Mexico – Cozumel 8/12/16 – 11/12/16

A short taxi ride to the end of 5th Avenue and were at the ferry terminal. Luckily we walked here a couple of days ago and found one of the many ferry companies who were offering a great deal. Today however when we got out of the taxi we were hoarded by several sales pitches for ferry rides. One even offered us “the bargain of the day’ by saying they wanted MXN 600 pp for the return journey. We obviously declined and went straight to the company we had spoken to before. They gave us 2 return tickets for MXN 300 for both! It really does pay to do your homework. We only had 20 minutes to wait for the ferry before we boarded. The journey itself took 35 minutes across a very calm sea, which was a perfect azure coloured blue. The downstairs of the ferry was an internal cabin, whereas the upper deck was open air, (where most passengers were). It had a couple of people selling drinks and snacks from baskets on board which was great as we sat in the open air under the blazing sun, with the breeze blowing across us. I didn’t know Cozumel has its own international airport, but still if I was coming here for a holiday I would fly to Playa del Carmen and catch the ferry, the views are spectacular.
We’re staying at the Cozumel Hotel Resort, about 10 minutes by taxi from the ferry terminal. 4 nights All Inclusive in this 4 star resort for NZ $250pp that’s about GB £125 what a bargain. It’s not as flash as the one we stayed in at Cancun, however its size makes it a very nice boutique resort. Minutes after checking in we were in our swim wear, Pina Colada in hand and sat at the edge of the massive pool, basking in the glorious sun. Yep where “out of season” but with it only being 2 weeks before xmas, its not busy at all.
Cozumel is a lovely island, mostly undeveloped belonging to Mexico in the East of the Caribbean Sea. It is popular as a cruise ship destination and for its scuba/snorkelling as it is said to have the world’s 2nd largest reef after Australia. That in mind we headed to the resorts beach area, well actually no beach but a man made area full of sand. To get access into the sea from here, you take several steps, but once in, it transforms into a great snorkelling area straight away. The sea steeply drops away from these steps, (so not a good place for children or those who cannot swim). But the lack of shallow water pays way to an abundance of coral life, tropical fish can be viewed only a foot away from the steps, where the Coral starts. We only ventured a few meters into the sea, but found a great collection of lovely coloured fish. To access this area, the resort has built an underground large walkway, directly under the road, so no lengthy waits for gaps in traffic. Yep this resort although smallish, has plenty going for it, with only 3 restaurants – each with its own bar, means you don’t have to walk far for your next drink. It’s clientele picked up in numbers over the weekend we were there, yet not too busy. This place also caters for people in wheelchairs, we have never come across a resort with these numbers of disabled people in it. A great sight, but thinking about it, diving must be a great sport for wheelchair users, and the resort is really geared up for diving. They have their own equipment, including wet suits, and plenty of areas to wash and dry your own equipment after use.
We ventured into Cozumel town, roughly a 30 minute coastal walk from our resort. The town is great, lovely shops and cafes and it’s main focal point it’s square, was decorated in the festive spirit, and easy to find, just 1 block behind the main promenade, directly opposite the ferry terminal. The usual tacky souvenir shops are in plentiful supply, but so are the Mexican silver jewellery shops. Prices weren’t too bad, but I expect they will increase over busy holiday periods. The day we got to Cozumel we counted 5 very large cruise ships docked at the port, and today another couple. It really does appear to be a cruise ship destination.
So if you like nothing more than sitting on your balcony reading or lounging by an enormous pool sipping cocktails or even snorkelling in some of the clearest waters in the world then this resort is for you. Not sure if it’s because we stayed – out of season- but over our stay here we hardly saw any children however this place is geared up for the ankle biters. The entertainments program needs a little attention as the main activity on the Saturday night at 8pm was……..wait for it……Bingo, which nobody showed up for. Yep this place is idyllic, peaceful and charming for anyone, except the clubbing brigade. Money well spent, the pool, food, drinks are exactly what you’d expect from a 3* all inclusive resort. And with it only being a 25 minute slow walk along the sea front to the main town, it’s perfectly placed away from the hustle and bustle.