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La Ceiba
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Excellent Beach Front hotel, Large spacious rooms, only 5 minutes ride to down town Cozumel.
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Welcome to Cozumel, Mexico!
Topside tourist activity centers around San Miguel, the island's cultural and commercial center, which boasts an impressive seaside maze of shops, cantinas and restaurants. An ultra-modern cruise-ship terminal accom- modates daily-arriving ocean liners and ferries from the mainland. Most dive resorts are scattered along the west coast where calm waters prevail. Although Cozumel is not that hidden paradise any more...the diving and snorkeling are still amazing. One simply must accept that many people visit the Island via cruise ship...
A 1961 visit by Jacques Cousteau first brought attention to Cozumel's spectacular diving and its incredible water clarity. Its fringing reef system is fed by warm, fast-moving Yucatán currents (a part of the Gulf Stream) as they sweep through the deep channel on the west side of the island. These currents bring a constant wash of plankton and other nutrients that support thousands of exotic fish. Immense rays, and jewfish populate the spectacular drop-offs and wrecks on the outer reefs; sea turtles nest along the beaches from May to September. And, visibility remains a constant 100 to 150 ft year-round, except during and after major storms.
Despite an onslaught of divers, Cozumel's reefs and marine life are better than ever. Once a mecca for spear fishermen, all of the reefs surrounding the island are now protected as a marine park. Those of you who may remember the dive operators' requests for qualifications being 'You dive before?' will now be asked for C cards. A functional, free-to-divers recompression chamber is now in operation.
SCUBA DIVING / SNORKELING IN COZUMEL
Coral Reefs, underwater caves, ancient wrecks and hundreds of different kinds of exotic tropical fish. The dive sites are all waiting for you to discover off the shores of Cozumel.
If you have ever had the desire to explore the depths, or even if you are an accomplished diver, the opportunities you will find in Mexico are probably some of the best you will ever have. Virtually every beach destination features scuba diving and snorkeling to some extent. Several offer spectacular adventure. And one is considered the finest dive destination in the Western Hemisphere.
Cozumel's reefs are nestled along the leeward west shore of the island, lining a vertical drop-off into the 12-mile-wide Yucatan Channel. With a steady northward current blowing through this deep trench, drift diving here is as effortless as an afternoon siesta. Shallow patch reefs and narrow coral ridges run parallel to the drop-off, home to a 'Who's Who' of Caribbean reef fish, including the splendid toadfish, found in no other region of the world. Closer to the edge of the wall, rolling hills of medium-sized corals shelter the biggest marine life: NFL-sized black grouper and six-foot green moray eels.
Cancun, and nearby Akumal, present an overwhelming variety of undersea life, plus sunken Spanish galleons and several reefs. You can even try fresh water diving in the area's 'cenotes', where underground rivers have carved fascinating underwater formations. There are also boat excursions to Isla Mujeres and Yelapa Island. And for beginning snorkelers, the aquarium-like lagoons of Xel-Ha, just outside of Tulum, offer a beautiful introduction to the sport.
There are some 20 miles (32.2 km) of reef, including the second longest in the world, The Gama Reef. More than 200 species of neon-bright tropical fish. Undersea limestone caves and tunnels. A sunken aircraft wreck. And if you dive in the right spots, you will even get to see some rare black coral. Please note that divers are expected to leave the natural environment intact.
Many hotels have snorkeling equipment for rent. And dive shops abound in most locations. (U.S. standard equipment is used.) There are even complete dive vacation packages available. Generally speaking, you will find that diving is more affordable in Mexico than most other locations around the world. You will need to have either national or international certification to make the more challenging dives, but many destinations offer 'resort courses' that will allow you to make limited, supervised dives. Again, check with your travel agent for details. Then take the plunge. You will find that the water is indeed very fine.
Cozumel itself was a sleepy little fishing community until 1961, when a Frenchman by the name of Jacques Cousteau declared us one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas of the world. Since that time Cozumel has become an underwater marine park to protect the delicate balance of it's dazzling coral reefs and abundant variety of tropical fish. The underwater wildlife is absolutely amazing here & due to the clarity of the water ( 100 - 200 ft visibility,depending on the season ), you do not have to be a diver to enjoy it. Simply put on a mask & snorkle and jump in & you will feel like you have been dropped into a tropical fish tank !!
