If you’re planning a trip to The Riviera Maya, you don’t want to miss out on Cozumel Mexico.
This little Mexican Caribbean island, located just off the coast of Quintana Roo, is not just surrounded by a beautiful blue ocean but is also one of Mexico’s most visited tourist destinations.
Some may argue that one day in Cozumel isn’t enough, but if done right, you can see and do a lot of fun things.
In this post, we’re sharing important things to know about Cozumel, and showing you how to spend one epic day in Cozumel Mexico.
Is Cozumel Mexico Worth Visiting?
Firstly, considering that Cozumel is one of the most visited destinations in Mexico, you can imagine that there are a ton of awesome things to see and do on this little island.
Since the island is located so close to Playa del Carmen, Cancun and Tulum it’s totally realistic to just visit for a day.
We’ve had the chance to visit the island 3 times already and have had completely different experiences each time.
It is worth noting that Cozumel is more popular as a snorkelling destination than a beach destination.
If what you’re looking for is those super clear blue waters, we’d recommend visiting Isla Mujeres instead. We love Cozumel for its raw untouched beaches, beautiful mangroves and colourful streets.
With so much cultural charm, interesting heritage, and dense Mayan jungle to explore – we can happily report that Cozumel Mexico is 100% worth visiting!
Chankanaab Park Cozumel
Playa Norte Isla Mujeres
Is Cozumel Mexico Safe To Travel?
The state of Quintana Roo, Mexico is known to be one of the safest and most peaceful states in the entire country.
Having lived in the Riviera Maya for almost 4 years, we feel safe to travel in this region and have never experienced anything particularly ‘bad’ while travelling.
Cozumel has a particularly warm and safe vibe, and we feel the locals of the island are typically a lot more friendly, honest and welcoming than those on the mainland. So to answer your question, yes, Cozumel Mexico is safe to travel.
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How To Get To Cozumel Mexico from Cancun
If you’re planning a trip to the Riviera Maya, it’s likely that you’ll be landing at Cancun International Airport (CUN).
However, the brand new Tulum International Airport is running limited routes, and Cozumel in fact has its own international airport.
To get to Cozumel from Cancun, you’re going to need to first travel to Playa del Carmen, where you’ll find the ferry port. To get to Playa del Carmen from Cozumel, you can use a taxi which will be pretty pricey (US$45-70 approx.) or you can take one the the red ADO buses.
We love ADO and highly recommend these private buses for traveling from town to town. If you’re staying in the Cancun Hotel Zone, you can either take a taxi, or ride the public R1 bus to the station in town.
The ADO buses run to and from Playa del Carmen regularly throughout the day and you can easily book your tickets online or at the station.
The best thing about taking the ADO bus from Cancun to Playa del Carmen is that it drops you right near the ferry port. You’ll just need to walk 5 minutes down 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen to get to the port – super convenient.
Once at the port, you can choose to either go with Ultramar or Winjet. They cost pretty much the same, but it’s slightly cheaper to book a round-trip than a one-way ferry ticket.
The two companies leave on alternate schedules, usually every 30 minutes.
💡 The ferry schedule changes seasonally, so don’t forget to check the schedule for the particular date you’re travelling to Cozumel Island.
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The trip over to Cozumel takes around 40 minutes and you shouldn’t feel any motion-sickness, unless the waters are extra choppy.
The waters are so blue and the trip goes by quickly. You’ll disembark at the Cozumel ferry port, which is right by the fun and vibrant downtown area of Cozumel.
From there, you’re free to explore the island, but just take note of the ferry schedule – you don’t want to be stranded overnight.
💡We’d highly recommend applying your sun protection from the moment you get on the ferry – so many people forget and have already done damage before they arrive on island.
How To Get To Cozumel Mexico From Playa del Carmen
If you’re staying near 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen, getting to Cozumel is such a breeze! The Playa del Carmen ferry port is located at the far end of 5th Avenue, just next to the exclusive Playacar neighborhood. You could easily take a stroll to the ferry port, or if you’re a little further away, you could take a taxi. We recommend confirming the price with the driver before getting into the car, as they tend to take advantage of the tourists.
😴 Looking for a great place to stay near 5th Avenue Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is not a very big city, so getting to the ferry port shouldn’t take longer than 25 minutes, but keep in mind that the school rush (7:15 – 8:15 am) makes taxis harder to come by.
Once at the port, you can choose to either go with Ultramar or Winjet. They cost pretty much the same, but it’s slightly cheaper to book a round-trip than a one-way ticket to Cozumel. The two companies leave on alternate schedules, usually every 30 minutes.
The trip over to Cozumel takes around 40 minutes and you shouldn’t feel any motion-sickness, unless the waters are extra choppy. The waters are so blue and the trip goes by quickly. You’ll disembark at the Cozumel ferry port, which is right by the fun and vibrant downtown area of Cozumel. From there, you’re free to explore the island, but just take note of the ferry schedule – you don’t want to be stranded overnight.
Does Cozumel Mexico Have An International Airport
Yes, Cozumel does have an international airport, and it’s located right on the outskirts of town. To get to your accommodation from Cozumel International Airport (CZM), the easiest thing to do would be to get a rental car. We got ours from Fiesta Car Rental and they had such great service and well-maintained vehicles. Alternatively, you can also take a taxi, but they’re known to charge pretty high rates as designated airport taxis
🛍️ Use the code FIESTAVIP when booking and receive 5% off your rental with Fiesta Car Rental.
