Is Cozumel Worth Visiting? How This Island Surprised Me

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Cozumel was not really on my list as a Mexican destination, which is really saying something for someone who makes a living exploring Mexico.

But when some irresistibly cheap flights came up that bypassed Cancún and went directly onto this island off the coast of Playa del Carmen, I figured why not?

I knew Cozumel was popular with divers and snorkellers because of the reefs and ecosystem but is there anything there for everyone else?

I just got back from spending time in Cozumel and I have to say, it surprised me!

Where I was expecting a generic cruise port lacking any culture, I actually found a warm and friendly community I could see myself happily returning to.

So let’s get into why Cozumel surprised me and why I think it could be worth visiting for your next trip to Mexico.

Is Cozumel Worth Visiting?

Yes, Cozumel is absolutely worth visiting. In fact, I encourage it!

My mission is to help people explore Mexico beyond the resorts and having previously spent time in Cancún and Playa del Carmen, I wasn’t sure if Cozumel would offer the same Americanized experience or be something different entirely.

If you’re looking for somewhere laidback that’s reasonably affordable with beautiful scenery, plenty of activities, shopping opportunities, good food, history, culture, and friendly locals, Cozumel is a fantastic choice.

If you’re looking for somewhere with plenty of razzamatazz or a party town, you should probably skip Cozumel and look at Cancún, Playa del Carmen, or even Tulum.

Understanding The Four Areas Of Cozumel

It’s really important that you understand the different areas of Cozumel because your experience in each of them will vary. A lot.

Depending on the type of trip you’re taking, your experience is going to be different so let’s explore the differences so you can do some informed planning.

The main areas of Cozumel are:

The Cruise Port

When I arrived in Cozumel I assumed the cruise ships arrived at the port in town and that would mean a big surge of cruise passengers in San Miguel during the day, but I was wrong.

The cruise port is actually 4.5km/2.8 miles down the coast from the town and is sort of a world of its own.

Most cruise passengers arriving in Cozumel are doing one of three things: taking an excursion, shopping, or visiting a beach club.

If you opt for an excursion then you’re in for a treat. Cozumel is known for incredible water activities whether you’re going for a proper dive or just floating around the clear waters at El Cielito.

There are also excellent jungle and adventure excursions and even cultural options like making chocolate the traditional Mayan way or visiting Mayan ruins.

The great thing about Cozumel in this regard is that the quality of excursions is really great, even compared to other parts of the Riviera Maya.

If you prefer a relaxed day at the port then you’re probably just going to poke about some shops, hit a restaurant or two and have some drinks.

If this is your speed then it’s important to realize that this is not the town. The port is purpose-built to cater to cruise passengers.

Expect to see familiar names like Señor Frog’s and Hard Rock Cafe. There are shopping malls selling leather goods, souvenir t-shirts and beachwear. Tequila tastings and kitschy photo ops are plentiful and most people here will speak English.

This is not going to be the most authentic experience but there should be plenty to keep you occupied for the day.

Finally, if you decide to visit a beach club, the cruise ship usually arranges transportation for the passengers.

These clubs are typically all inclusive and offer pool and beach access along with food and drink all for one fee. Some of them even include free snorkelling and others have watersports and spa treatments on site for a fee.

The beach clubs here aren’t huge so they do cap out for capacity so it is recommended to book in advance.

My personal favourite is Nachi Cocom which has the nicest sand beach and is a much more serene experience than some of the other options.

The Resorts

All-inclusive vacations are really popular in the Riviera Maya so of course Cozumel has their fair share of those as well.

The resorts aren’t all in one specific place. They run along the west coast of the island and there’s a real array of experiences from more basic up to luxury.

If you’re looking for an all-inclusive experience I would consider how far you want to be from the action.

If you’re a flop and drop vacationer who plans to lounge in the sun for your whole trip then anywhere you pick is going to be fine.

But if you like to explore beyond the resort, I recommend choosing somewhere a little closer to town.

The town in Cozumel is great and you might like to pop off the resort to go shopping, visit the market, have dinner, or just wander around. The closer you are to town, the easier this is to do.

All of the resorts are going to have at least one swimming pool, access to great excursions, restaurants on site and some form of nightlife/entertainment.

The resorts in Cozumel tend to be more low-key, less packed, and don’t have the party atmosphere of some other places on the mainland.

The Town of San Miguel

This is personally my favourite part of Cozumel and where I chose to stay during my trip.

I flew into San Miguel and stayed right downtown but this area is also super easy to explore by ferry from Playa del Carmen.

