Cozumel is a popular island in Mexico with rich history, white beaches, beautiful coral reefs, authentic food, offering plenty of water adventure and relaxation activities in natural settings.
Cozumel is one of Mexico‘s largest island located 20 km (12 mi) off the Yucatan Peninsula in southeastern Mexico and 80 km (50 mi) from Cancun. The island has a total area of 480 km2 (185 sq mi) and can be easily covered in a day.
Cozumel offers clean beaches, natural forest, spectacular natural scenery, diverse animal species and Mayan archeological sites. It is very safe and affordable place to visit with welcoming and warm local population. Spring to early summer months from March – June are the best time to enjoy warm weather in Cozumel. Falls season is rainy with risk of hurricanes and winter is slightly cooler. There are multiple all-inclusive resorts and plenty of outdoor eateries on the island. One can rent cars, jeeps, and scooters at affordable prices and drive around exploring the island.
We took a self-driving guided jeep tour to drive around the island so that we could pick and spend time on activities as per our liking. We are sharing highlights from our trip.
Crocodiles at Nature Preserve
Our first stop was at a natural preserve that had crocodiles relaxing in the shallow water. We climbed on top of a wooden observation tower to enjoy natural lagoon around it.
Snorkeling at Tortugas Beach Club
Our next stop was at Tortugas beach club where we enjoyed snorkeling tour of shallow colorful reefs with beautiful fishes in crystal clear water swimming around us. After snorkeling we sat down to have delicious Mexican food for lunch while listening to mariachi music. The place also offered relaxing massage service, beautiful artifacts in local shops, colorful fashion accessories and open bar with amazing ocean views.
Lighthouse at Punta Sur
We drove through sandy road to reach a historic lighthouse at Punta Sur ecological park. We had to traverse extremely narrow stairs to reach on top of the lighthouse. The panoramic view from the top was breathtaking, offering white sand beaches, blue water and plenty of natural preserve all around.
Mayan Traditional House
Our next stop was at a Mayan traditional house NAH where we took a guided tour. We learned rich information on: Mayan Gods, history of Cozumel island, ancient artifacts, attended a religious ceremony and tasted freshly cooked burritos on a wood platform.
Tequila Tasting
Our last stop was at Tequila distillery Cava Antigua where we learned the process of making tequila. We tasted variety of tequilas, though those driving the jeep had to hold on to their natural inkling.
Having completed our fun-filled tour of the Cozumel island, we headed back with fond memories to board our cruise ship for an overnight journey to visit Costa Maya, Mexico, next day!
Rating: 4*/5
Helpful Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cozumel
