There are so many things to do in Cozumel you can’t do them all in one vacation. Fortunately that just gives you an excuse to come back again, and again, and again, rinse and repeat.

Feeling lazy and just want someone to map out 5 perfect days for you? Boy, do I have some good news for you. Just wander over here.

Cozumel is a beautiful island just off the tip of the Yucatan of Mexico. You can fly directly into their international airport or make your way to Playa Del Carmen and take a short ferry ride over. Of course if you’re on a cruise, you’ll have 8+ hours to spend there, which is still plenty of time to do something awesome.

Beaches

It’s an Island, it’s ringed with beaches, so of course you’re going to find a beach that you like. Cozumel has beach club beaches, secluded beaches, crowded beaches, even adventure beaches, take your pick. Some of the more popular ones with things to do in Cozumel are:

Punta Sur Eco Beach Park

Located at the southern end of the island, Punta Sur is always a fun thing to do in Cozumel. They have Crocodiles, a lighthouse and unbelievable snorkeling (the reef is a 300 meter swim so be prepared). This is one of our favorite beaches, it’s on a beautiful stretch of clear water and fine white sand.

Chankanaab Adventure Beach Park

Dolphins, Manatees, Sea Lions, Crocodiles! Holy crap! Is this a beach or a zoo? There’s even snorkeling and scuba diving, not to mention the Eco Archaeological tour.

Mr. Sanchos Beach Club

Horseback riding, massages, a pool with a swim up bar, are you sure that this is a beach? Yes, it is. There’s great snorkeling here too as well as a play area with huge inflatables. Spring for one of the all inclusive packages and you can drink all day and not pay a dime, just don’t forget to tip your bartenders and waiters.

The East Side Beaches

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Drive along the undeveloped East side of the island and the whole coast is lined with beautiful sandy beaches meeting spectacular turquoise water. The east side beaches are directly on the Caribbean Sea and they’re a little rougher so bring your surfboard (see below). You can stop at any of the many restaurants next to the beach and have mouthwatering fresh seafood. If you have a chance to get to the east side, do it.

Go Topless on a Jeep Tour

One of the most popular things to do in Cozumel is the take a Jeep tour. Jump in your topless Jeep. What? What else would I mean when I say topless? Anyway, jump in your topless Jeep and tour the island, you can do food tasting tours, tequila tasting tours, off road driving tours to cenotes. This list goes on. Or you can just rent a Jeep or dune buggy and explore by yourself.

Cozumel is a small island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula Mexico in the Riviera Maya. Check out our guide to the Riviera Maya.

Snorkeling

Yes, you can practically put yourself into the water anywhere in Cozumel and you will find tremendous snorkeling. You can also sign up for one of the snorkeling tours offered by catamaran or boat. They will take you out to one of the many reefs that are located around the island. Once you get there you can be amazed at how buoyant you are in the Caribbean Sea. The coral and marine life is amazing, and there is always the chance for turtles and shark sightings. They supply the snorkel gear and the drinks, and you supply the energy, so what are you waiting for?

Scuba Diving

Where to start with this? First off, this is the perfect spot for scuba diving and it should be number one on your list of things to do in Cozumel. Santa Rosa Wall, Palancar, Columbia and San Francisco Reefs are just a few of the popular reefs in the area.

Diving around the island of Cozumel is an exhilarating experience, the water is clear, warm and refreshing, (can you say no wet suit?) the visibility is perfect, the marine life is abundant, and the coral is breathtaking. Do a two or three tank dive and experience the best dive of your life.

You’ve never dived before? There’s an easy fix for that, find a PADI certified dive shop and tell them you want to do a “discover scuba” dive. They’ll go over the basics that you need to know and take you down, usually to about 30′. After you’ve gone down just once, you’ll wonder what took you so long to try Scuba Diving.

San Gervaiso Mayan Ruins

San Gervasio is the most populated collection of Mayan ruins on the island. The site is dedicated to the Goddess of Fertility, Ixchel. Supposedly all Mayan women journeyed to the island to be blessed by Ixchel. While it’s not as big as some of the other Mayan sites on the mainland of Mexico it still offers some nice ruins.

Tour the place by yourself with a self guided tour or spring for a guide. Either way you’ll find yourself in a very tranquil spot surrounded by the jungle. It’s not a huge area so when your done there you can go explore the island.

