Amazing Places
Very few places in the world have been blessed the way Cozumel is. Warm weather, sunny beaches, coral reefs, friendly people and the list may go on virtually endless, however, we would like to name, in this section some of the most significant Cozumel places and attractions.
Beach and watersports
You can find a lot of providers for all source of water-related activities, but there is a place where you can find a wide offer of watersports, some of them are even included with the entrance. It is all about Playa Mia Grand Beach Park, the largest, oldest and best-known beach resort on the island. You can definitely have a blast with your family and friends at this top notch beach facility which is home to the biggest bouncing, floating obstacle track on the island, and it also offers more than 20 free activities such as paddle boats, beach sail boats, kayaks, water bicycles, underwater “Mayan” replicas to snorkel around, a wade pool for kids with a pirate ship and water jet cannons, 200ft long waterslides, beach lounges, pool, pool bar, whirl tub, beach volleyball, entertainment team, and more.
If that is not enough, for a fee you can also find:
Parasailing: Let yourself go! Who never wanted, at least once, try parasailing? You will be matched with a professional team with a lot of experience. Feel the thrill of flying over the sea and enjoy the coastline, the jungle and the sea with your bird eyes.
Jet ski: Also available at the Playa Mia beach resort, jet skiing is another one of the thrills you cannot miss. Open the gas and steer the nozzle to draw eights and all kind of figures on the water and then jump over the waves.
Boat Snorkeling: make a short trip to a close reef on a swift panga boat and see it on your own, the ride includes snorkel gear and beverages.
Hobie cat sailing: The use of a Hobie™ beach catamaran is Included with your entrance at the Playa Mia Grand Beach Park, if you had never sailed or you are a little rusty, ask the instructor to take you for a ride and enjoy the pleasure of gliding silently over the ocean, it is a real pleasure.
These services are offered upon availability and on a first come, first serve basis.
Two other important watersports which deserve serious consideration are:
Deep sea drift snorkeling: Visit Cozumel’s most iconic places, the Palancar reef and El Cielo bay for world-class snorkeling aboard a professional twin-hull motor sailer vessel. This two amazing places will let you staring in awe not only because of its beauty but also because of the abundance of life, you’ll discover a natural sanctuary for marine life.
Fly board: This is the addictive, big-fun watersport which is rapidly gaining followers all over! Learn how to fly and do all kind of tricks, and splashes on the ocean with the help of a professional operator/instructor. You’re gonna love it!
Natural Attractions
Laguna Colombia (Colombian Lagoon): Located in the Southernmost tip of the island in a protected area, the lagoon is home to mammals and reptiles, more than 30 of those are endemic fauna of Cozumel. Among others, you can spot the endemic midget raccoon, parrots, crocodiles, and a long etc.
The Palancar Reef: The more famous and popular reef in the Caribbean Sea, so big that we have to separate it into 5 distinct parts. If you dive or snorkel in Cozumel, that’s the place to go! Depths range from 50 to 110+ feet (15 to 34 m), beyond that, a drop off falls into the abyss.
El Cielo: Cielo (see-eh-low) is a Spanish word meaning sky and Heaven at the same time. It is an amazing sanctuary bay with crystal blue water for starfish and other species, with only 2-3-meter (7-10-ft) depth in average. The intense blue color of the water and the star shape of the starfish resembles the sky, being there is like being in paradise, the heaven on earth.
Even though it is a most popular spot for snorkeling or just to relax having a drink and enjoying the view, the site is only accessible by boat, we recommend to contact the Cozumel Snorkel tour: coral reef, el Cielo & Playa Mia for further information.
Cozumel sunsets: Among the nicest and best thing to do in Cozumel, looking at the sunset with only water and nature as a background. You could enjoy even more that moment on a catamaran tour with live Music, open bar, and entertainment, just imagine!
Turtle Conservation: A lot of social programs and comities are in place in the state of Quintana Roo to support the rehabilitation of the turtle. Everyone can participate (even tourists) during the nesting and hatching season (May to early September), monitoring, taking statistics, and setting free the baby turtles. Each year, the protection and conservation committee succeeds having more and more turtles coming back to lay their eggs on the beaches of Cozumel, making all the efforts worthy. If you want to see one of the best turtle conservation sanctuary, visit Akumal bay and do some snorkeling, click here.
Cultural Attractions
The Festivity of the Holy Cross. El Cedral village celebrates, every 3rd day of May the festivity of the Holy Cross in the Catholic calendar or Fiesta de la Santa Cruz, in Spanish. The small village transforms its quiet daily life into a vibrant and cheering party atmosphere with bullfight corridas, rooster fights, horse races, and the presence of famous Mexican singers. The party ends with the traditional dances of the Pig’s Head and the Ribbons Pole. The tradition started in 1848 when Casimiro Cardenas arrived at the island fleeing from the furious riots of the Maya descendants who raised to recover their former splendor on the mainland. Those raids lasted 50 years and become known in history as The War of Castes. Casimiro survived unconscious under the church’s stone cross after a raid, he considered it a miracle and escaped away with his family along with other Spanish descendant families. Those families were in fact, the founders of Cozumel in modern days. A curious fact, the Spanish captain Juan de Grijalva discovered Cozumel in 1518, on a 3rd of May and named it Isla de la Santa Cruz or The Holy Cross Island. You can visit the El Cedral village and go around on a SEGWAY personal vehicle to know about the incredible stories of this little town funded, by the way, on an abandoned Mayan settlement, but that’s another story.
San Miguel’s Patron Saint Celebration. Colorful festivities with flowers, traditional Mayan outfits, and skyrockets starting at San Miguel’s church. Local residents participate along a week in several processions until the last day when the fishermen leave the island in a sea motorcade and all people are invited to come aboard or follow them on a ferry throwing flowers in the sea.
Museo de la Isla (Museum of the island): A small but neat and interesting collection of artifacts, pictures, and interesting facts about the history of the island, from the Mayans until our present day. It also displays interesting dioramas depicting all of Cozumel’s reefs and wildlife.
La Gran Travesía Sagrada Maya: Every year more than 300 canoers reenact the crossing of the Maya people from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel during the Sacred Pilgrimage to honor Ixchel, the fertility moon goddess. Crews of eight to ten canoers row their way to Cozumel aboard replicas of typical Mayan canoes. Admire the recreation of the welcoming ceremony and its traditional pre-Hispanic dances. Date: May 25-26.
Planetarium Cha’an Ka’an: Having the first 3D projection dome in Latin America, the island’s planetarium will teach you some Mayan secrets about their calendar and the stars. Honoring its Maya name, which means “The Joy of observing the stars”, the planetarium will help you to better understand, and love, about star observation. You will definitively have a blast!
Cozumel Carnival: Official since 1908, one month of activities for everyone all around the island, this is definitely the most popular event of the year. Famous singers, parades, and advertisement reuniting close to 5000 people every time. El carnival de Cozumel really show the proud, identity and vibe of our precious island. Date: January 13 to February 14.
Mayan ruins: San Gervasio is definitely the more interesting archeological site on the island. Completely dedicated to the Mayan fertility goddess of the moon Ixchel, this spiritual village was the place to go for asking favors to the goddess in relation to, material prosperity and family fertility. Being the easternmost land in the Mayan empire, Cozumel was very special for them, as, from their perspective, the island was the first spot to see the sunrise.