Cozumel, Mexico
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Edit textCozumel is an island off the eastern coast of Mexico, a short ferry ride from Cancun or Playa del Carmen, in the Caribbean. It’s technically part of the Quintana Roo province.
The island, whose name comes from the Mayan for “Island of the Swallows,” is just under 650 sq km, but for the most part, the only interesting recreational opportunities lie along the western shore, particularly the southwest. San Miguel is the island’s capital and only significant cluster of population. It’s found at about the midpoint of the western shore, and is where the hydrofoil ferries from the mainland come in.
Other than hotel-based activities, the main draw on the island is scuba diving and snorkeling.
The east side of the island has long, wide white sand beaches, but the water is much rougher than the west side, so that coast is virtually undeveloped.
Scuba
Palancar is the name of the coral reefs off the island’s south side. Cozumel’s draw as a scuba destination began in 1959 when Jacques Cousteau filmed here and called it one of the best dive spots in the world.
The reefs of the island are protected as part of the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park. As any conscientious diver would already know, touching or removing coral, or any other marine life, is strictly against laws, customs and common sense.
Great visibility, warm water, white sand, turquoise water, and marine animals such as nurse sharks and sea turtles make it a wicked spot to check out.
Getting There
There are direct flights to Cozumel, often part of charter tours. The island’s proximity to Cancun gives the option of flying in to Cancun instead, driving down to Playa del Carmen and hopping a short ferry ride across to San Miguel.
From Cancun: drive south on highway 307 to Playa del Carmen; grab the ferry.
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Comments & discussion from Outdoor People:
After getting my open water certification in Tobermory over 20 years ago, Cozumel was the first and only place I ever went diving. At first I thought the wrecks at Tobermory were amazing--then I experienced Cozumel. It was so rich with color and diversity, I could not bring myself to ever go scuba diving in fresh water again. For me personally, I found the joy of scuba mostly in the marine life, rather than in the sensation of being neutrally buoyant. It is almost impossible to describe to someone who has never been diving in the tropics. HDTV does not even come close to reproducing the richness of a coral reef, and Cozumel has some of the most beautiful reefs in the world.
The other really fun part of diving Cozumel is the currents. Drift diving with the currents forces one to think about the flow of water and how one might stop to rest. Much as a canoeist thinks about boulders and eddies--stopping behind a boulder to rest, and slightly edging the bow into the current to begin moving again--a drift diver uses the same techniques with outcroppings of coral. By using the current, diving becomes almost effortless.
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