Cozumel is Mexico’s third-largest island. It is in fact the largest island on the Caribbean side of the country and also Mexico’s most inhabited island. It’s safe to say there’s a bunch of fun things to do in Cozumel from beaches to touristy attractions.

With the majority of the population living in San Miguel, a vibrant touristy city, you will always be able to find things to do in the city. On the other side of the island, you will have exciting, remote, and less touristy spots. Cozumel truly has the best of both worlds in that sense.

Pin for things to do in Cozumel. Two images displaying a girl on the beach in Cozumel and the other one of a couple driving in a jeep around the island

Cozumel has so much to offer and is very easily accessible by ferry or by plane. It has a ferry system that can get you from Playa Del Carmen to Cozumel every hour of every day. Heads up though, the water gets very wavy. If you have a weak stomach then take some sea sickness pills beforehand.

There is also a small international airport. Yes, Cozumel has its own airport! We wish we flew instead after the rocky boat ride, haha.

In this post, we’ll share with you the best things to do in Cozumel, how to get there, plus some local tips that can help you out during your trip and let you have the best experience possible!

7 things in Cozumel you must do

Cozumel sign on the island.

#1 Check out the best beaches in Cozumel 

Cozumel is filled with beautiful beaches all around the island. If you have the chance you should either rent a car, a jeep, a scooter, or hire a tour company to take you around and explore the best beaches on the island. 

The majority of the best beaches in Cozumel can be found on the east side of the island. Unfortunately, the only way to get there is by vehicle (preferably by jeep).

Enjoy the fresh air blowing in your face while cruising down the main “highway” on the island. Depending on where you go there’s a good chance you’ll have some of the beach all to yourself. At least while we were there we couldn’t see anyone. Maybe we just got lucky though! 😉

San Martin's beach in Cozumel.

If you’re looking for white sand beaches then head on over to San Martin’s Beach. This is our favourite beach and it is located where most tourists can’t go; on the east side. So talking about having the beach to yourself, this was it. On mainland Mexico, this type of place would be absolutely packed but we literally had it all to ourself and it was incredible.

The beaches are simply nicer and way less crowded than around San Miguel (on the other side of the island). Make sure to rent a private jeep tour or get a scooter and end up at San Martin’s Beach. It’s the most beautiful beach in Cozumel (in our opinion) if you’re looking for natural beauty mixed with a taste of paradise.

Cozumel Playa San Martin!

#2 Chocolate Factory Tour

KaoKao Chocolate Factory in Cozumel.

In the heart of San Miguel, you’ll find this tiny KaoKao Chocolate factory. They make their own delicious chocolate from scratch. You’ll be able to test out over 25 different types of chocolate. Also, you can learn about the tree-to-bar process which is fascinating.

While you’re learning about the Mayans and how they used to make it back in the day you will get a chance to go back in time and taste a very similar drink to what they used to make.

It’s probably going to taste a little bit sweeter than it did back in the day but nonetheless delicious.

In about 90 minutes you will experience all of this + more. It’s a great little tour of a small local chocolate factory in Cozumel for anyone with a little bit of a sweet tooth like us 😉 We even bought a few bars to bring back home!

Kaokao chocolate in Cozumel.
Mexican chocolate.

#3 Scuba diving

If you’re looking for diving tours in Cozumel (scuba or snorkel) then Deep Blue (diving + snorkelling company) is right downtown San Miguel. They will gladly have snorkelers and scuba divers on the same boat which is super convenient. This way your family or group of friends can still go together and everyone can enjoy whichever one they prefer.

Prices are reasonable for both, starting at around $60 USD and then up from there. You can expect great visibility, an awesome variety of marine life, and some walls of coral. Cozumel has its own protected Marine Park so you’ll for sure have a great time exploring down under.

#4 Visit the “Liquor Box”

best beaches in Cozumel

The Liquor Box aka “Open bar 25 hours”, aka “Mojito Factory”, aka “Welcome to Miami”, and aka “The Coconut Cabana”.

That’s no joke. The place has about 5 names and if not more. We personally just name it the best mojitos ever!! You might want to keep an eye out though because it’s easy to miss The Liquor Box when you’re driving on the highway.