Just like the first two areas of Cozumel, it’s super easy to access the many fantastic excursions on the island from town. You can ask your hotel, visit the vendors at the ferry port and plaza, or pop into any of the shops dotted around town.

But what the town has that the other areas don’t have is personality.

The island vibes are real here! The town is highly walkable and wandering around you’ll notice the laid back energy. Don’t expect a lot of hustling here (although you may get the odd vendor trying to get your attention).

You can sit on a patio and sip a cold drink, or try the peanut butter coffee at Coz (it’s actually excellent). Stop into the museum for strong air conditioning and some Mayan history, or explore the shops and pick up some jewellery with local pearls, obsidian, jade, or silver.

I loved my time in town and definitely recommend staying or visiting here. If you’re considering coming over from Playa del Carmen, you’ll be shocked at how different the vibe is.

The Wild Side

The wild side of Cozumel is the undeveloped east side of the island and is only accessible by vehicle.

You can rent a car, scooter, or buggy, or take a taxi to explore this area.

There’s not a lot over here but that’s kind of the appeal. The middle of the island is largely jungle which makes the wild side really feel like it lives up to its name.

The main reason to visit this side of the island is for the raw, uninterrupted beautiful scenery. There are also sandy public beaches that are more popular with locals than visitors.

You can support some of the local businesses like island favourite Coconuts, a rustic beach bar serving up cocktails and tacos in the sand.

This is where you want to go for a totally different experience that’s well off the beaten path.

Why Cozumel Is A Great Destination

So now that you understand the different areas of the island, let’s dive deeper into what makes Cozumel worth visiting.

It’s Pretty Affordable

Let’s start with a biggie. When it comes to beachy areas of Mexico, Cozumel is pretty affordable!

Cozumel is definitely cheaper than the likes of Cancún and Tulum in almost every category.

While accommodation prices in Cozumel are comparable to what you might find in Playa del Carmen or Puerto Vallarta, the off-resort costs for things like food, drink, activities, and shopping are cheaper in Cozumel than Puerto Vallarta.

That being said, off-resort costs in Playa de Carmen are similar and sometimes slightly more competitive than in Cozumel, however the quality is generally higher in Cozumel, especially when it comes to activities and excursions.

If you’re looking for somewhere in the cross-section of reasonable prices and good quality, Cozumel is the sweet spot.

Stunning Scenery & Architecture

What usually draws people to this part of Mexico is the scenery and Cozumel has plenty of that.

The island is surrounded by that turquoise blue water so often associated with the Riviera Maya but it also offers lush jungle, cenotes (freshwater swimming holes), vibrant coral reefs, and plenty of towering palm trees.

There are beach clubs and public beaches for those who like a sandy time.

But nature isn’t the only beauty you’ll find here.

If you visit the town of San Miguel (the main town on the island) you’ll see lots of Colonial architecture, quaint pedestrian areas with colourful streamers overhead, and vivid street art.

And, before the Spanish arrived there was a thriving Mayan community on Cozumel and some of the Mayan ruins are still there and open to visitors.

Rich Mayan History

One of my favourite things to do in Mexico is explore the history. No matter where I go around the country I try to learn about the historical importance of the place and people there.

I’ve been to a lot of Mayan sites from Chichén Itzá to Uxmal and beyond, but I wasn’t expecting Cozumel to have such a unique history all its own.

The best way to learn about the history is to visit the Cozumel Museum (did I mention how good the air conditioning is at the museum?).

The museum covers everything from the geological history, to the human history, up to modern times and the unique ecosystem but the highlight for me was the Mayan history.

But you can also learn about the Maya in a more hands on way.

A lot of people don’t realize that the Mayans aren’t extinct! In fact they can be found living in Mexico and Central America with some still living in their own communities, following traditional ways of life, and speaking Mayan languages.

Some snorkelling and ATV tours include a traditional lunch at a Mayan community but you can also book a Mayan cooking class to interact with modern Maya people and learn about how they live.

You can learn about the importance of chocolate at a Mayan chocolate workshop, take a tour to visit the Mayan ruins in the jungle, or if you have a vehicle, head to the wild side to visit El Caracol, a small site of ruins.

Their story is an important part of Cozumel so I recommend spending even just a little time learning about their impact here.

Oodles To Do

Cozumel has activities on activities on activities. But it’s also the sort of place where you can do as much or as little as you like.

Some of the most popular activities in Cozumel obviously centre around the water. A day trip to El Cielito is one of the most popular things to do especially for people who want to snorkel or just float and swim about in some incredibly clear water.

