4 Best Sights in Cozumel, Mexico

Easily accessible by cab from downtown or the cruise piers, this spot at Playa San Francisco is a rowdy affair with a restaurant and bar where waiters break into song and draw customers into line dances. The food is typical of the chain—burgers, barbecued ribs, tacos—and the alcohol flows generously. While there's a wide array of water sports offered, the water is shallow, not always clear, and congested with Jet Skis and water toys. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.

Hugely popular with locals, Playa Las Casitas has several large palapa-style restaurant-bars, small palapas and palm trees for shade, calm waters, and a long stretch of beach. Swim out 150 yards from the north end to enjoy the fish-filled artificial reefs. Windsurfers and stand-up paddleboards are also available for rent. The beach is fairly deserted on weekdays but completely packed on Sunday, the traditional day for family outings. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunsets; swimming.

South of the resorts, down a dirt road and way off the beaten path, lies this long, serene, walkable beach with hammocks hanging under coconut palms. The on-site dive shop can outfit scuba enthusiasts for trips to the famous Palancar and Columbia reefs, just offshore; boats will take snorkelers out every two hours from 9 to 5. There's also a nice open-air restaurant-bar here if you'd rather just relax. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Sheltered by an offshore reef, this secluded half-moon cove is Mexico's furthest eastern spot. Part of a longer beach that some locals call “Playa Bonita,” it has fine sand, clear water, turtle nests, and moderate waves. There used to be a popular restaurant and beach club here, but it's now abandoned. The road to get here has been neglected in the last few years, so not many people frequent this beautiful beach these days. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.