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MAYAN RIVIERA
Cozumel Jacques Cousteau, dearly loved the island of Cozumel and filmed a documentary about the marine life surrounding the island in 1961. From that time until today Cozumel has been known as a divers haven.
But, Cozumel has changed and is now a popular destination for duty-free bargain hunters and tourists from all walks of life. Cozumel still has that sleepy little town attitude only with all the comforts and for all budgets. The island is located off the coast of Play del Carmen, a short boat ride away and many travelers arrive at the Cozumel airport.
Paamul Caribbean Paradise, Riviera Maya Q. Roo México
Mexico's largest island is also a tropical treat for cruise ship
passengers with large vessel accommodations on the south end of the island. At 9.6 miles
wide and 28 miles long the Caribbean island is today one of Mexico's favorite tourist
destinations. Anything you can think of to do in the Caribbean, can be done around Cozumel. From sun bathing, swimming, snorkeling, wind surfing, diving, boating to jet and water skiing. San Miguel, Cozumel's only town, is located in front of the docks where passengers arrive from Playa del Carmen.
This part of the island is where the hotels and restaurants are located.
Luxury resorts catering to all tastes are located on the coast road to the north and south
of town, but more economical accommodations can be found within San Miguel itself. Around the Island - Like many Caribbean islands there is one paved road which runs around the outside the island. It begins at the waterfront, cuts trough the island 's interior and goes to the south end.
A few miles outside San Miguel the jungles seems to take over. The east side of the island has a fresh, rugged beauty with jagged outcroppings of black, porous rock interspersed with small coves and white sandy inlets.
San Francisco Beach and Chankanaab lagoon Park are both popular travel destinations. There is party atmosphere at this busy beach, with its open-air restaurants and bar. Chankanaab lagoon is worth the trip and aside from the unusual crescent shape of the beach there is a small museum and botanical garden.
Chankanaab is a natural lagoon connected to the Caribbean by
a series of tunnels and caves. Offshore waters are ideal for snorkeling and a gear rental
shop is located on the beach. On The Town - San Miguel like nearly all moderate size Mexican Caribbean towns has a thing called a 'Malecon', that is a boardwalk without the wood. Cozumels malecon is different because it is the boardwalk and also the main street in the entire town and is called Avenida Rafael Melgar.
The town is arranged in a grid pattern, with even numbered streets to the north and odd to the south. At the center of town there's an attractive town square called Plaza del Sol with tons of restaurants, bars, shops, cantina's, dive shops and just about anything you can imagine.
One of the things that makes San Miguel and Cozumel special is the ability to meet the need of all classes of locals and travelers. From 5 star all the way to the most delicate of budgets.
From streets side cafes to
sophisticated gourmet dining. Seafood is a popular choice and is served up in every style
imaginable. Mexican specialties, Italian, Yucatecan, Caribbean, American and even French
cuisine can be found in San Miguel. Scuba diving - Cozumel is a diving paradise and was made a National Underwater Nature Reserve in 1972. The pristine Caribbean water around the island contains more than eight miles of live reefs, caves, tunnels and coral beds. But, perhaps the biggest draw of all is the cliff or wall diving off the Santa Rosa Wall.
Cozumel has become famous for the difficult and dangerous dives requiring skill and expert guiding. The entire area is alive with marine life. There are more than 50 dive shops in Cozumel providing everyone, from snorkelers and novice divers to experts, a complete line of services. Snorkelers and divers alike come in droves to visit the famous coral reef called 'Palancar'. It is truly a wonder for its size and beauty. Palancar is but one of many reef diving destinations to
be found off Cozumel. Other popular reefs include 'Paradise', 'Colombia' and 'Tormentos'.
Underwater visibility ranges from 120 to more than 160 feet off Cozumel allowing divers to
see all the marine life you would expect. These waters are home to silver bait fish, eels,
four-eyed butterfly fish, parrot fish and tang just to name a few. Because of the skill required for the difficult dives the businesses of Cozumel have
also created an environment for the not so skilled or beginner diver. Novices can make
resort dives, with trained instructors, from the shore to minimize the difficulty. There
are also a lot of snorkeling sites to choose from.
Ancient Maya - When you can't drink anymore Tequila and need a break from the beach and water of Cozumel think about the previous residents of the island. The ancient Maya used boats to navigate from the mainland to the island of Cozumel.
Today 30 archeological sites have been identified. San Gervasio, located inland off the Transversal, has been restored and is open for visitors. San Gervasio was an active city from 1250 A.D. to the time of the Spanish conquest and was a hub for sea trade.
It was also a destination of pilgrims
for the worship of Ixchel, the moon goddess. It became important around the year 800 A.D.,
attaining its peak development around 1400 A.D. A network of sacbés connected the site
with the island's east coast and with nearby coves where merchant canoes put ashore.
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