Best Uncrowded Beaches On The Other Side
Most people gravitate towards the west side of Cozumel because of San Miguel, the many beach clubs, and all the three cruise ports along the coast.
However, the other side of Cozumel is beautiful, more rugged looking, and much more private if youre looking to get away from the crowds.
On the east side of the island, tourists come for the bars and restaurants, narrow beaches, and gorgeous views of the rugged eastern coastline.
If youre looking for a quieter place to relax and enjoy a good book without interruption, try visiting one of these options on the other side of the island.
Punta Sur Ecological Beach Park
At the southern tip of Cozumel Island, this eco-reserve is a protected lagoon teeming with wild birds and crocodiles. Climb to the top of the lighthouse for beautiful views of the island.
Here on the east side of Cozumel and the Caribbean Sea, youll feel like youre on your private beach. You can rent 4x4s and head out on your own.
Some rentals also include a stop for lunch and a beverage and time to relax on the beach.
This could be one of the best things to do in Cozumel on a cruise. Especially if you want to get away from the hub-bub of downtown and usually thousands of cruise passengers.
Playa Punta Morena
Talk about private! This beach is tucked away on the less popular east side of the island. Here, you can rent a hammock or lounger or use your belongings for sitting privately and spending time alone in paradise.
Playa Chen Rio and Chen Rio Restaurant
Get Underwater With Seatrek
Cozumel is well known as one of the best places for scuba diving in the world. But you may not have a scuba diving licence.
No problem.
You can have a walk and explore underwater at Chankaab Park. A trick is that you wear a special helmet on your shoulder. There is a continuous flow of air inside. It allows you to breathe with ease. You do not need carrying a heavy water tank, metal weights and scuba diving jacket. Its the most comfortable way to meet tropical fish and sea animals!
Enjoy Cozumel On Horseback
- Duration: 1 to 4-1/2 hours | Cost: USD 85.00 to USD 99.00
While most tours center around water activities, get off the beaten path on a horseback adventure. There are various tours, from a quick 30-minute trip with Mr Sanchos Beach Club or much longer excursions through the local jungle.
While most areas dont allow horses on the beach, in Cozumel, Mr Sanchos 30-minute beach ride also includes unlimited drinks, food, and use of their float toys at their beach club. And its a bargain at USD 85.00+.
If you prefer a port excursion from the port, its best to arrange one through your cruise line. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and NCL have a 4-1/2-hour tour which includes transportation to and from the horse ranch.
Although the tour lasts 4-1/2 hours, the horseback ride is just 1-1/2 hours. The rest of the time is spent in transit, orientation with a horse, and 1-1/2 hours of free time to eat, swim, or relax on a beach.
Its advisable to wear long pants on this excursion and closed-toe shoes. Due to the heat, its also best to use sunscreen, bring water, and your camera, of course. Since the cruise lines tour doesnt include lunch, youll need some cash for food and souvenirs. After the half-day excursion, theres still plenty of time for shopping in San Miguel.
Other horseback excursions take paths through the jungle to Mayan ruins. Cenote rides combine an adventure on horseback with a refreshing swim in a local sinkhole.
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Food And Drink Excursions: Experience The Tastes Of Cozumel
If the tastes of Cozumel get you more excited than its sights and sounds, spend your time in Cozumel participating in an interactive culinary shore excursion. If you enjoy a tropical libation, a tequila tasting in Mexico is also a cant-miss experience.
Another must-do foodie experience is centered around chocolate. You can learn more about the cacao plant on a Cozumel chocolate factory tour, making it one of the tastier things to do in the Cozumel port.
Cozumel is also a location of one of our exclusive Chefs Market Discoveries shore excursions. These special shore excursions pair up with one of the onboard chefs who will take you around the port and introduce you to the local tastes and food culture of Cozumel.
The evening when youre back on board the ship, youll get to enjoy a private dinner just for those on your shore excursion that is prepared by the Celebrity chef using ingredients you learned about while in port. Youll also get a tour of the galley and learn more about the behind the scenes activities that make dining on a cruise ship such a great and delicious experience.
Lounge On The Beach At The Pier
If you dock at the main cruise pier for Carnival, then you can lounge on a manmade beach with great views of the ship. As you leave the pier, hang a left past Fat Tuesday. Walk down a bit and on your left youll see a small beach with a number of loungers that are usually empty. This is a spot where passengers can visit, but many may not realize it.
The sand is white and soft, but just know there isnt water access. Still, its free and convenient if youre wanting to get off the ship and not go far.
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Find Out All The Things To Do In Cozumel Mexico On Caribbean Cruises
Cozumel Island is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean. The reason for this island as the top choice among the cruisers is because of plentiful things to do in Cozumel.
