Isla Cozumel, or simply Cozumel, is arguably the world’s best scuba diving destination. Located only 82 km (51 miles) south of Cancún, this little island can be found across the Cozumel Channel in the Caribbean, 19 km (12 miles) from Playa del Carmen. It is a major tourist getaway for the state of Quintana Roo in southeast Mexico.
Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean Island, measuring 48 km (30 miles) long and 16 km (9.9 miles) wide. It is also Mexico’s largest permanently inhabited island (with a population of 88,626 in 2020) and the third altogether largest island (behind Tiburón and Angel de la Guarda).
The main town is San Miguel de Cozumel and is based on the western shore facing Playa del Carmen. The economy thrives solely from the tourism of scuba diving, snorkeling, and charter fishing. As of 2018, Cozumel hosts more than five million visitors annually. A favorite port station for cruise ships, Cozumel experiences a large influx of tourists each day.
Tourism is so important, that the island has its own international airport that features two runways. Originally, it was a relic from World War 2 that could handle international flights. It was later expanded and converted for commercial use in the 1970’s. In 2021, this tiny airport handled a surprising 531,675 passengers.
The island is mostly flat with a karst topography and a peak elevation of 15 meters (49 feet) above sea level. A karst topography is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems that include both sink holes and caves.
Cozumel is made up of limestone that is covered in semi deciduous forests and mangroves. Rich in a variety of endemic animal species, it’s not uncommon to see amphibians and reptiles all over the island.
If visitors would like, they can take a day to see some Mayan archeological sites. Cozumel features 36 different sites scattered around the jungle with different material remains. These sites range from ceremonial and commercial centers to pilgrimage routes.
The marine environment surrounding the island makes Cozumel truly special. Just off the coast is the world’s second largest reef system. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is home to both hard and soft coral reefs and displays just about every color in the spectrum. This unique underwater habitat houses more than 1,000 marine species. This massive system stretches more than 1000 kilometers (620 miles) through the Caribbean.
Cozumel reefs were once famous for black coral systems. However, these declined beginning in the 1960’s and continued to deteriorate through the 1990’s due to over harvesting. Still unrecovered by 2016, there is plenty of doubt that these unique coral systems will flourish again.
This region of the tropic’s experiences constant temperatures throughout the year. Cozumel has a tropical savannah climate with an average temperature of 24°C (75.2°F) in January, the coldest part of the year, and an average 28°C (82.4°F) during the hottest in August.
The locals experience a relatively short dry season, from February through April, followed by a lengthy wet season. September and October experience an average 240 millimeters (9.4 inches) of rain each month and are by far the wettest of the year.
Carnaval in Cozumel is one of Mexico’s most important Carnaval celebrations. It has been a time-honored tradition since the late 19th century and fills the streets with parades and celebratory festivities every year. This cultural party should not be missed and usually gets scheduled during the week before Mardi Gras in the United States.
Diving Deep
I stopped in for a short two night and three-day stay for some scuba diving and had an absolute blast. I found the main strip and square to be extremely touristy, but that was to be expected. Both are located right next to the ferry dock along with some of the cruise ship docks as well.
Getting outside the tourist zone was not difficult either. It only takes a five-minute walk to get to the smaller and more affordable eateries where locals tend to dine. There are over 300 restaurants in Cozumel, with a little research you should be able to find something that is suitable for just about any pallet. My favorite was this little restaurant called Cocina El Indio. The building is white and there wasn’t much to it, but the food was incredible! Owned by a local family every dish was bursting with flavor and incredibly authentic.
San Miguel is surprisingly small and packed with beautiful street art. However, my favorite part of the island was probably the sunsets. I snapped one of my favorite shots that I’ve ever taken, during the one of these. The golden rays of the sun were just about to drop behind a cruise ship, lighting up the entire top left of the sky in a golden hue. In the bottom of the photo there is a decommissioned ship that’s been turned on its side to display the painted side with colors that complement the sinking sun.
The options for affordable and low-cost accommodations are few and far between, however there are options. Had I made my reservations more than a day before visiting, I’d probably have had a couple more hostels to choose from. Since I’m not that great at planning ahead my choices were limited. I stayed at Hostel Tropico 20°. It is conveniently located and only a five-minute walk from the main plaza and ferry docks.
I wanted to get updated on my scuba certifications and what better place to do it than one of the best destinations in the world for scuba. I was able to knock out five dives in three days, completing the requirements to get my advanced open water diver qualification. This makes it possible for me to dive the Great Blue Hole that Belize is famous for, along with shipwreck dives and other specialty dives as well.
Each of my five dives was more impressive than the last. The ocean was bursting with colors and the variety of species was second to none. To highlight a few, we saw a sea turtle, a sea horse, a manta ray, a couple sharks, and wide variety of fish. This was one of my favorite places that I’ve dived. I would love to come back and get many more dives and explore the vibrant Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.
There is plenty of things to do for the whole family, relax on the beach, go snorkeling, visit some Mayan ruins, sample the local cuisine, or search out new trinkets to remember the visit. Whatever it is you decide to do, I know you’ll generally enjoy your time in this little slice of island paradise.
