Our small Embraer plane landed at the tropical Cozumel airport, and we disembarked into the hot and humid afternoon sun. The views during landing were some of the best I’ve ever witnessed.

We moved through customs efficiently and grabbed our bags. We bypassed the shuttle van scheme and walked just a block from the airport to a taxi stand. We agreed to a price that we knew was higher than it should be but reasonable enough since we have so much luggage. A few minutes later we were in front of our “home” for the next 3 weeks. 

Neither of us were hungry until we stepped out from the taxi. A gentle breeze wafted the amazing smells of stewed meat, spices and onions. It seemed to swirl around us as we stood at the main door perspiring and jamming our fingers into the lockbox to retrieve our keys to our new digs. 

We got inside easily and deposited our bags into our studio suite. We immediately bounced out to the nearest restaurant, Las Flamitas, literally two steps down the sidewalk! We ordered one of the Monday specials: frijol con puerco. Every Monday, restaurants around the Yucatan will serve tender pork braised in a brothy bowl of beans, accompanied by fresh tortillas. I’m not usually enticed by pork but these pieces were so tender and were great dipped in the broth. We also ordered poc chuc, pork chops marinated in typical spices of the Yucatan. 

Even though we spent the last month in Florida, we really felt the heat and humidity the first week in Cozumel. A half-mile walk through town caused our bodies to expel sweat from every pore. Even the tops of our hands and backs of our knees were sweaty. And it’s winter! We had a wonderful stay and here are the highlights.

Week 1

We booked a studio apartment at Dive Inn which is a boutique motel complex a few blocks east of the tourist zone in town. There are only four units that surround a postage stamp pool and a tranquil garden. See a tour on Youtube.

We were lucky to have fantastic neighbors! On one side was a couple from Colorado, Mike and Linda. The unit on the other side housed Laura, a diving enthusiast from Vancouver. We really enjoyed resting by the pool, and many days we were all perched on the edge dipping our feet in the cool water and chatting. Based on the location, the pool only received sunshine until about 12:15 PM, so we often stayed home until we left for a lunch meal.

Our apartment was in the town of San Miguel which is on the west side of the island. The western beaches are mostly similar — a rocky shelf and clear water. There are many hotels with beach clubs that line that side of the island. These typically offer a small sandy part of the beach and/or a pedestrian pier or pathway to the enter the water. 

Our first excursion on the island was to La Monina. And by that I mean we walked just north of downtown to an open air restaurant with perfect sunset views. We came in the afternoon for happy hour and enjoyed a refreshing dip in the sea and a few margaritas. The 2-for-1 specials make it great for sharing! 

The air was so thick with humidity. I did not want to be dressed with anything more than a swimsuit and even that felt like too many layers! On our way back home we decided to stop at a little craft brewery on the island that is totally local to Cozumel. 

Kusam Brewery has four rotating taps, with each tap changing every few weeks as the kegs blow. Corey ordered a stout and I got a hard seltzer. We each ordered a plate of tacos which were priced higher than local taco shops but they were huge. Even though the prices overall were a little inflated I still felt like the quality was in-line with the price. While sipping our beverages on the sidewalk a light drizzle turned into a downpour. It continued to rain the rest of the evening and we were drenched getting home! At least the rain rinsed all the sticky sweat off my body. 

Museo de la Isla de Cozumel

There is a small museum in the not-so-bustling town of San Miguel. Perhaps the town does bustle a bit during the day when all the cruise ships are in. There are three different cruise ports on the west side of Cozumel, and San Miguel takes in up to eight cruise ships a day. Typically we saw 2-6 ships in town, with Saturday and Sunday being lighter days.

With this in mind we looked at the ship schedule and decided to visit the museum on a lighter weekday, right at opening. The entrance leads visitors through a cave and introduces the geology of the island. Then progreses through civilization and also includes history and art exhibits.

We learned a few things. This is what stood out to me. Did you know Abe Lincoln tried to negotiate for the purchase of Cozumel from the Mexican government? I had no idea!

Also, Cozumel became a major exporter because of the popularity of gum in 1920. 

Football Sunday

NFL Sunday arrived and we decided to cheer on the Broncos with our friends – the Coloradan neighbors. Broncos won in a nailbiter and we all enjoyed fresh margaritas and food at Casa Cuzamil.

Culinary Highlights

We spent much of the week at small taco shops. The real highlight for me was alambre. I love the chunky meat with cheese, onions, and peppers. It’s like fajitas but griddled on a flattop (plancha), all stuck together in a satisfying cheesy mess (and served with tortillas).

