Cozumel Considered Part 1 of 2

A city, an island and a state of mind far removed from Cancun confusion Cozumel divides into a city, beaches north and south and a jungle interior. The main population center, San Miquel de Cozumel wallpapers a traditional Mexican fishing town with 50 years as a diving center and about 30 years as an increasingly important cruise ship port. As a result, historic churches mix with cyber cafés and shopping to the max with prices a bit lower than Cancun. You need to squint a bit to see the pleasures of colonial Mexico in many areas. Downtown, while hotel prices are lower than on the beach front, and restaurants more affordable, mobs out when ships are in. So stroll early and shop late.

Downtown centers on the Parque Benito Juarez and the central plaza, the Plaza del Sol. Since the surrounding area is closed to vehicles, it's a great place to sit or stroll under the orange flowered Poinciana trees. On Sunday, often a minimum cruise ship day, locals enjoy the traditional Mexican paseo. There's also an arts and crafts market, a splash of dive shops and number of very affordable restaurants specializing in local conch and shrimp too. One of the least expensive, the aptly named La Cocina Economica Me Chabelita, is a couple of blocks away.

Besides the downtown pedestrian area the tidy Museo de la Isla de Cozumel at the north end of the esplanade, deserves a look, as does the Aquarium on the south end with the colorful reef fishes. To escape the tourists and downtown bits like Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Café just walk east towards Parque Gomez and Park Infantil in the southeast side of town where the small, service-style hardware shops and markets from about 25 Avenida A east offer local, not tourist, prices.

ISLA COZUMEL COSTERA SUR Outside San Miguel, the best series of island beaches runs south past a series of upscale hotels into the Parque Nacional Submarino de Palancar district. Note: as you move away from town the number of cruise ship day-trippers decreases where there's not bus parking. This stretch of beaches offers the most protected swimming and diving on the island, and both activities are best at first light or at dusk. Don't miss Laguna Chankanab, and it's namesake village and wonderful landlocked lagoon connected to the Caribbean not quite six miles from town. While you can't swim in the laguna, there's exceptional snorkeling replete with tame fish, sunken ships and "pirate canon" off a fine sandy beach with palapas, or thatched shelters.

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