Cozumel is Mexicos premier resort island in the Caribbean. The beach experiences, snorkelling and scuba diving are truly incredible. Its no doubt that over 3 million people are visiting Cozumel annually.
Are you cruising to Cozumel? You may be looking for some information on what to do in Cozumel, Mexico.
The problem is that there is so much information about things to do in Cozumel, Mexico out there. It is not easy to find what is best to do in Cozumel.
Most cruise ships are generally disembarking for 8-12 hours on the island. You stay in Cozumel within a limited period of time. Then it is very important for you to take some time and plan what to do in Cozumel right now.
In this article, you will find all the activities and visiting places in Cozumel. I stayed in Cozumel for a month and visited the island for the Caribbean cruises. Let me introduce you to all the great things about Cozumel!
You can save money and time by reading this article. Each idea on Cozumel things to do is categorised by topics. This way help you pick up the right ones for your next cruising to Mexico. Find out the top things to do in Cozumel!
Beach Clubs In Cozumel
When I visit the Caribbean on a cruise, I usually want to visit a beach. The beaches in the Caribbean are my favorites, and there are some fantastic options. Youll usually see beach breaks included in the official excursions. They often include transportation and lunch.
For our most recent trip to Cozumel, we decided to book a day pass at a beach club on our own. There were two options that consistently came up in our searches, Mr. Sancho and Nachi Cocom. Both of these require you to book directly with them, and youll need to take local taxis on both ends of your trip. They are about 15-20 minutes from the cruise ports.
Mr. Sanchos is a private beach club offering an all-inclusive experience. Reservations are accepted in advance and are highly recommended. With the all-inclusive pass, you are able to eat from the buffet, receive unlimited drinks, get the use of beach loungers and umbrellas, and can use lockers and restrooms. Other experiences are available for an additional cost, including massages, entrance to the aquatic park, horseback riding, and more.
Guests visiting Mr. Sanchos should bring pool towels from their ship. Otherwise, they are available for an additional rental fee.
Mr. Sanchos is very popular and can get busy when there are many ships in port for the day. Its definitely recommended that you book in advance.
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Shopping In Cozumel Port
Time permitting, a popular way to wrap up a Cozumel port day is with a wee bit of shopping. And theres lots of shopping to be found throughout Cozumel. You will generally find better prices the farther away you move from the cruise piers.
Mexican Pesos are the official currency of Mexico. But, almost all shop owners will accept U.S. Dollars. However, if you are spending dollars, you should confirm how your change will be returned to you. Pesos or dollars? And confirm the exchange rate. You should also plan to take small denomination bills to help simplify your transactions and make any potential haggling easier.
Explore Mayan Ruins In Tulum
Its easy to see why so many cruise passengers say Tulum is one of the best carnival excursions in Cozumel. Tulum is a well-preserved Maya walled city that was once a major port. Its located an hour south of Playa del Carmen on the coast and makes for a great day trip from Cozumel.
The site has several structures you can explore, including El Castillo, which sits atop a cliff 40 feet above the Caribbean Sea.
If you want to learn more about Maya culture and history, there is a small on-site museum with some interesting artifacts. You can also stroll along the beach below the ruins or go for a swim to see the ruins from the water.
Some Cozumel tours combine visiting the Tulum ruins with other attractions. For example, this excursion takes you to both the Tulum and Coba ruins and ends with swimming in a cenote.
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Glass Bottom Boat Tour
While youre always welcome to take a submarine tour, thats not for everyone. Some people prefer to view the ocean from above! In this case, a glass-bottom boat tour is a great option.
During your glass-bottom boat adventure, youll be taken out to the middle of the ocean and given a chance to look at wildlife under the water. Enjoy your cruise around the Caribbean while rainbow fish swim beneath your feet!
Plus, youll get a chance to jump overboard and swim with the fish yourself as part of your tour! At one of the three reefs that the boat visits, you can get out and snorkel around the water, getting a chance to reach out and tough the schools of gorgeous fish beneath you.
Best Destination Family Excursions
Here are three popular examples of one-stop shopping that offer something to family members of all ages. Most cruise lines will offer some version of excursions to these popular destinations. But if they dont, or you want a different pricing scheme, you can also book directly or with alternative tour operators.
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See The Cozumel Pearl Farm
Not many cruisers venture up to the northern part of the islands to see this family-run pearl farm, but you should. After seeing how the pearls are grown and harvested you can snorkel out to see the pearl hatchery. While snorkeling you can see an underwater life-size Virgen de Guadalupe statue. Tours can last about 6 hours.
Best Cozumel Shore Excursions
Weve done our research and looked at which Cozumel day trips are the most popular and get good reviews. Heres a list of the best excursions Cozumel has to offer you as a cruise ship passenger. With such a wide variety of things to do in Cozumel, were sure youll find the perfect activity for your day in port!
