You do not know yet where to go on your holidays? Do not hesitate, take a look at our guide on travel information for Cozumel and prepare yourself to discover a paradise. With our beckoning photos of Cozumel, you will be enticed to be here. We provide the most valuable and updated travel advice for Cozumel and include everything you need to know for your Cozumel vacations: maps of Cozumel, the best travel deals in Cozumel, hotels and resorts in Cozumel, and much more, so that you can start preparing to dive into its amazing waters!
Cozumel, an island that was shaped by coralline limestone rock and sandy soils, boasts a perfect ecosystem where exuberant jungle vegetation, mangroves, rocky coastlines, white-sand beaches, and lagoons coexist.
While Cozumel can be considered a tourist playground thanks to its stunning natural treasures, it depicts a more interesting image than that, since it also houses diverse cultures that seem to merge together every time. Here the ancient Mayan inheritance is evident, the modern Mexican and Caribean influences protrude as well, and the impact of the various cultures of the visitors is not to be disregarded.
Cozumel appears to be timeless when you go from one of its modern resorts to its peculiar Mexican village or to its ancient Mayan ruins, everything located in a very small area.
Each of the resorts and hotels in Cozumel reflects the effort of the destination to provide you with luxurious and comfortable accommodations, which match the magic of the surroundings. Among the most recommendable resorts in Cozumel are: Cozumel Palace, Playa Azul Golf. Scuba and Spa, Iberostar Cozumel, and Occidental Grand Cozumel
Cozumel is the largest island of Mexico. The territory reaches more than 600 km2 (more than 370 square miles). From north to south it measures 48 km (30 miles) and from east to west 16 (10 miles). Cozumel is situated on the Eastern tip of the Quintana Roo coast in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Due to its favorable geography, Cozumel’s weather is warm and humid with an average temperature of 26º C (79º F) through the year, even in summer when the rainfall increases.
The crystal-clear waters that surround Cozumel offer an incredible variety of marine life, such as over 250 different species of fish and awing coral reefs lying on the Great Mayan Reef, the second largest reef system in the world. Some of the biggest sponge formations in the world also dwell in these waters, with sizes such as 12 feet across, like the Elephant Ear sponge.
Parque Marino Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel (Cozumel National Reef Marine Park) and Parque Natural Chankanaab (Chankanaab Nature Park) are marine reserves whose main concern is to protect the vast diversity of marine creatures in the area.
On the surface Cozumel also features a number of local species, such as the Cozumel wren(nasua nelsoni) and the dwarf raccoon(procyon pygmaeus). Migratory birds like frigate birds, brown pelicans, olivaceous cormorants and others also benefit from the rich feeding grounds of the reef. Amphibians such as iguanas and crocodiles are also found in the area.
San Miguel de Cozumel, the only town of the island is quiet, keeping the Caribbean flavour. The hotel zone of Cozumel offers golf courses, spas, and restaurants, along with an excellent nightlife and bars that offer exotic drinks.
San Gervasio is the biggest archaeological site on the island, located on the transversal road going east on the island, there is evidence that it was a sacred Mayan center, and a strategic site for the commercial and political growth of the culture. San Gervasio dates from 200 A.D. and it was mainly used as a sanctuary of the Goddess Ixchel, the fertility goddess.
San Gervasio is divided into four historical districts: the first visible area of the archeological site called Manitas, Central Plaza, where civic buildings and temples are located, Murciélagos, an observatory building; and Ramonal, the oldest district. El Cedral, on the southeast interior of Cozumel is another archeological site heritage of the ancient Mayan Empire.
There is evidence that the Mayas dwelled in the island of Cozumel as early as 300 AD. Cozumel was first the pilgrimage place for worshippers of the Mayan goddess of fertility Ixchel, and because of the favorable location of Cozumel in the middle of routes from Veracruz to Honduras, it was also an important trade harbor.
The Mayas could resist the Spanish initial attempts to conquer the Yucatan Peninsula, but the arrival of Hernan Cortez and his men in Cozumel in 1519 led to constant battles between the Spanish and the Mayas, that left destroyed Mayan temples and a smallpox epidemic. Cozumel’s population was reduced to less than 300 people by 1570.
There is indication that Cozumel was completely abandoned by the year 1600.
In the 17th century Cozumel became the base for operations of pirates and it was not re-inhabited until 1848, when it served as refuge to settlers from the mainland, when a group of Mayas started the Caste War, in an attempt to avenge their ancestors. The Spanish dominated at the end and Cozumel became a quiet little fishing community.
Cozumel remained unknown until 1961, when the French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau proclaimed the area’s waters one of the best scuba diving sites in the world. From that moment Cozumel’s growth has been unstoppable. In 1996 it was declared a national park and today it is not only a preferred tourist destination but also a well-known international cruise dock.
New Passport Requirements
As part of U.S. Department of State's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, all travelers will be required to present a valid passport or other accepted document(s) to enter or re-enter the U.S. (visitors and U.S. residents) as early as January 8, 2007, from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
• January 8, 2007: All persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document (MMDs).
• January 1, 2008: All persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.
Click here to get complete details on New Requirements for Travelers including a list of "other accepted documents" from U.S Department of State.
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