Keep an eye out for the sign with all those names. It’s about a 5-10 minute south from San Martin’s beach.

To give you an idea of what to expect, picture a shack right on the coast overlooking the Caribbean with a few hammocks dangling around.

No one in sight besides the few workers and their dogs. You’ll be served one of the greatest mojitos of your life. It’s one of those places you visit and remember for the rest of your life.

Enjoy the mojitos and shrimp tacos! =)

#5 Free Tequila!

Tequila sampling in Cozumel.
Tequila sampling in Cozumel, Mexico.

Yes, you heard that correctly! Free tequila! Ok, so it’s basically a sampling of all sorts of aged and flavoured tequila with a big touristy pitch at the end where they want you to buy the overpriced Tequila. But if you’re fine to listen to someone share their knowledge and history about how they make their famous family tequila, then you’re in for a treat.

The tequila is honestly really delicious and you learn the difference between genuine tequila and bad but well-marketed tequila back home. Of course, it’s a part of the sales pitch but some of it has to be true too.

The tequila is smooth and the flavoured ones were the best. We especially loved the coffee-flavoured one. There is absolutely no need to buy tequila, but maybe just leave the guy a little tip for his time and share the history of the tequila with you. We had no desire to buy tequila but weren’t about to pass up on some free delicious shots!

#6 Rent a Jeep

Enjoying the view on a jeep trip in Cozumel.

There’s no better way to get away from all the tourists in San Miguel than to get out of the city and rent a jeep. You can do all the Cozumel excursions on your own and go at your own pace. Plus there’s something fun about cruising on a nice island highway with the top off (vehicle of course) and exploring parts of the island you wouldn’t be able to otherwise.

Renting a jeep in Cozumel also isn’t too expensive and if you prefer to do trips on your own without a tour guide then this is the way. It’s convenient, saves you money, and honestly just allows for freedom to go and explore wherever you want.

If you, however, prefer to have a driver, there’s also the option of getting a private Jeep tour. This one comes with lunch and snorkelling and is a great option if you’re not confident driving by yourself in Cozumel.

#7 Go on a guided tour of Cozumel

Beach hut in Cozumel.

Most of the time we would rent a jeep or a scooter ourselves and just go explore. This time though we just wanted to enjoy having someone share their island with us. We had an amazing tour guide and she was super lovely and shared so much about the history, tourist traps, and other fun things to do in Cozumel so it was totally worth it. Plus it actually wasn’t that expensive at all.

We went Cozumel Cruise Excursions simply because they are a family-run business. They have been a family-run business since 1996.

It’s something we really look for when doing these sorts of trips. It’s nice to know your money is going to a local family that runs the trips and supports the local economy than some big tour companies that pay their employees poorly.

On top of that, it was only $69 USD each for a full-day tour including snorkelling and stops at many fun places.

It was an awesome way to enjoy the island of Cozumel where we didn’t have to worry about anything. They even had some beers and water for us along the trip which was nice.

Plus we got to see many of Cozumel’s best attractions. So, all in all, it was totally worth going on this guided tour but we know some people love to explore on their own as well so that’s why #6 was added in here! =)

If you’re thinking about it and want to see most of the things mentioned above then check out the exact tour here and have an awesome time as we did. With any extra transportation, Cancun Airport Transportation Service got us where we wanted to go in the area.

Dom in Cozumel.
Jo running on the beach in Cozumel.

How to get from Cancun to Cozumel

Dom enjoying a beautiful beach in Mexico!

Assuming you don’t fly into Cozumel airport. You will most likely be flying into Cancun, so we will share the easiest way to get from Cancun to Cozumel. The first step is to get to Playa del Carmen, and then you can go from Playa to Cozumel.

The cheapest way to get from the airport in Cancun to Playa Del Carmen is by bus. The bus stop is right outside terminal 2 and 3 and almost impossible to miss. The bus (ADO) runs frequently (every 30 minutes or so), so there shouldn’t be a long wait.

Riding the bus will cost roughly $9 US or 160 Pesos and will take right around an hour to get to downtown Playa. Alternately, the safest option is Cancun Airport Transportation Service which we highly recommend. Both options can take you directly to 5th Avenue in Playa which is the heart of the city.