Cozumel is also a fantastic area to swim and snorkel with turtles. This tour visits the turtle sanctuary where you can see these amazing creatures up close.

In addition to being a world class diving spot you can also take a submarine ride, try out mini subs (the little underwater scooter with a helmet and air tank), relax on a catamaran, go deep sea fishing, try parasailing, visit a beach club, and more.

On land, you can explore some of the Mayan culture, go ATVing through the jungle, spot crocodiles on the wild side, rent dune buggies to explore independently, taste tequilas, learn to roll cigars, the list goes on.

For something more low key, mooch about the shops, visit the night market, try street food, catch some live music, learn to salsa, watch the sunset, try the peanut butter coffee, find the murals, or just roam about.

Laidback Vibe

One of my favourite things about Cozumel is the laidback vibe. When I left Cozumel I took the ferry to Playa del Carmen and was instantly jarred by the difference in energy.

Music bumping, people selling things, taxi drivers trying to get your attention. Cozumel just isn’t really like that.

Every day I walked between market stalls, popped into shops, passed taxi ranks, and very rarely did anyone speak to me other than to simply say hello.

There is an island vibe here that feels slower paced and even when I visited during December (peak season) it wasn’t overwhelmingly packed or busy.

Why Cozumel May Not Be Right For You

As you can probably tell, Cozumel is a great fit for a lot of different travellers but it won’t be right for everyone.

There Aren’t That Many Beaches

One of the main things that surprised me about Cozumel is that there aren’t actually that many sandy beaches.

In somewhere like Playa del Carmen you can walk along the beach and pass beach bar after beach club, all in a row. But Cozumel is more like a rock with fewer sandy beaches around the coast.

It’s definitely possible to visit the beaches when you’re in Cozumel, especially if you’re on a resort with beach access, but a lot of water access doesn’t mean beach access here.

The wild side offers some of the best beaches I’ve seen as well as the beach Nachi Cocom Beach Club, but in town the only beaches I saw were smaller, had some stinky seaweed, and were filled with fishing boats.

It’s A Little Out Of The Way

If you’re looking for somewhere to do lots of day trips to other towns and areas in the Riviera Maya, this isn’t going to be a good choice.

The ferry to Playa del Carmen is quick and easy but tacking that onto a day trip to anywhere further than Xcaret Park, like Tulum or the cenotes could make for a long day.

There are lots of activities on Cozumel itself but if you wanted to check off a few more places on your travels, that’s a bit more of a mission when you’re based on the island.

It’s Quiet

Another consideration is what sort of vibe you’re looking for. If you’re more interested in a bopping nightlife scene, beach parties, and nightclubs, this isn’t going to be a good fit.

If you’re wanting somewhere with loads of brand names or luxury shopping, this is also somewhere to skip. There are a few global brands near the ferry and cruise ports like Victoria’s Secret and TAG Heuer but otherwise you’ll need to take the ferry to Cozumel.

FAQs

You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers!

Is it worth to visit Cozumel?

Absolutely it is! Cozumel is a fantastic place to visit for people looking for a less commercial, quieter Rivera Maya experience that still offers loads of things to do, safety, and gorgeous scenery.

Is it better to go to Cancún or Cozumel?

Cancún and Cozumel offer totally different experiences. If you’re looking for large resorts with active nightlife but aren’t really concerned with cultural experiences then Cancún is a good option.

If you’re looking for a quieter location that still has lots to do and is a super safe place to explore beyond the resort, Cozumel could be a better fit.

Is it better to stay in Cozumel or Playa del Carmen?

You can easily visit both Playa del Carmen and Cozumel in the same trip, with each offering a different experience. Cozumel is great for a quieter experience with more authentic Mexican culture, incredible diving and snorkelling, and high quality excursions.

Playa del Carmen offers a more Americanized culture and is great for beaches and beach clubs, nightlife, name brand shopping, and day trips.

Summary

If it wasn’t clear by now, I’m a fan of Cozumel and I think it’s a fantastic fit for a lot of people, especially if you’re like me and tend to avoid the tourist crowds.

It’s a great, low pressure introduction to Mexico. Somewhere you can get by without speaking Spanish, somewhere that welcomes visitors (although pretty much everywhere I’ve been in Mexico is very welcoming), somewhere to try out some new foods and experiences while also being able to find some things from home.

Cozumel is a safe place to fill your itinerary with incredible activities or lounge poolside by day and wander the market by night.