Jade Caverns

You can get to Jade Caverns by x-rail dune buggy, ATV, and Jeep. Your guide will take you on an adventure off road through the jungle. Once you get to the caverns you will learn about Cenotes and the Mayans. Taking a dip in the water feels fantastic after the ride through the jungle. While you’re there, be a thrill seeker and climb to the top and jump in.

Cozumel Pearl Farm

The farm is located in crystal clear water, you get to snorkel among the oysters that make the pearls. It’s a great way to unwind and relax as you will be the only people around as you learn about what it takes to keep a pearl farm going.

Playa El Cielo

A sandbar loaded with starfish in the clearest water that you’ve ever seen. It’s a nice couple of hours hanging out and snorkeling. It’s not a beach as you’ll be in waist deep water the whole time. Pro tip – Take one of the smaller boats so you’re not fighting with a crowd the whole time.

Sport Fishing

Charter one of the many sport fishing boats and spend a day on the water catching fish. Cozumel is a sport fisher’s paradise due to the warm tropical waters and being near the second largest reef in the world. Depending on the time of year you can catch barracuda, grouper, marlin, and mahi mahi. If you’re lucky you can land that coveted sailfish and hang it on the wall in your living room until your wife makes you move it to the mancave.

Atlantis Submarine Expedition

Do you want to experience getting up close and personal with the fishes of the reef, but you don’t like that whole getting wet thing? Then this is the tour for you. Get yourself into one of the subs that prowl the reefs. They’re air conditioned for that cool feeling while hanging out on the seafloor, and it has guides who will tell you about the reef and marine life that inhabits it.

Hang Ten

Cruise on over to Cozumel Surfing and hook up with Nacho Gutierrez (yes, that’s his name) and learn how to surf or improve your skills. He’s been in business for over 20 years. Nacho has surfed all over the world and has taught thousands of people to surf.

The post 15 Awesome Things to do in Cozumel appeared first on Get Out and Adventure.

Want to spend 5 perfect days in Cozumel? Of course you do. Cozumel is a beautiful island with endless things to do. World class scuba diving, spectacular snorkeling, not to mention minerally enriched cenotes and inspiring beaches.

Day 1 of 5 Perfect Days in Cozumel

Take it Easy…or Not

It’s your first day of vacation so you’re out of bed and ready to go at 6:30 am right? Of course not, that’s why you want a beach day. Hang out at the hotel beach or head on over to one of the many beach clubs. Beach clubs have an entrance fee but they provide showers, restaurants and bars. Some beaches have awesome huge inflatable beach toys. “Beach toys?!” That’s right, think launching your friend off of the 6 person 10′ high teeter totter.

Be prepared to be awed by the crystal clear water at the beach. Walk right in with your snorkel gear and check out the countless numbers of amazing marine life steps off of the beach. What? You didn’t bring your snorkel gear? Don’t worry you can rent it either at your hotel or at the beach club.

If you feel like getting your party-vacation-self going then check out one of the beach clubs that are as much party as they are swimming like the Money Bar.

Day 2 of 5 Perfect Days in Cozumel

X-rails to Jade Cavern

You know what’s fun? Driving your x-rail go cart through the Yucatan Jungle. Speed over the dirt road and and be sure to hit those mud puddles so you can splash the losers behind you. When you get to Jade Cavern, don’t be a baby, climb to the top and jump in the water, you won’t regret it. This cenote is filled with jade green water and it’s as refreshing as the name is cool. Take your time and swim in the water while you’re there, check out the tropical foliage around you, explore the cave because there’s no rush to get back.

Do yourself a favor before you go back to town, head on over to El Cedral, the little town right outside the gate of the Jade Cavern tour. There you will find a quaint little Mexican town where you can see Mayan ruins and an old Catholic church.

Jean Lafitte Pirate Dinner Cruise

Think of an interactive dinner show on a pirate ship (don’t worry, they won’t make you walk the plank). From the time that you get on the ship both the drinks and jokes are flowing. Your dinner is a choice of chicken, lobster or steak, you can’t go wrong with any of them, but the lobster is excellent! It’s a great sunset cruise with an entertaining crew. Just a warning, there is audience participation, so be prepared to get involved whether you want to or not.

