June 20, 2004 in Travel

Cozumel is Mexico’s own island in the sun

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Associated Press photo

A diver swims by coral reefs off the island of Cozumel, Mexico.
(Full-size photo)

COZUMEL, Mexico — A decade ago, Cozumel was home to a tiny fishing village. It was best known by divers and vacationers looking for an alternative to Cancun booming nearby.

That sleepy village is long gone. Piers have been added, and cruise ships make more than 1,000 visits every year. Hotels have sprouted, and air service to the island is increasing.

Day visitors now are drawn to shopping, beaches and an enthusiastic night life. Bars are often in full swing by early afternoon. But there still are quiet corners of Cozumel — places to dive, swim and enjoy an island in the sun.

During the last few years, the island near Cancun on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has become the most popular cruise port in the Caribbean, second in the world only to Miami. This year more than 2.5 million cruise passengers are expected to visit.

The island offers great diving, hip beaches, flavorful food, duty-free shopping, Mayan ruins and, sometimes, rowdy party-boat excursions. A visit without a plan, whether four hours or four days, can be overwhelming.

When cruise ship passengers begin their morning descent onto the island from three docks near downtown, Cozumel quickly becomes more American than Mexican, with English widely spoken. But the magic of Mexico is there if you know where to look.

While many visitors simply stroll off the ship and start exploring, others join one of the many excursions offered through the cruise lines. You also can spend the day playing golf at the Cozumel Country Club on a course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Or, travelers interested in the area’s history and culture can seek out Mayan archaeological sites or visit restaurants or markets favored by the island’s 75,000 residents.

One thing is for sure: Whether you’re here briefly during a cruise or visiting on a longer vacation, be prepared.

The options can be overwhelming, especially for cruise-ship passengers on a tight schedule. You need to go with a plan. If you have only a few hours, you can swim, dine or shop. But you may not have time for all three. And you’ll probably want to stay fairly close to the ship. But if you have a whole day or are spending several nights, feel free to explore.

Whatever your plans, this guide will help you make the most of your visit.

Letting ship plan shore excursions

As Cozumel has grown, the cruise industry has provided more options for shore excursions.

“In 1997 there were a handful of things, five or six things, to do there. Now we have over 30 excursions,” says Glen Dean, a manager in Carnival Cruise Lines’ shore excursion department.

He says the most popular tours now are Jeep trips, deep-sea fishing, the beach break to Playa Sol and swimming with dolphins or dolphin encounters (although the Humane Society of the United States says such programs can be harmful to the mammals). A new popular trip is kayaking in a clear boat that allows paddlers to see the coral reef beneath them.

Some people can’t resist the party boats where alcohol flows freely — long a favorite with singles or couples without kids in tow. On some cruises, Carnival offers three choices: The Jolly Roger is a pirate-themed excursion and the Fiesta Party Boat is a quadruple-deck ship with barrels of rum punch, while the Fury Catamaran isn’t quite as rowdy.

Another popular trip is the Hideaway Power Boat and Beach Escape. Guests drive the two-person boats to an isolated beach area on the north shore where they’re free to swim, sunbathe or use their boat to explore.

Dean urges passengers to plan excursions beforehand; many cruise lines allow prebooking online. You also can book through independent sites such as www.portpromotions.com.

The trips can be expensive, sometimes costing more than $100 each. Dean advises that it’s better to splurge at one port for a special excursion than to take the lowest-cost trips at several ports.

“If you try to do as much as you can and pick by price point, you’ll cheat yourself out of some great experiences,” he says.

Did someone say shopping?

San Miguel, Cozumel’s only town, is shopping central. Along coastal road Avenida Rafael Melgar are a slew of shops selling $5 T-shirts, inexpensive silver rings, gold necklaces, tequila shot glasses and handicrafts. Nearly all stores accept U.S. dollars, and credit cards are widely accepted.

Viva Mexico, corner of Avenida Rafael Melgar and Calle A.R. Salas, is recommended by several cruise lines. Prices are moderate, and selection is good.

Los Cinco Soles, Avenida Melgar and Calle 8 Norte, is in a restored building on the waterfront and takes up an entire block. You’ll find very good Mexican crafts plus clothing and tourist items.

