Beaches
The downtown area has a rocky shore, and no nicebeaches. A few of the beachfront hotels and condominiums
at the south end of downtown have man-made beaches
behind a seawall. This rocky section continues north of
downtown, but beaches become nice about midway
through the north hotel zone.
The rocky section also continues south of downtown,
with a few spotty areas of sand along the rocky shore.
The beautiful beaches begin about 5 miles (8km) south of
downtown. This is the area where you'll find most large
beach clubs and all-inclusive resorts.
On the east side of the island there are a few nice
beaches that are very isolated. There are some small,
nice beach clubs along the shore.
Transportation
There is no bus system on Cozumel. You'll need touse taxis (expensive), or rent a car or scooter.
Taxi fares and rental information is on our
Cozumel map & travel guide.
Nightlife
All-inclusive resorts have their own entertainment.In downtown there are several small clubs, but nothing
like you'd find in Cancun. Most people enjoy live music
at one of the small restaurants and bars near the
main plaza.
Shopping
Cozumel is a major cruise ship port and famous forshopping. Most of the stores sell jewelry or Mexican
handicrafts. We find the local markets to be more interesting.
You'll find a self-guided shopping tour on our
Cozumel map & travel guide.
Hotels
Small hotels, hostels, rental homes, condominium units,and all-inclusive resorts. Cozumel has everything.
View all hotels in Cancun at our hotel locations map.
Hotels are also shown on our
Cozumel map & travel guide.
Restaurants
Cozumel has excellent restaurants, From elegant dining torustic "loncherias" where the local dive masters hang-out
(and a few informed tourists) for free appetizers.
Reviews and recommendations on our
Cozumel map & travel guide.
Tours & activities
Scuba diving and fishing are the main attractions, but thereare dozens of tours mainly for the cruise ship passengers.
There are Mayan ruins on the island, but not as
impressive as the giant structures on the mainland.
Complete tour information is on our
Cozumel map & travel guide.
Atmosphere
Downtown Cozumel is a small Mexican city with amain plaza. During the day when cruise ships are in port,
the downtown shopping area and large beach clubs to the
south are quite busy. Beach clubs on the east side of the island will be busy, but at a more relaxed pace.
In the evenings downtown is quiet and laid-back.
Who visits
During the day the cruise ship tourists swarm the tourist areas of the island; at night you'll find mostly scuba diversand tourists who like a quiet pace.
