Cozumel Beaches
There are basically 3 types of beaches in the Cozumel Island. These are;1. Sandy beaches on the west side of the island that generally have calm water. Snorkeling is very frustrating in the sandy sea since any movement on a sandy sea bottom suspends sand particles in the water which highly decrease visibility and make it very hard for coral polyps to thrive.
2. Beaches with a rocky limestone shoreline on the west coast of the island are the best alternatives for snorkeling or shore dives since less sand is disturbed which provides visibility and better coral growth.
3. Sandy sea bottom and large waves alternating with rocky limestone coastlines on the east side of the Cozumel Island are beautiful but can be very dangerous. The roaring surf creates strong breakers and undertows. Swimming is not recommended on most of the east side beaches. There are now many areas where flags are displayed showing the level of safety for a particular area.
Beaches on the West Side of Cozumel
Playa San Francisco Beach - This beach is located 10 miles south of San Miguel city center. Along this 200-meters long beach are two restaurants each with a cosy bar, a small shopping area, volleyball nets, beach chairs and water sports equipment rental shops. The remote part of the Playa San Francisco beach stretches south 3 miles before the Playa Palancar Beach.Playa Sol Beach - This beach is quite popular with the visitors coming off of the big cruise ships so there are times when it is more crowded than the other beaches. This beach also has all most amenities of Playa San Francisco plus the horse rental amenity which is very popular among tourists.
Playa Corona Beach - The beachside restaurant here serves conch, shrimp and Mexican fajitas. This beach is much less crowded than Playa San Francisco or Playa Sol Beaches.
Beaches on the East Side of Cozumel
Punta Chiquero Beach - This moon shaped magnificent beach is also known by names Playa Bonita, Playa San Martin or Tortuga Desnudo. The sea in Punta Chiquero Beach is very rough so the palapas with lounges on the beach are very popular for sunbathing or just watching the wild surf. The Playa Bonita restaurant here serves fresh fish daily.Playa Chen Rio Beach- This beach is about 3 miles north of Punta Chiquero Beach. The clear water of this beach is protected by a rock formation jutting out into the sea which causes the sea to be much calmer compared to other beaches along the east shore of the Cozumel Island.. If you get hungry, the Chen Rio restaurant on the beach serves fresh fish, shrimp and lobster dishes and they have a bar serving some tropical coctails. Alongside the restaurant is a small gift shop selling local hand made handcrafts at affordable prices.
Playa Oriente Beach - This beach is at the east end of the Cross Island Highway ( the Carreteros Transversal in Spanish). This Playa Oriente Beach is pretty much the same as the other beaches of the east side of the Cozumel Island. The Mezcalito restaurant here serves very tasty chicken tacos and beef nachos.