A half-block from Fiscal Pier (the passenger ferry dock), look for Villa Mar. The small walkway boasts a bar serving frozen daiquiris for $5, an Internet cafe and a shop featuring silver from the mining town of Taxco. It’s on the north side of the main plaza.

Check out the local market, where Mexicans shop. From Melgar, walk down Salas (three blocks to Avenida 15 Sur. You’ll find down-home cooking, fruits, vegetables and a massive selection of flip-flops and sandals at rock-bottom prices. There also are bags, backpacks and CDs. Look for Tony Fuentes, who plays a keyboard and sings from 8:30 a.m. to noon, when the whole place gets too hot and everybody goes home.

There are also many duty-free stores. Pama, at Melgar and Calle 1 Sur, has a huge selection of brand-name fragrances, watches and sunglasses at prices similar to those in airport duty-free shops. Compare prices with Diamonds International and its sister stores, which dot San Miguel.

Cozumel has seen a boom in jewelry shops. World of Jewels (across from Fiscal Pier) has a big selection of gold chains sold by the inch.

Habanos, at Melgar and Calle 3 Sur, offers pricey Cuban, Mexican and Dominican cigars in air-conditioned comfort. Smoke up before you go home: Cuban cigars can’t be taken to the United States.

There’s a U.S.-style mall across from the Punta Langosta Pier. Super Gourmet and Deli sells reasonably priced beer, soda, alcohol and munchies.

If you dock at Puerto Maya Pier, there are stores galore just off the ship. They’re convenient, but the setting isn’t really Mexico.

Getting around

Punta Langosta Pier is within walking distance of San Miguel’s main shopping area. Take a taxi from other cruise terminals (about $6).

Exploring beyond San Miguel requires either a taxi ride or renting a vehicle. If you take a taxi to more-distant areas of the island, arrange for your driver to return at a pre-set hour. Fares are set by the taxi union; an island tour should cost about $60.

Mopeds are tempting. They run about $35 per day. But wait. Cruise ships discourage passengers from renting, and taxi drivers say you should try a moped only if you feel comfortable on a two-wheeled vehicle. Remember that you’ll be on a highway where cars travel up to 60 mph. Still tempted? Use good judgment, and look for a moped rental shop with an established location.

There are also bicycle rentals and a bike path south of downtown. But it’s apt to be hot for riding.

Rental cars are available near every cruise terminal. A subcompact Hyundai Atos, with air conditioning, starts at around $35 plus insurance that can run from $15 to $30. Cars with automatic transmission cost an extra $10 or so.

Beaches and more

Cozumel is not just San Miguel, the island’s only town. Here are sites worth exploring, heading south from the piers:

• Chankanaab Park: One of the first beaches south of downtown, the park is a popular spot for snorkeling, scuba and even “snuba,” in which an air helmet is used. A $10 admission fee is charged. You’ll find replicas of Mayan stone art, a botanical garden, and a dolphin encounter and show (additional fee). For $6, you can rent a mask and fins. For $50, you can take a scuba class. “Snuba” costs about the same.

• San Francisco Beach, Playa Sol Beach Club and Sancho’s Beach: Moving south are popular beaches. San Francisco has good swimming, jet ski rentals, sailing and music in Spanish. Beer and food are available.

Playa Sol is often recommended by cruise lines. It has shops and restaurants, dance music, a swimming pool, outdoor massage and an ATM. Admission is $8. Sancho’s is similar, but without the admission fee and swimming pool. It also offers ATV rides and some fairly tired-looking horses for rent.

• Palancar Beach: This is the first beach that feels like a Caribbean paradise. You won’t hear a lot of English here (although locals do speak it). The music leans toward Latin. You’ll find Europeans, Mexicans and the occasional cruise ship passenger. Expect gorgeous blue-green waters, powdery beaches, cheap beer and seafood, and friendly waiters.

The reef at Palancar has great snorkeling and diving. For $25, a small dive shop will take you out on a boat with a half-dozen others, lend you snorkel gear and guide you around the reef. There also are trips for certified divers. Or if you have all day, you can take a class and learn to dive.

