10 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.

Chankanaab, translated as "small sea," consists of a saltwater lagoon, an archaeological park, and a botanical garden, with reproductions of a Maya village and Olmec, Toltec, Aztec, and Maya stone carvings scattered throughout. You can swim at the beach, and there's plenty for snorkelers and divers to see beneath the surface—picture underwater caverns, a sunken ship, crusty old cannons and anchors, and a sculpture of the Virgen del Mar (Virgin of the Sea), all populated by parrotfish and sergeant majors galore. The seal show is included in your admission. To preserve the ecosystem, rules forbid touching the reef or feeding the fish. You'll find dive shops, restaurants, gift shops, a snack stand, and dressing rooms with lockers and showers right on the sand. Chankanaab also has a Dolphin Discovery facility where visitors can swim with the much-loved marine mammals.

Spanish explorers discovered this site—once the hub of Maya life on Cozumel—in 1518, and in 1847 it became the island's first official city. Today, it's a residential community with small, well-tended houses and gardens. Conquistadores tore down much of the Maya temple, so there's little in the way of actual ruins apart from one small stone arch; if you're in the market for souvenirs, however, vendors around the main plaza display embroidered huipil blouses and hammocks. Kun Che Park, just past the village, offers an interactive tour of the Maya lifestyle.

Filling two floors of a former hotel, Cozumel's museum has displays on natural history—the island's origins, endangered species, topography, and coral-reef ecology—as well as human history during the pre-Columbian and colonial periods. The photos of the island's transformation over the 20th and 21st centuries are especially fascinating, as are the exhibit of a typical Maya home and a room devoted to the island's carnaval traditions. Guided tours are available.

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.

The lighthouse at Cozumel's northernmost point is a solitary, beautiful sight. The rutted road to Punta Molas is accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles, dirt bikes, and ATVs only, but the scenery is awe-inspiring no matter how far you're able to go. Some tour operators travel out this way when the oceans are calm, providing a photo op from the top of the lighthouse. If making the trip, the small military garrison based there always appreciates a few snacks and soft drinks if you have some to spare.

This 247-acre national preserve is a habitat for numerous birds and animals, including crocodiles, flamingos, egrets, and herons. At the park's (and Cozumel's) southernmost point stands the Faro de Celarain, a lighthouse that's now a museum of navigation. Climb the 134 steps to the top for the best view of the island. Spot birds from observation towers near Laguna Colombia or Laguna Chunchacab, or visit the ancient Mayan lighthouse El Caracol, which was designed to whistle when the wind blows in a certain direction. Beaches here are wide and deserted, and there's great snorkeling offshore; snorkeling equipment is available for rent, as are kayaks. Leave your car at the Faro and take a park shuttle or rental bike to either of the two beach bars. Admission price includes a pontoon-boat ride in the crocodile-infested lagoon. If you're coming by taxi, expect to pay about MX$400 for a round-trip ride from San Miguel.

It's no Chichén Itzá, but rising from the jungle, these temples make an impressive sight. Cozumel's largest remaining Maya and Toltec site, San Gervasio was the island's capital and ceremonial center, dedicated to the fertility goddess Ixchel. (As with most Maya sites in Mesoamerica, the original name has been lost to history.) The Classic- and Postclassic-style buildings and temples were continuously occupied from AD 300 to 1500. Typical architectural features include limestone plazas and arches atop stepped platforms, as well as stelae and bas-reliefs. Don't miss the temple Las Manitas, with red handprints all over its altar. Water and light snacks are available to purchase, and bug spray is recommended—and be sure to wear your walking shoes for this adventure. Plaques in Mayan, Spanish, and English clearly describe each structure, but it's worth hiring a guide to fully appreciate the site.