We also tried peanut butter coffee which was surprisingly good. I am a huge peanut butter fan so this was a simple leap of faith. Loved the creamy texture and subtle nuttiness.

Week 2

Our second week on the island was pretty tranquil as there were many days of tropical downpours. 

We were still able to get out and do a few things but for the most part we were rained out of most ideas. At least we got to catch up on laundry. It was quite expensive for three loads! We spent 290 pesos which equates to roughly $14 USD. It is about the same price (perhaps cheaper!) to have your laundry washed, dried, and folded for you. But I am particular about some of my clothes and choose to air dry them instead.

Long Walk & Sunset

We explored on foot one afternoon. We did not quite make it to the southern cruise terminal but we did walk down as far as Blue Angel Resort which has a nice patio overlooking the water. It was hot and far enough that we took a taxi back home after enjoying happy hour and golden hour views.

Fancy Dinner

One of the highlights of the week was a romantic dinner at Casa Mission. Our neighbors had recommended the establishment and we really enjoyed the elevated dining experience. Lush gardens welcomed guests and the tables were set on a nice patio overlooking the gardens. There were even tablecloths on the tables! Such a high brow place compared to the taco joints we had usually been visiting in the evenings. 

We even splurged on live music when the trio of musicians came by. They sang two songs for us and I really enjoyed. We usually wave off the bands when in Mexico so it was a real treat! The food was good as well — Caesar salad, steak kebabs, and fish Veracruz-style.  

Snorkel Trip

The absolute best part of our week was getting out on the water. I cannot believe how clear the water is around Cozumel!

After several days of rain, the skies cleared and we had a gorgeous time on a private snorkel trip for us and our neighbors. Mike stayed home. Jessica, the owner and operator of Dive Inn, coordinated our trip and led us on the snorkel tours.

She was so good at naming fish out in the water, pointing out turtles, and taking cool shots with her GoPro. 

Pickleball

We finished the week by squeezing in a pickleball session. We did not quite make it the full hour on the court as a torrential downpour ushered us off quickly! Mike and Linda are avid players and can be found at the Pikapok club nearly daily. They invited us to play and we had a fun time running around thwacking the ball. 

I think it’s important to note here that we have not forsaken tennis. Quite the opposite really. We played tennis two evenings per week at the municipal sports complex called Unidad Deportiva Independencia. We walked past kids playing soccer, track, basketball, and volleyball to reach two tennis courts nestled next to a busy swimming pool. We took group lessons with Brigido, an excellent instructor in either Spanish or English. Let us know if you want his number!

Culinary Highlights

Mexican cuisine is broad and each week we seek out new dishes and restaurants.

During our second week we went to Tzalam Taqueria, just a block away from Dive Inn. There was a clean seafood counter staffed with men who looked eager to slice and dice, so we tried an aguachile in salsa negra (similar to ceviche but in a “black sauce” made from charred chiles). The hot kitchen cooked up a great burger piled up with cheese and pastor meat!

We also tried a spot at the local market that looked popular with Indonesian crew. We split a heaping plate of fried rice and fried noodles.

Week 3

Our last week was crammed with lots of social activities! We had a social engagement nearly everyday which was a fun mix up to our usual nomad lifestyle.

Go With Less Meetups

As you may have read in previous posts we often meet up with other nomad travelers that we know via various Facebook groups. We met Lindsay for dinner at a lovely restaurant downtown, Los Nopales. Lindsay has lived in Cozumel for several years and she knew a lot about the island. It was nice meeting her and her friend, Jim.

The following day we met up with a couple we have been trying to connect with for awhile. They were in town for the day as part of the Virgin Voyages cruise. Tim and Danielle zoom all over the world and we’ve narrowly missed them across four continents. We met at La Monina for afternoon beers and a swim.

The funny part is that Lindsay was also there and snapped some photos of us going for a swim. She just barely missed a great shot of Corey getting pecked at by a pelican. I told him not to tease that bird!

Massage

We both still daydream about the amazing and affordable massages in Southeast Asia and it’s been so long since we’ve been in that part of the world. Our bodies have gone too long without a massage. So I booked an in-home therapist to soothe our aches and pains.

I found Karen from the Cozumel Facebook group and she was wonderful. She brought the table, music, oils, aromatherapy, incense, and the right touch. We each received a 90 minute massage that put us both back into place. I counted while laying face down on the table, and it had been seven months since our last massage! So thankful we booked this one. Karen has a studio on the outskirts of town, but she will come to you for a small fee. Her 90-minute massages were only $45 USD per person, with an extra $10 USD because they were mobile.

