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    Cozumel
    Sharon Hahn Darlin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

    Mexico

    Cozumel

    CityBeachNatureCulture

    Cozumel is an approximately 48-kilometer-long Caribbean island off the Riviera Maya, a good half-hour by ferry from Playa del Carmen.

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    5. Mexico
    7. Yucatán Peninsula
    9. Cozumel
    Cozumel is an approximately 48-kilometer-long Caribbean island off the Riviera Maya, a good half-hour by ferry from Playa del Carmen. You primarily come for diving and snorkeling in the reefs of the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, which belong to the Mesoamerican Reef System. The main town is San Miguel de Cozumel on the west coast, where the ferries dock; Cozumel is also Mexico's most important cruise port. Beyond that, you'll find the Mayan site San Gervasio and, at the southern tip, the Punta Sur Natural Park.
    The IslandCozumel is approximately 48 kilometers long and up to 16 kilometers wide. Almost all of the nearly 89,000 inhabitants (2020 Census) live in San Miguel de Cozumel on the west coast, where ferries and cruise ships dock. The southern tip, with the Punta Sur Natural Park, and the reefs offshore are protected.San Miguel de CozumelThe main town is the island's center, featuring a waterfront promenade, main square, restaurants, and most of the dive centers. Flights also land here at the island airport, which offers connections to Canada and the USA in addition to domestic destinations.UnderwaterThe reefs around Punta Sur and off the west coast have been part of the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park since 1996 and are part of the Mesoamerican Reef System. A marine current flows along the west coast, so most dives are drift dives. Well-known sites include the horseshoe-shaped Palancar Reef, as well as the Santa Rosa and Colombia walls. The best time for diving is considered to be November to May; June to November is hurricane season.

    Sights in Cozumel

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Parque Punta Sur
    Park

    1Parque Punta Sur

    Nature Park at the southern tip of the island with Colombia Lagoon, where crocodiles live and swimming is forbidden, as well as unspoiled beaches with an offshore reef. Whether swimming and snorkeling are possible depends on wind and currents. Motorized water sports are not allowed here, in summer there are tours to nesting sea turtles.
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    Celaráin Lighthouse and Navigation Museum
    Attraction

    2Celaráin Lighthouse and Navigation Museum

    The approximately 30-meter-high lighthouse in Punta Sur Park can be climbed via a spiral staircase with 133 steps, offering views over the island's southern tip from the top. Inside the building, the Museo de la Navegación showcases Cozumel's maritime history from the Maya era through the Conquista to piracy. Nearby stands the small Maya temple El Caracol.
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    San Gervasio
    Historic Landmark

    3San Gervasio

    Die wichtigste Maya-Stadt der Insel liegt im Inneren, rund sieben Kilometer östlich von San Miguel. Sie wuchs ab etwa 600 und war um 1200 die größte Siedlung auf Cozumel, ein Zentrum der Verehrung der Göttin Ixchel. Zu sehen sind unter anderem der Tempel Ka'na Nah, die Nohoch Nah am Ende eines Sacbé und Las Manitas mit Handabdrücken an den Wänden.
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    Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
    Attraction

    4Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park

    The Marine National Park, established in 1996, protects approximately 120 square kilometers of reef in the south of the island and around Punta Sur. It’s home to famous dive sites like the horseshoe-shaped Palancar Reef and the Santa Rosa and Colombia walls, which you usually experience as drift dives from a boat. You can book dives at the bases in San Miguel.
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    Restaurants in Cozumel

    1

    Guido's Restaurant

    Italian-inspired restaurant on Rafael E. Melgar waterfront street in the center of San Miguel. Known for wood-fired pizza and fish dishes, such as Wahoo with capers and olives.
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    2

    La Cocay

    Upscale restaurant on Calle 8 Norte in the city center with Mediterranean-inspired cuisine: fish and seafood, pasta, steaks, and tapas, such as seared tuna or Mahi-Mahi with mango.
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    3

    Casa Denis

    Small yellow house near the Plaza with Yucatecan cuisine. The menu features Cochinita pibil, Tortas and Empanadas.
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    4

    Kondesa

    Restaurant on Avenida 5 Sur with modern Mexican cuisine, specializing in seafood. The menu includes seafood enchiladas and lionfish fritters.
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    History and Nature

    Island of IxchelIn pre-Hispanic times, Cozumel was a pilgrimage site: merchants and pilgrims worshipped the moon goddess Ixchel, patron of birth, fertility, and weaving. From approximately 1250, it became a major pilgrimage center. The most important city was San Gervasio in the island's interior, linked to the peninsula's trade network by raised pathways (Sacbés). After the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, it was abandoned by around 1600.Protected AreasThe Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park was established in 1996, covering approximately 120 square kilometers. Since 2005, it has been protected as a Ramsar wetland and is part of the UNESCO Isla Cozumel Biosphere Reserve. At the southern tip, Punta Sur Natural Park encompasses lagoons with crocodiles and waterfowl, along with pristine beaches where sea turtles nest in summer.Cruise IslandCozumel is Mexico's leading cruise port: in 2025, approximately 4.7 million passengers arrived on over 1,300 ship calls. For 2026, authorities expect more than five million.

    Arrival & On the Go

    Ferry from Playa del CarmenPassenger ferries from Ultramar and Winjet depart from the ferry terminal in downtown Playa del Carmen on Avenida Juárez; the crossing takes approximately 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the vessel. A one-way ticket for adults costs around 260 to 320 Pesos (as of 2025); residents of Quintana Roo pay less. Ferries dock in San Miguel.Flights and CruisesCozumel's airport serves domestic routes and international destinations in the USA and Canada. Cancún Airport is located approximately 60 kilometers north on the mainland. Cruise ships dock at several piers near San Miguel.On the IslandYou can explore San Miguel on foot. For San Gervasio, about seven kilometers east of town, and Punta Sur, you'll need a rental car, scooter, or taxi; the lighthouse and beaches of Punta Sur are located about eight kilometers past the park entrance.

    Accommodations in Cozumel

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    Nearby

    Playa del Carmen

    Playa del Carmen

    Playa del Carmen, located about 70 kilometers south of Cancún, is the largest city on the Riviera Maya. In just a few decades, this fishing village grew into a city of over 300,000 residents. Life unfolds along Quinta Avenida, a pedestrian street parallel to the beach. From here, ferries depart for Cozumel.

    Akumal

    Akumal is located on the Riviera Maya between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, about a half-hour drive from both places. Its name means "Place of the Turtles" in Maya. In the protected bay, Green Sea Turtles feed in seagrass meadows, making it one of the coast's most famous snorkeling destinations.
    Tulum

    Tulum

    Tulum is located on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, south of Cancún on the Riviera Maya. It is known for its Maya ruins on a cliff directly above the sea, for cenotes in the hinterland, and a long beach lined with boutique hotels and beach clubs. Tulum has grown significantly in recent years, with prices increasing accordingly.
    Cancún

    Cancún

    Planned as a 1970s resort, Cancún is now Quintana Roo's largest city, home to nearly 900,000. Its two worlds: the Zona Hotelera, on a narrow isthmus between the Caribbean and the lagoon, and El Centro (downtown), where residents live and work. The airport is the most important gateway to the peninsula.
    Isla Mujeres

    Isla Mujeres

    Isla Mujeres is located approximately 13 kilometers northeast of Cancún and can be reached by ferry in about 20 minutes. The island is about seven kilometers long and less than a kilometer wide at its widest point. In the north lies the small town with colorful houses and Playa Norte, while the south features a rocky coast and the lighthouse of Punta Sur.