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Take A Submarine Ride
It’s not surprising that the majority of tours and excursions from Cozumel tend to involve the water. When it looks this gorgeous and is teeming with such exquisite wildlife, it’s hard to not be in, on the water at all times.
Speaking of underwater, one of the best tours and excursions from Cozumel is to board a submarine for a unique perspective beneath the waves. This Atlantis Submarine Expedition takes travelers underneath the water’s surface to depths of up to 100 feet to discover the marine life that lives within the Chankanaab protected park.
The tour begins with a short cruise along Cozumel’s coast to the dive site, where visitors will board the U.S. Coast Guard Certified submarine and head beneath the waves. The submarine cruises along the ocean bed revealing parts of the reef typically only seen by scuba divers. Keep your eyes peeled for parrotfish, grunts, and grouper fish.
Ideal Things To Do In Cozumel Mexico In 2022
If you’re looking for the top 42 things to do in Cozumel, Mexico, we’ve got you covered. Find out what you should know about Cozumel here!
When most of us think of Mexico, were quick to think of popular destinations like Cancun or Cabo San Lucas. However, this country is packed full of amazing destinations, and gorgeous places to visit.
One of those destinations is Cozumel, Mexico. Cozumel is a stunning island located in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. Its the third-largest island in Mexico and is full of stunning flora and fauna.
If youre planning on visiting this gem of the Caribbean, then you need to know what the best things to do in Cozumel are! Keep reading and lets dive into this guide on 42 of the best things to do in Mexico while visiting this gorgeous island.
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Ride An Atv To Jade Cavern
If youre not afraid of getting a little dirty, then you wont want to miss a chance to go on an ATV adventure out to Jade Cavern. This excursion takes you bumping across Mexicos landscape out to one of Cozumels unique caves.
As part of your ATV ride, youll be swamps, jungle paths, and unique forest groves. This adventure isnt for the faint of heart so be prepared to see some unique wildlife on your trip into the rainforest!
Play Golf In A Jungle
If you are a golfer, you have to play at Cozumel Country Club. It will be an unusual experience. You are not only playing but are exploring nature at the same time. Get into a beautiful jungle surrounding the golf club. Its a wonderful experience you never had before. The golf club is located in the islands north shore. It features the 18 holes of great golf courses.
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Atv Adventure/dune Buggy Excursion
Are you an adrenaline junkie or an outdoor adventure enthusiast? Then you might like to combine three of the top adventure tours near Cozumel in one action-packed day tour. This 4-hour family-friendly tour includes ziplining, riding through the jungle on a 4×4 ATV, and exploring an underwater cenote.
After being collected from your hotel in Cancun or Riviera Maya, youll be taken to the heart of the jungle where youll zip through the air between canopy platforms, along 6 zip lines and 3 interactive bridges.
Youll then have 50 minutes to explore the jungle on a Honda 220cc ATV with your guide, getting a glimpse of the local wildlife and scenery.
Finish off your tour with a refreshing dip in a Mayan cenote at Ruta de los Cenotes before being dropped back at your hotel.
Y Down At Fat Tuesday
The first spot youll see as you exit the ship and make your way off the pier is a Fat Tuesday. This Mardi Gras-themed place has tons of drink specials and is right near the pier. In other words, its a party atmosphere. If you want to get a drink and party while in port, its the place to be and a short walk back to the ship should you have one too many.
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Don’t Miss In Cozumel
San Miguel: Cozumel’s one and only “big” city , San Miguel owes its economic well-being to the growth of the cruise industry, which has transformed this once-sleepy fishing village into a tourist outpost, crammed with stores selling every imaginable souvenir. While many restaurants offer Mexican fare, others favor American tastes, with several U.S. fast-food chains represented, along with such notable names as the Hard Rock Cafe. Most shops stay open until 5:30 or 6 p.m. — or whenever the last cruise ship departs.
San Miguel revolves around its two landmarks: the “zocalo” , known as Plaza del Sol, and the downtown pier. Easily the most distinctive and fabulous store on Cozumel, near the Costa Maya terminal, is Los Cinco Soles . This shop sells gorgeous Mexican crafts , silver jewelry and clothes. There’s a tequila bar, and the shop wraps around the wonderful Pancho’s Backyard restaurant.
Also of interest to shoppers: Adjacent to the Plaza del Sol is the modern Villa Mar Complex, an air-conditioned mall with several notable silver shops. Among the best buys in the mall are hand-woven hammocks, shell jewelry, and local handicrafts. You’ll also find many duty-free items, such as perfumes and watches.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling: Along with Grand Cayman, Roatan and Belize, Cozumel offers the . In some areas, visibility reaches 250 feet, and prime sites for “divehards” include Palancar Reef , Chankanaab Caves and La Ceiba Reef.
