Cozumel was known by the Mayas as ‘Swallow Island’, and it was a sacred place for them, to which they went to worship Ixchel, the goodness of the moon.Later, the island became a commercial port and a pirate hide-out.
In the middle of the Caribbean, Cozumel is 71 kilometers south of Cancún; it is 53 kilometers long and 14 kilometers wide, which means the island is the biggest in Mexico.
Cozumel is a real paradise for many divers all around the world.It became known in the 60’s thanks to its reef ‘Palancar’, where the French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau filmed several of his documentaries.
Although Cozumel is the perfect place for diving, its beaches are not optimal for swimming.
The capital of the island is the small town of San Miguel, where we find the museum of Cozumel Island, which keeps the nautical history of the island.The Lagoon ‘Chankanab’, declared as national park, is located 8 kilometers to the south.It has a botanical garden and Maya reproductions.The most popular bay of the island, with the same name, is also there.
The best beaches of Cozumel (‘San Francisco’ and ‘Palancar’) are located 14 kilometers south of San Miguel, and the east part of the island has spectacular landscapes and sights, but its beaches are not apt for swimming.