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