In addition to the spectacular open water diving, the region of Cozumel and Akumal are well-known for the underground rivers that honycomb the porous limestone of the Yucatan which provide some of the most beautiful cave and cavern or 'cenote' diving in the world. Many of these caves are highly decorated and are like floating through the finest dry cave you have ever seen, simply filled with water that is as clear as air. Because they are supported and protected by their water filled enviornment, they are pristine and each has its own particular marine life, unique to a cave enviornment.
TRANSPORTATION
GETTING AROUND: San Miguel (population 60,000) is the only city on Mexico's largest island at 47 km (28 miles) long and 15 km (11 miles) wide. With a maximum elevation of 45 feet, the island sits 18 km (11 miles) offshore from Playa del Carmen. Two ferry services - a car ferry from Puerto Morelos and a people ferry from Playa del Carmen - serve Cozumel from the Yucat n mainland. The ferry service from Playa (US $7) changes schedule as often as we change underwear so check at one of the ticket booths. San Miguel also has an international airport with some direct flights landing from the States and numerous 15-minute connecting flights from Cancan (call Aerocozumel, 98/84-20-00).
The scrub brush jungle covers the northern half of the island, which is virtually uninhabited. The southern portions, the interior and the entire windward east coast also have few inhabitants. A road loops the entire southern part along the sea, then cuts back into town, dividing the island in half, while a coastal road follows the northern shore to its end. The concentration of population in San Miguel makes for some interesting expeditions and explorations far from the madding crowd.
The Chankanaab National Park, south of town, may have some crowds but is a great place to snorkel, sun and see a botanical garden. The western shore beaches - both north and south of the main pier - are very beautiful. The northern section is mostly hotels and private homes of the wealthy; to the south are the 'public' beaches. Besides taxis (a good choice when going direct from one place to another), three types of personal transportation are available: motorbikes, bicycles and cars - especially four-wheel-drives. Many major hotels rent motorbikes or cars and every street corner downtown near the dock has men hawking rentals. Cozumel's excellent roads combined with long stretches of wilderness make a motorbike ideal - and they even have automatic shifts. The prices on vehicles are pretty much the same between individual renters, especially near the dock, but you could try going direct to some of the shops in town or waiting until the ferry is empty and the crowd disbursed before negotiating. It's illegal to ride without a helmet and a rental may not come with insurance, so check first.
If you are already a crowd, or want to really see every detail of Cozumel's wilderness, try getting a good deal on a Jeep. Only a four-wheel-drive vehicle can handle the arduous northeast coast road (in the dry season only) to El Real ruin, a minor Maya ruin overlooking a good snorkeling spot. Farther along is the dramatic picturesque Punta Molas lighthouse warning ships of the reefs - then you have to turn around and bounce back. Take note, Jeeps carrying more than five people are subject to a moving violation ticket and impound of the car. The rest of Cozumel has excellent roads and enough to see and do to keep occupied, even if it's nothing more than floating around in the warm Caribbean waters. If you're staying in town, a bicycle is handy on the more lightly traveled sidestreets. For longer hauls down to southern beaches or to do the island 'loop' you'd have to be very fit. Bikes are rented at several of the car rental agencies.
The streets in Cozumel make it easy to know where you are... once you get used to them. Av. Rafael Melgar is the main road running along the western waterfront. Roads running north and south, parallel to the water, are avenidas and those running perpendicular to the sea, east and west, are calles. The sole exception to this is Av. Benito Juarez, which cuts San Miguel and the island into northern and southern halves and should be a 'calle,' but is not. The streets north of Juarez are marked 'norte' and have even numbers (i.e. 2, 4, 6, etc.). All the calles south of Ju rez are 'sur' and are given odd numbers (3, 5, 7...). Vehicles traveling north and south are supposed to have the right of way, while those traveling east and west are required to stop on every corner. Drive carefully and look before you go. Parking can sometimes be scare in town so be careful of NO PARKING zones. Your car or moto could be towed or the license plate removed so that you pay a fine at the rental agency.
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