White-sand beaches, Mayan temple ruins, exotic jungle wildlife, and crystal-clear waters teeming with tropical fish: you can discover all these in Cozumel, a Mexican paradise!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Cozumel is a really amazing place for all travelers! This small paradise is located in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Yucat\u00e1n Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen and is rated as one of the top dive destinations in the world thanks to the stunning coral reefs and Jacques Yves Cousteau. The island was a sleepy little fishing community until 1961, when Jacques Yves Cousteau declared it one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas in the world, because of the spectacular reef walls, caves, swim-throughs and diverse marine life. Since that time, Cozumel has become an underwater marine park that protects the delicate balance of its dazzling coral reefs and abundant varieties of tropical fish that are not afraid of divers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The underwater wildlife is very diverse, and you should see it with your own eyes. Over 250 species of fish can be seen in Cozumel, as well as turtles, grouper, moray eels, nurse sharks, and seahorses, and if you are lucky you may see an eagle ray in the winter months when they visit the north shore in large numbers, or a reef shark. In Cozumel you have a chance to see a unique creature, the splendid toadfish that can only be found here and in a small area in Belize. It is highly endangered and is severely at risk of extinction in the wild.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
No matter whether you are an advanced diver or a first-time snorkeler, the island offers a variety of underwater exploration in one of the world\u2019s largest reef systems, the Mesoamerican Reef (966-km-long\/600-mi-long), which stretches from Cozumel down the Central American coast. More experienced divers can visit the deeper reef walls and have some really good drift dives. One of Cozumel\u2019s recommended dive sites is the Palancar Reef, a reef wall leading down to a sandy slope with a variety of marine life. The site of Punta Sur also consists of a deep wall with a complex system of colorful reef tunnels and caves full of marine life. Another popular dive site is the Barracuda Reef, which has strong currents, but here you have the best chance to spot great barracudas, sharks, and rays. You can book diving in Cozumel in the following dive centers: Anitadivers, Albatros Charters, Babieca Dive Center, Eco Divers Cozumel, Beachouse Dive Hostel (Cozumel\u2019s best local dive shop), Blue Angel Dive Shop and Scuba School, Blue Magic Scuba, Scuba Libre, DiveMex, ScubaCaribe Riu, Fantasea Dive and Adventures, and Deep Life Divers. Planning your journey in advance? You can book diving in advance at all these dive centers using Divebooker.com<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
There are a lot of interesting sights in Cozumel to visit, like several ecological parks, such as Chankanaab and Faro Celerain (Punta Sur), where you can find the most popular snorkeling and dive sites for all levels. More activities for adventuresome tourists include jungle trails, lush botanical gardens, enchanting lagoons, dolphin encounter programs and sea turtle sanctuaries. With a fast modern ferry running 10 trips per day, you can also visit popular attractions like Playa del Carmen, Chich\u00e9n Itz\u00e1, Cob\u00e1, Tulum, and Xcaret. The famous Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park covers nearly 85% of the diving sites around the island. This park is subject to considerable research and conservation to protect biodiversity. Divers are asked for a voluntary $2 donation in support of conservation initiatives. The main city on the island is San Miguel, which has an extensive selection of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, and colorful shops with souvenirs and traditional Mayan handicrafts. In fact, San Miguel is one of the very few places in the Mayan Riviera where tourists can truly sample the flavor of traditional Yucatecan culture.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n