Once you get off the bus on 5th Avenue walk a few minutes to the ferry terminal where you can purchase your tickets if you haven’t already done so.

We purchased our tickets with Winjet since it’s the cheaper option between the two boats. Just remember the orange one is the cheaper one. A one-way trip will cost you 160 Pesos if you buy it online at least two days in advance and 180 Pesos if you buy it from the booth at the pier. Which is about $8-$9.

diving in Cozumel

From there you will take the ferry which departs almost every hour and takes about 45 minutes to get to Cozumel. In case you have a weak stomach like myself (Dom), getting some seasick pills might be a good idea. It’s some of the choppiest water I have ever been on. I felt so sick (and we have been on the ferry from Wellington to Picton in New Zealand which is terrible). BE PREPARED!

All in all, it will cost you about $16 USD or 320 Pesos to get from Cancun to Cozumel. If you’re lucky you’ll be there in about 2.5 hours. Depending on where you’re flying from in the US or Canada, you can also look for flights directly into Cozumel!

Cozumel Island in Mexico.

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Summary of our day trip to Cozumel

Jo in Mexico on a beautiful beach.

So whether it’s Cancun, Playa, or Tulum that you’re staying in, make sure to plan a day trip to Cozumel.

We managed to see everything we wanted to in the day, but of course, there are more beaches, restaurants, and cool places to see. So we’ll definitely be back one day!

Don’t skip out on Cozumel because you think a day isn’t enough. As long as you can plan it in advance or book with a tour company that will do the planning for you then you’ll have a great time.

We hope you enjoy Cozumel and the beautiful beaches. We’d love to know what your favourite thing to do on the island is. For us, it’s probably the mojito bar but for you, it may be something else. Let us know and enjoy the Mexican sunshine!

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Girl sitting on a beach in Cozumel Mexico
Boy standing on a beach in Cozumel Mexico
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8 Comments

  1. Allison on March 28, 2020 at 12:30 pm

    I didn’t realize there was so much to do in Cozumel. We were supposed to stop there on a cruise a few years ago but we had to cancel due to the Zika outbreak in 2018 (I was pregnant with my youngest). I’m still hoping to get there eventually.

    • redwhiteadventures on March 29, 2020 at 7:10 pm

      Hey Allison,

      Ahh yikes..yeah there are a lot of cruises that go there daily and it’s an awesome Island to visit and explore. Hopefully you can go there again soon and with your children!

      -Dom

  2. Josy A on March 28, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    Oooh Josefine and Dom you really do find the best spots, those beaches look beeeeeautiful! Having a chocolate tour followed by tequila tasting sounds like a perfect day. 🙂

    I hope you are both okay wherever you ended up during this lock-down!

    • redwhiteadventures on March 29, 2020 at 7:12 pm

      Hey Josy,

      The beaches were unreal! =) Can’t beat free tequila can you.

      Thank you!! We’re locked down at Dom’s brothers house for a while but it’s good!

      -Jo

  3. Pauline Chicart on April 19, 2020 at 4:12 am

    Cozumel looks stunning! Looks like you had such a great time! That chocolate factory is just for me but I would probably eat everything hahaha! Would love to spend an afternoon on the beach!

    • redwhiteadventures on April 20, 2020 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Pauline,

      Cozumel was so fun. The boat ride not so much but the island itself was really cool. It was tempting thats for sure haha!

      -Jo

  4. Meleena Goulet on November 10, 2020 at 4:15 pm

    Sounds so nice! I’m thinking of going this winter ❄️ but how did you rent a jeep? And how much did it cost? If you know about the scooter too it would be nice to have some information! It’s so much more practical to have our own transportation ☺️
    Thank you!

    • redwhiteadventures on November 10, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      Hey Meleena,

      You can check out rentalcars on google. They start anywhere form $10 for a small car/jeep. Just remember there are extra insurance fees, etc. So that’s why we decided to go on a tour and just know exactly how much we had to pay, etc.

      If you do want to rent a scooter we would recommend Pipian Rental in Cozumel. Nice people and easy to rent the scooter. If you want the freedom to roam the island then I’d say grab a scooter and cruise around for the day!

      -Dom

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