown.
Discover Mexico—the newest “must see” attraction—is a cultural theme park that gathers all of Mexico’s treasures, traditions and history into one park. Visit Mexico’s most important archeological sites and colonial buildings, an on-site museum, a video experience room and permanent and temporary exhibits.
Located at the southern tip of the island, Celarain Lighthouse is the largest nature reserve in the island. Extending for more than 247 acres, the ecological park gathers the most breathtaking environments such as mangrove jungles, white sand beaches and reef formations and harbors an abundant variety of wildlife like crocodiles, 220 species of birds, iguanas and giant turtles. The Eco Park gets its name for the old lighthouse and navigation museum.
Activities
Swimming with dolphins is one of the most exciting experiences you will be able to do during your vacation. This zone has specialized in this activity. Swim with dolphins in paradise, learn, enjoy and kiss them. Choose from the varied programs designed for all ages in Cozumel.
From deep-sea fishing to bottom fishing, this activity is a lifetime experience for anyone who loves to fish. The tour offers top of the line equipment and a sport fishing Rampage 31’, spacious, comfortable. Depending on the season, the catch of the day may include: sailfish, blue and white marlin, Wahoo, grouper, snapper, mahi mahi and barracuda.
Beaches and Beach Clubs
The Nachi Cocom Beach Club offers Cozumel’s most unique and exclusive beach club, offering the best quality, privacy and personalized experience perfectly designed for families, couples, and friends. It is fully equipped with a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, swim up bar, comfortable beach chairs, a huge palapa-style restaurant, water sports center, bathrooms and a beautiful ocean view.
The club only accepts 100 guests per day.
Crystal clear water, white sand beaches, and swaying coconut palm trees are the ingredients for paradise. The beach club—located only six miles south of downtown—offers free entrance and access to a number of activities and attractions: ocean kayaks, water trampoline, climbing iceberg, delicious food and drinks, and great service.
“Must Sees” and Archeological sites
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The Museum of the Island of Cozumel
The museum, located in the heart of downtown Cozumel, offers its visitors a clearer picture of the island’s environment, history and culture. The walls of the museum are lined with murals depicting early Mayan life and photographs of the island’s early residents. Learn about wildlife migration patterns, the island’s archeology and history and pirate stories from guided tours.
A sanctuary to the goddess Ixchel, San Gervsio is the most important archeological Mayan site in Cozumel. The site was an obligatory visit side for Mayans once in their lifetime. Visitors will walk through four distinct historical districts. It is also the largest site on the island and features centuries-old structures that showcase ancient Mayan civilization.
Cozumel restaurants
With the Caribbean Sea as the backdrop for any meal, the dining experience in Cozumel is unlike any other you’ve ever experienced. Cozumel offers the delicious and diverse traditional Mexican food from all regions of the country. But it also offers the international touches from all its visitors who have come to stay. Families can enjoy a delicious meal in a number of family-owned restaurants and delight their palates with Mexican, Mayan or international cuisine. For any special occasion, choose from any of the fine dining options that Cozumel offers.
Nightlife in Cozumel
As the sun goes down, the island of Cozumel lights up for an exciting night. Couples fall in love under the stars and over candlelit tables. New and old friends gather to listen to live local music or to take sunset sails under a starry night and warm night air. Cozumel offers live entertainment—whether it’s downtown or at the hotel—there’s no excuse not to celebrate and dance the night away.
Cozumel Weather
With sunny skies and ocean breezes, Cozumel has the ideal summer weather. Cozumel‘s warmest season is between March and September, where the humidity and heat reaches its highest points. For cooler months, the months between October and February are the best times to visit Cozumel with cool sunny weather. Rainy season is also on these last months before December, but the rainy moments never last too long.
Visiting the Caribbean is an exciting time, but you may not be used to the humidity. Consider these tips when traveling to Cozumel.
- Keep hydrated. Drink plenty of water.
- Apply sunscreen thoroughly and dress with light clothing.
- Common warnings of a heat stroke include slight headaches, feeling dizzy or week.
- Sit immediately in the shade and drink water.
- Pack casual, breathable clothes, sandals, a cap or hat.
- For trips into the jungle and other excursions, wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and plenty of insect repellent.
- For winter season, a light sweater or jacket is recommended.
Resorts and Hotels in Cozumel
The island of Cozumel offers its visitors a wide variety of lodging options: from Bed & Breakfasts in town to vacation homes or luxury all inclusive resorts, there are choices to adjust to your activities and budget. Most Cozumel hotels and resorts have bilingual staff, concierge services, and tourist information. Most all inclusive plans offer an open bar, meals, and activities within the resort.
Our hotel directory will do an accurate guide to help you plan your trip.