Culinary Highlights

Pastor pizza with pineapple. Say that three times fast. So good we had it two days in a row! We also enjoyed huaraches and a local lunch dish that reminded me a lot of meatloaf.

Road Trip

We decided to spend our last day at Dive Inn doing a road trip. Linda and Mike joined us for a day excursion around the island. We loaded up into a four-door Suzuki Ignis and made our way through town as the sun was rising and streaming through the trees.

We maneuvered through town right before cruise ship traffic became hectic. We slowly drove counterclockwise around the island, taking in glimpses of the stunning rugged coast as we travelled south.

Our first stop was to El Cedral. A tiny village in the interior that offers visitors a chance to see an old Mayan ruin. Persistent shopkeepers tried to entice us with coconuts, funny shirts, and stuff. We politely declined and loaded back up in the car after a quick jaunt to the old Mayan building. 

Eventually we made it to the absurdly-named 25-Hour Mojito Factory Welcome to Miami Cozumel. It was only 10:30 AM and I was in the mood for some java, but the only thing the proprietors were slinging were freshly-made cocktails. (And not beer, because no one could find a bottle opener.) As the driver, I opted for a mineral water and the rest ordered some of the tastiest mojitos in the world, with fresh juices squeezed on top of mint that had just been muddled in a mortar-and-pestle. I had a sip of Corey’s. 

We sat there and I felt like we had stumbled upon the edge of the world. The restaurant was perched on some rocks facing south without a thing in sight. The aqua and blue ocean swirled around the rocks. Loved the scenery, the company, the drinks, and the food. Oh the food. I would never have guessed that this place would serve up such tasty dishes. We feasted on seafood soup, shrimp ceviche, guacamole, and a lot of totopos (chips). 

Again we loaded back up in the car and drove down the road a bit looking for a blow hole that I had seen marked on Google Maps. We parked the car, and trudged down a path that led us to a large tide pool beach. We walked along the craggy rocks and dry pools (perhaps it was low tide). We saw some splashing in the distance so we headed in that direction carefully walking around holes, dips, dried up pools, sea fans, etc. Mike got there first and we all eventually came to stand by the blow hole. Large swells would fill up the cavernous hole in the rock and every few minutes it would spurt out. I’ve seen natural blow holes like this around the world and often much bigger ones but for some reason this one brought me a lot of joy. There was something enticing about standing on this rock shelf watching the water pour in like a waterfall and fill in from the bottom, then explode. At one point Corey got too close and he received a misty splash of salt water.  

Search for Natural Blow Hole on Google Maps; the location is accurate. On this side of the island, cars tend to park on the frontage road which is also a bike path. We parked well south of the blow hole location and walked north to it, but there did appear to be a more-direct boot path between the frontage road and the blow hole.

On that beach we also found a site marked as Ruina Escondida on Google Maps. Is it actually a collection of Mayan stones or just a pile of dumped rocks? Not sure, but Corey enjoyed the short scramble.

The Wedding

Finally the time came for the main event, the thing that brought us to Cozumel. Wedding festivities!!

Our friends Jake and Jamey tied the knot on the beach of Cozumel. We spent three nights at Ventanas al Mar, where the wedding took place. It was a rustic elegant beachfront property with incredible views over the Caribbean Sea and the endless background sound of pounding waves on the rocks. 

The entire weekend was spent mingling with familiar faces and making new connections. We are so happy for Jake and Jamey and their families. It felt like such a special group of people. We departed the same day as everyone else.

Ferry to Playa del Carmen

The hotel arranged a taxi to take us to the pier. We joined the melee of tourists going to-and-fro. Corey picked up some tickets while I guarded our pile of luggage. With three companies now operating ferries, they leave every half-hour during the day. So we only had to wait a few minutes before boarding. No need to prebook, just head to the pier and see who is offering the next ferry, which is well-indicated with lit signage.

The boat ride over to the mainland took about 40 minutes and offered nice sea views. The water was fairly calm and we enjoyed sitting aft with the warm breeze on our faces. As we pulled close to the pier the water glowed in beautiful blue hues. I can’t wait to go for a dip.

Cozumel was a really nice place to relax. The small island and town gave me southern Thailand vibes. Cozumel even has a lot of moto bikes and tuk tuks — but there were no monkeys! I would not go out of my way to return but I would never say no those clean aqua waters.