How To Explore Cozumel Mexico
If you’re on Cozumel Island for just a day, you need to decide if you’d rather explore the downtown area or take a drive to the less explored side.
For a casual, low-effort travel day in Cozumel, you can easily get around on foot or by bicycle. The downtown area of Cozumel Mexico is pretty big, and when the tide is low, you’ll find small alcove-shaped beaches to enjoy.
If you want to do a lap around the island and explore the lesser visited parts of the island, which we’d totally recommend, you’ll need a rental car or at the very least a scooter. Cozumel might look small on a map, but it would probably take an entire day of cycling to circumnavigate the island. We tried cycling the first time and it was very rough under the Carribean sun.
🚗 If you’re looking for an affordable rental, you can do a price comparison right here.
Does Cozumel Mexico Have Nice Beaches?
If you had to compare the beaches of Cozumel to those of Isla Mujeres, there is a very clear winner. And it’s not Cozumel.
That doesn’t mean that Cozumel doesn’t have nice beaches, it’s just that you have to know where to look. On the east side of Cozumel, you’ll find tiny beaches that are sometimes quite rocky. This side of the island is also mostly iron shore, and any nice beach you may find, usually charges an entrance fee. We asked two different beach clubs what they charge and it’s about US$30 per person, not including food or drinks.
The west side of the island isn’t great for swimming either, but we did happen to find one beautiful beach, called Playa Chen Rio. You can find the exact location on The Riviera Maya Map. We loved this beach because it had a natural inlet that shielded us from the currents. We wouldn’t advise swimming on the east side of Cozumel for a number of reasons;
- The waves and currents are usually tremendous.
- There are typically no lifeguards on duty.
- You may even encounter a crocodile – but that’s pretty uncommon.
So you may ask, does Cozumel have nice beaches? Yes, but they’re certainly not the most pristine Caribbean beaches in the area of the Riviera Maya.
What to do in Cozumel Mexico for a day
Although a day is enough time to visit the island, it’s worth noting that Cozumel is way larger than most people imagine. We managed to hit all the spots mentioned below in a day trip to Cozumel, but it was a bit rushed to be honest. To give yourself a bit more time than we had, we would highly recommend taking the earliest ferry available – we wish we did. Also, all these locations are mapped out (with photos) on The Riviera Maya Map – making it super easy to plan your trip 🫶
🏖️ Looking for a great tour in Cozumel? These are the best-rated tours in town!
1. Get a decadent pB Coffee at COZ
The COZ Roasting Company 100% lives up to the hype – their peanut butter cappuccino was one of the best things we’ve tasted in a while.
2. Grab your rental car
We’d highly recommend getting a rental car for convenience and comfort, but a scooter rental will work just as well
3. Take a drive down the West side of the island
You can always stop off at the very small patches of open entry shoreline and jump in for a quick dip in the Caribbean Sea.
4. Stop at Rastas
This unique and rustic dive bar is themed around Bob Marley and Jamaica, and is one of the coolest spots on Cozumel island. You can just grab a quick drink – or even have a full lunch there, but you will need to pay in cash.
5. Visit Playa Chen Rio
You can always stop off at the very small patches of open entry shoreline and jump in for a quick dip in the Caribbean Sea.
6. Drive back to downtown
Drop off your car and head down the very unique and colorful streets of Cozumel. This would be a great time to have your camera ready, as you’ll definitely be sure to spot a ton of awesome street art.
7. Eat at the best local spot around
La Casa del Indio is a tiny spot built off a local home. The owners were so warm and welcoming and served us some of the best seafood we’ve tasted. P.S. Get the shrimp tacos!
8. Enjoy the sunset at the townsquare
Sunset time here is beautiful, and its quiet because most of the day guests have already left the island. This is also where you’ll find the iconic orange clock tower and the Cozumel Sign, so have your camera ready.
What to do in Cozumel Mexico at night
Cozumel is usually much quieter at night than in the day-time because only a small percentage of tourists on island stay over-night, the majority are day guests. One of the best things to do is to find a restaurant on the Cozumel Malecon (boardwalk) to enjoy a beverage. The sunsets in Cozumel are usually stunning, and the best place to see them is definitely on the malecon.
The ferry port is located on the boardwalk, so you’ll have a short walk from drinks, back to the ferry, where you’ll head back to Playa del Carmen.
🌴 Visiting Playa del Carmen? Read this next.
What to pack for Cozumel Mexico
As Cozumel is a water destination, you’ll need to keep sun-protection in mind. The state of Quintana Roo only allows reef-safe, biodegradable sunscreen, and although we do use sunscreen, UPF clothing makes things so easy. If you’re going to get sunprotection clothing, I’d recommend getting a swimshirt with sleeves that have a thumbhole and a hat that covers the majority of your face.
You also may want to take photos and footage of all the fun water activities, in that case youcan either get a super affordable phone case – which will give you great footage. If you’re more serious about your vacation memories, an action camera is the way to go! We use and love the OSMO action and really enjoy it’s stability features but GoPro is definitely on par, if not higher quality. Either camera will get you some great shots!
Here are a few other fun travel items we love for days we know we’re going to be in the water:
Cozumel Mexico is such a charming little spot on the Riviera Maya that we can’t help but recommend visiting – even if it’s just for a day. We hope we helped you plan the perfect day trip to Cozumel and please let us know if there are any special spots we should try 👇
