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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Cozumel
Go for 4 nights if you dive; 2–3 nights if you don't. Base in San Miguel, dive the western reefs, rent a car one day for the east side.
Cozumel is a flat limestone island 20 km off the Yucatán coast, and its draw is underwater: the reefs of Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park along the west and south shores. The only town is San Miguel, where the ferry, most hotels and nearly all dive shops sit. Above water the island is quiet — a few Maya sites, beach clubs and a wild east coast reached by car. Most visitors come for diving, snorkelling or a cruise-ship port day, and 4 nights covers a dive package without rushing.
- Country
- Mexico
- Best months
- Dec–Apr (dry, clear water); diving runs year-round
- Avoid
- Sep–Oct (rain and storm season), late Mar–early Apr (spring break crowds)
- Stay
- 4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$900–1,500 excl. bed · Mid M$1,500–3,000 excl. bed · High M$3,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | M$40–80 |
| Tacos or a plate of the day | M$80–180 |
| Beer: bottle at a bar / six-pack at a shop | M$40–70 / M$120–180 |
| Taxi in San Miguel | M$30–60 |
| Taxi to a south beach club | M$150–300 |
| Snorkel gear rental, one day | M$150–250 |
| San Gervasio entry | M$193 |
| Chankanaab park entry | about M$400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CZM · Cozumel International Airport
- Direct flights from several US and Canadian cities and from Mexico City; about 10 min by taxi to San Miguel.
- CUN · Cancún International Airport
- More flights and usually cheaper; bus or shared van to Playa del Carmen, then the ferry.
- TQO · Tulum International Airport
- Closer to Playa del Carmen than Cancún; same ferry connection.
Typical fares
- Ferry Cozumel → Playa del Carmen
- about M$250 one way, 45 min
- Taxi CZM airport → San Miguel
- M$150–250
- Two-tank boat dive
- about M$1,400 plus marine park fee
Get around
No public transport outside San Miguel: walk in town, take taxis (about M$30–60 in town, more to the beach clubs), or rent a car or scooter for the day. The east coast has no fuel and few services, so fill up before you cross the island.
See and do
Known for
- Drift diving on Palancar and the wall reefs
- Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
- San Gervasio Maya site
- Cruise-ship port days
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Playa del Carmen | Passenger ferry from the San Miguel pier, about 45 min | About 1 h 15 min |
| Tulum | Ferry to Playa del Carmen, then bus or van south | 2.5–3 h |
| Puerto Morelos | Ferry to Playa del Carmen, then bus north | About 2 h |
| Cancún | Ferry to Playa del Carmen, then ADO bus north | 3–3.5 h |
| Bacalar | Ferry to Playa del Carmen, then bus south | 5–6 h |
Sleep
- San Miguel centro
- Walk to the ferry, restaurants and dive shops; best for a short stay without a car.
- Hotel zone north of town
- Quieter resorts and beach clubs; 5–10 min by taxi to centro.
- South hotel zone (Carretera Costera Sur)
- Closest to the main dive sites and beach clubs; you will want a car or taxis.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| The check, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| I want to rent a car | Quiero rentar un carroKYEH-roh ren-TAR oon KAH-rroh |
| Is it safe to swim here? | ¿Es seguro nadar aquí?es seh-GOO-roh nah-DAR ah-KEE |
| I am a diver | Soy buzosoy BOO-soh |
| No thank you | No, graciasnoh GRAH-syahs |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Scooters cause most tourist accidents here: only ride if you already ride one, never after drinking.
- East-coast beaches have strong surf and undertows; swim only where flags say it is safe, and never alone.
- Touts at the ferry and cruise piers push timeshare pitches and rentals: agree the price and insurance in writing first.
- Cruise days (Dec–Apr) fill the town and the popular reefs; book dives and beach clubs ahead.
- Reef access is regulated inside the national park: pay the marine park fee and use a licensed operator.
San Miguel is safe to walk by day and evening; the real risks are scooter crashes, east-coast surf and dive boats that skip the marine park rules. Use a licensed operator and check the flag before you swim.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cozumel yet. Suggested stay: 4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Drift diving on Palancar and the wall reefs
- Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
- San Gervasio Maya site
- Cruise-ship port days
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park (CONANP): www.gob.mx/conanp
- Wikivoyage: Cozumel, revision 5298414 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5298414
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Cozumel
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies on the island; the US has a consular agency in Playa del Carmen, and most other countries keep embassies in Mexico City.
Prices are in pesos; US dollars are accepted at a poor rate.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cozumel). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.