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