| The island of Cozumel is only 12 miles
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| | night tend to be the scuba divers staying
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| (19 km) off the Mexican Yucatan
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| | in Cozumel.
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| Peninsula's east coast and 44 miles (71
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| | Most of the hotels and resorts are south
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| km) south of Cancun. For years, Cozumel
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| | of San Miguel and are not within walking
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| was a quiet sleepy island that didn't get
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| | distance. However, there are numerous
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| many visitors until Jacques Cousteau did
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| | white taxicabs that are readily
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| a documentary on it after discovering the
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| | available. The larger and more luxurious
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| world class scuba diving at the Palancar
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| | resorts tend to be even further south of
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| Reefs nearby. Since 1961, Cozumel has
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| | town along the southwestern shores. This
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| been known as one of the best scuba
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| | is actually not surprising since most of
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| diving destinations in the world. In
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| | the best scuba diving sites are southwest
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| fact for decades since that time, the
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| | of the island. An easy way to see the 33
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| only tourists visiting the island have
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| | mile (53 km) by 9 mile (14 km) island is
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| been primarily scuba divers. Mainstream
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| | by renting a scooter or a 4x4. I once
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| tourists went to the resort intensive
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| | rented a scooter and zigzagged along most
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| Cancun in the mainland instead. However,
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| | of San Miguel's streets to see the
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| Cozumel became a regular cruise ship port
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| | neighborhoods. Then I went on the main
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| of call in recent years and today it is
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| | road leaving town and went south. After
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| one of the busiest with two separate
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| | passing by the larger resorts and going
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| terminals. It is common to have five or
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| | around the southern tip of the island, I
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| even six different cruise ships at port
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| | found the beaches along the southeastern
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| on any given day. I've been to Cozumel
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| | shores. The shores near San Miguel along
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| twice, the first time staying several
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| | the crowded west coast are not known for
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| days on a scuba diving vacation and the
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| | beaches but the southeast part here have
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| second time for a day via cruise ship
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| | some really spectacular ones. Even better
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| (also scuba dived during my second
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| | is that there is very little traffic here
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| visit).
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| | so the beaches are pretty quiet.
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| As a result of the cruise ship boom,
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| | Sometimes people can park their scooters
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| there has been lots of retail development
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| | and enjoy a beach all for themselves.
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| along the main waterfront road of Avenida
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| | There are a few stops with refreshments
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| Rafael Melgar in the island's only town
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| | and more souvenirs at prices even better
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| of San Miguel de Cozumel. There are
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| | than in San Miguel. After traveling
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| countless jewelry and t-shirt shops most
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| | north again, there is a road about
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| with staff standing in the entrances
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| | halfway up the island that goes across
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| enticing visitors to enter their stores.
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| | and takes you back to San Miguel entering
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| Both silver and liquor can be good
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| | the town's east side. My scooter tour of
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| bargains here. There are also some nice
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| | the island took just over 2 hours and
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| Mexican crafts shops too. The one
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| | cost $25 US for the rental. Cozumel has
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| problem that we found was that after
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| | several ancient Mayan ruins but they are
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| about 4 jewelry shops, they all started
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| | not nearly as large or spectacular as the
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| to look the same. It was almost a retail
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| | ones on the mainland. After seeing some
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| overload. For those who came for a
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| | photos of them in advance of my trip, I
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| wilder time, there are some bars such as
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| | didn't even bother to see the ruins.
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| Carlos 'n' Charlie. The town's main
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| | Cozumel is a nice port of call for cruise
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| outdoor square, Plaza del Sol, is just
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| | ships as there are many shopping
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| opposite the main ferry dock to the
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| | opportunities. Passengers who scuba dive
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| mainland. There are usually street
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| | or snorkel can easily book directly with
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| vendors and artists in the Plaza as well
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| | the many dive shops in San Miguel without
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| local entertainment during some evenings.
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| | going through their cruise ships which
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| The artists do some amazing artwork with
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| | will cost much more. For cruise ship
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| spray paints and their prices are very
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| | tourists who do not intend to do any
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| reasonable. San Miguel's main tourist
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| | water sports and have some time after
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| area can be very busy during the day when
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| | shopping, it is highly recommended to
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| the cruise ship passengers are in town
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| | rent a scooter or 4x4 to tour the island.
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| but since most ships depart at
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| | This is also a nice way to spend the
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| dinnertime, the evenings are actually
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| | last day of a scuba dive vacation in
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| very quiet. The only tourists left at
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| | Cozumel.
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