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Cozumel's main souvenir-shopping area is downtown on or near the waterfront; tourist-trap malls at the cruise-ship piers sell jewelry, perfume, sportswear, and low-end souvenirs at high-end prices.
Most downtown shops accept U.S. greenbacks, and many goods are priced in dollars. But to get better prices, pay with pesos and stick to cash—some shops tack a hefty surcharge on credit-card purchases. Shops, restaurants, and streets are always crowded between 10 am and 2 pm, but slow down in the evening. Traditionally, stores are open from 9 to 9, although most do close on Sunday morning.
When you shop for souvenirs, be sure you don't buy anything made with black coral. Not only is it overpriced, it's also an endangered species, and you may be barred from bringing it to the United States and other countries.
This is the best one-stop shop in Cozumel for Mexican crafts and art. Numerous display rooms, covering almost a block, are filled with clothing, furnishings, home-decor items, quality tequilas, and jewelry. There are smaller branches at Puerta Maya, the international pier (SSA), the Cozumel airport, Punta Langosta, and the gift shops of some hotels.
Trusted, well-established Pama offers a wide array of imported jewelry, perfumes, watches, and watch repairs while you wait. Sales pitches are definitely low-pressure here, so take your time and enjoy looking around.
Be the best-dressed person at your next party wearing one of the many styles of casual, breezy, tropical white clothing for sale here.
Open daily from 7 am to 11 pm, this big, full-service grocery store also carries clothing, kitchenware, appliances, furniture, and a terrific selection of wine. For those renting a nearby condo, this is a place to stock up on food and beverages. Brand-name sunscreens, while expensive, are available. The deli and bakery are excellent places to pick up picnic provisions; coolers and ice are sold here, too.
On the northeast side of the downtown square, an unnamed artisan market sells a respectable assortment of Mexican wares. Practice your bartering skills—start low, compromise, smile—while shopping for blankets, T-shirts, hammocks, and pottery. Most sellers accept only cash.
You can have pieces of jewelry that incorporate this store's selection of loose diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, or tanzanite customized to suit your taste. There is also a broad range of watches. The shop and its affiliates, Tanzanite International and Silver International, have multiple locations along the waterfront, at the cruise piers, and in the shopping malls—in fact, it's hard to avoid them. Repairs and batteries are also available.
At one of Cozumel's best galleries, Greg Dietrich creates and shows his engraved blown-glass lamps and vases along with paintings, jewelry, photography, and other works by local artists. It's open Monday through Friday from 11 to 7 (other times by appointment). The gallery is three blocks off the waterfront.
Local painter Galo Ramírez and a consortium of island artists display their works at this gallery. Their vibrant water colors and acrylics portray local scenes and people.
In addition to sportswear and sarongs, the offerings here include Mexican crafts, home decor, and beach towels.
A supermarket, pharmacy, and department store all under one big roof, Mega Soriana has a huge covered parking lot and pretty much anything you would need for a short or extended stay on Cozumel. Soriana's wine and international beer offerings are second to none. It's open daily from 8 am to 10 pm, though alcohol sales on Sunday cease at 3 as they do around the island for carryout.
You'll find a few souvenirs here, but the municipal market is really a place to see where the average island resident shops for day-to-day goods like fresh produce, fish, and chiles. There are also several inexpensive places to eat serving Mexican and Asian foods.
This fancy, multilevel shopping mall is across from the downtown cruise-ship dock. A covered pedestrian walkway leads over the street from the ships to the center, which houses several jewelry, sportswear, and souvenir stores, as well as ice-cream shops and chain restaurants and bars such as Hooters and Señor Frog's.
The renowned artist's Taxco silver jewelry collections are sold at this gallery. If you have the time, they will make a custom piece for you to take home.
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