• The eastern side: At the southern tip of the island is the large Punta Sur Ecological Reserve, a lighthouse and dirt roads popular with moped riders. This is a good place for photos. On the eastern side of the island is a long stretch of undeveloped beach popular with couples. Many park on the side of the road and dive in for a romantic swim. The road is punctuated by watering holes such as the Rasta Bar at Punta Sur, and others along the way to Chen Rio and Punta Morena beaches.

At Mescalitos Cafe, you have to veer back toward downtown on Carretera Transversal (Middle Island Road) or continue on a sandy road that some rental-car companies say will void your insurance coverage if you take it. As you head back toward downtown, you’ll pass a road leading to modest Mayan ruins at San Gervasio. They’re in a lush jungle and include altars, statues and ceremonial sites. Don’t expect Chichen Itza, but it’s worth a visit. Guides can be hired at the site.

Tequila tales

No visit to Mexico would be complete without a bottle of tequila — the country’s signature beverage. First rule: Make sure the label says “100 por ciento agave.” That means it’s from the agave cactus and is higher quality.

Tequila prices are great at the Chedraui supermarket near the hotel Plaza del las Glorias, just east of downtown. Selection is limited. Mayorazgo brand tequila runs $15. Cuervo Tradicional comes in at $20, as does the smoky Gran Centenario brand. Top-of-the-line Don Julio tequila costs $30.

Tequila tasting: Every day at 1 p.m., guests at Sancho’s Beach Club can request tequila tasting. Instruction costs $42 and includes at least seven tequilas. Reservations: 011-52-987-879-0021.

Party tip: Carlos’n Charlie’s is a Cozumel institution where eating, drinking and dancing can be found every afternoon. Located adjacent to the Punta Langosta shopping mall, it offers prices just beyond moderate. Next door is sister institution Senor Frog’s. Expect a similar atmosphere.

Where locals like to eat

You won’t starve on Cozumel, but the island usually isn’t known for fine dining — unless you know where to look. Many visitors head to fast-food chains such as McDonald’s and Pizza Hut. But there’s also good local seafood and some Mexican dishes from the Yucatan peninsula.

Here are some favorites, worth the expense even though your food is free back on ship.

• La Choza: Unpretentious and very Mexican, La Choza is in San Miguel, two blocks off the coastal road at Salas and Avenida 10 Sur. Fans spin overhead, and wandering musicians entertain during lunch and dinner. The focus is on regional dishes such as pork in tomato sauce and universal favorites such as a thin arrachera steak, along with lobster tail (from $15). Ask a local where to eat, and this restaurant will come up.

• Chen Rio: If you’re ready to take the plunge and eat a lunch of freshly caught seafood on a beach where the locals and cruise-ship employees go — along with flies and maybe even a friendly dog — then check out Chen Rio on the eastern side of the island, about 45 minutes by car from downtown. Miguel Angel Euan, who worked for many years in California, offers fish, shrimp, sea snails, octopus and lobster in prodigious quantities at reasonable prices. A big red snapper with rice and vegetables comes in at under $10. Mexican families hang out here on weekends, bringing their own beverages and chips. This is a truly Mexican beach experience, if you don’t mind the rustic situation.

• Pancho’s Backyard: Find this eatery in a courtyard behind the store Los Cinco Soles, Melgar and Calle 8 Norte in San Miguel. The menu offers regional and somewhat Americanized Mexican dishes. Prices are $5 to $12.

• Las Palmeras: With a great people-watching location on the corner of San Miguel’s main plaza in front of the Fiscal Pier, La Palmeras is a good bet for breakfast, with American-strength coffee, French toast, tropical fruit and Mexican dishes such as eggs a la Mexicana and huevos rancheros. Ten bucks buys breakfast, and meals later in the day are reasonable. The service is friendly and efficient, and you might get some trio music as well for a small tip.

• Casa Denis: An oldtime locals’ favorite serving Mexican home cooking, Casa Denis dates to 1945. It’s in a very small wooden house on Calle 1 Sur just beyond the San Miguel plaza. It has a few tables out front and Mexican markets around it. Prices are moderate.

If you stay in San Miguel for dinner, consider Lobster House (near the north hotel zone) and Pepe’s Grill (Melgar and Salas).

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