Day 3 of 5 Perfect Days in Cozumel

Adrian Cozumel

Adrian’s parents knew that he was going to know so much about Cozumel they named him after the island! While he offers fishing charters and catamaran snorkeling charters, the charter to take is to the Lighthouse of Punta Molas (the northern tip of the island where the abandoned north lighthouse is). The lighthouse is so remote, the only way to get there is by a long dirt, mud, sand and rocky road only accessible by 4×4 or by a boat captained by someone who can navigate the rock infested shallows.

He’ll load you up in his small boat, necessary for the shallow water, and set out for the north side of the island. Once there you’ll have to walk through waist deep water and rocks to get to the lighthouse so be sure to bring some type of water shoes. After the hike through the water you can climb up to the top of the lighthouse and enjoy the views and get your share of pictures in. Adrian will give you the history of the lighthouse and even the island.

Lighthouse of Punta Molas

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After the lighthouse you’re on you’re way to snorkel a reef with shipwrecks from the 1700’s, colorful fish and coral.

The Sound House Mayan Ruins

From snorkeling Adrian will take you to Rio de la Plata Lagoon. Once you land you’ll walk a half mile in waist deep water over an old Mayan road to an island. On the island is a Mayan ruin of an old sound house. The lack of any noise in this part of the island is incredible and it really adds to the atmosphere. Again Adrian will give you a brief lecture on the history of the house and what the Mayans used it for.

Last stop before home is the clearest water that you’ve ever seen! This water is so clear you will wish that it was in your swimming pool! Have a drink, get in the water and enjoy the solitude.

A bonus on this tour is that the group of people that you are with will probably be the only people that you see during the trip. To get in touch with Adrian you can find him on Facebook at Adrian Cozumel.

Day 4 of 5 Perfect Days in Cozumel

Fury Charters or Scuba Diving

That’s right, you have a choice. Sign up for one of the Fury Catamaran snorkeling tours and have a fun day sailing, snorkeling and swimming. Sail out to Palancar Reef on a 65′ catamaran. Jump into the water and get a guided tour of the reef. Afterwards head over to a private beach and have fun in the crystal clear water.

Want to get a little deeper in the water? Then give scuba diving a try. Contact one of the many PADI certified scuba shops and sign up for their discover scuba dives. You don’t have to be licensed, they’ll go over your equipment and safety procedures, and then they’ll take you down. Some will take you out to a reef on a boat and some will just walk you off the beach. Either way you’ll go down about 30′. Pro tip – take an underwater camera so that you can endlessly show your friends pictures of you in your scuba gear.

Day 5 of 5 Perfect Days in Cozumel

San Gervasio Mayan Ruins

Rent a jeep, rent a scooter, or just take a taxi. San Gervasio is the most populated collection of Mayan ruins on the island. The site is dedicated to the Goddess of Fertility, Ixchel. Supposedly all Mayan women journeyed to the island to be blessed by Ixchel. While it’s not as big as some of the other Mayan sites on the mainland of Mexico it still offers some nice ruins.

Tour the place by yourself with a self guided tour or spring for a guide. Either way you’ll find yourself in a very tranquil spot surrounded by the jungle. It’s not a huge area so when your done there you can go explore the island.

Explore the Island

The main highway is a loop around the island. Head south along the west coast and by the time that you hit the south point (Punta Sur) you’ll see a fantastic beach with a Reggae bar in front of it. If you turn right off the highway onto the dirt road that will take you to the Eco Park. There’s a fee to get in but there’s a light house that you can climb, possible crocodile sightings and a great beach with spectacular snorkeling.

Head north along the east side from there and you’ll find more beach areas with restaurants. Stop at one and get some fantastic and fresh seafood for lunch. After that browse the small shops nearby and haggle on pricing for a souvenir. You can even have put your feet in an aquarium and have them cleaned by small fish (thankfully those aren’t the seafood that they’re selling in the restaurants).

After your done with your beach hopping, head north again and take the road back into town. When you get into town find a parking spot and explore. The town of San Miguel is a typical Mexican town with a square in the middle of the shopping plaza. There are restaurants throughout the town, stop at one and have the best Mexican dinner that you’ve ever had. Enjoy it because you’re going home to Chilis tomorrow.

Not enough for you? Then you’ll want to read 15 Awesome Things to do in Cozumel.

You can also get off the island and head over to Riviera Maya and explore the mainland. Check out our guide.

The post 5 Perfect Days in Cozumel appeared first on Get Out and Adventure.