Cozumel Shopping
When you are ready for a small break from the sun and sea you can visit the shops in San Miguel. Every day early in the morning local shop owners wake up early and make their way to the main shopping plaza and begin preparing for the day's shopping tourists. As they sweep and organize, the streets and walkways begin to come alive with colors and voices. Nothing can match this brillant turquoise and fuscha and yellow which somehow combine to boost the magnificent flavor of tropical Mexico.If you are a careful shopper you will see that prices on jewelry fashioned with Mexican silver and turquoise are surprisingly low. When buying sterling silver, be sure you see 925 sign stamped on the jewelry. Gold items, on the other hand, should be stamped with a set of two numbers and two letters. Textile goods are other important products and show Mexico's geographic and cultural diversity. Traditional Mayan dresses (huipiles in Mayan language) and shawls (rebozos), as well as men's embroidered cotton shirts (guayaberas) and tightly woven Panama hats, are products that can be found in the textile shops. Hammocks are also an essential part of the dailylife of the Cozumel Island and are available in a wide range of color combinations and fabrics.
Cozumel has three main shopping areas:
1. along the shoreline downtown to the zocalo or La Plaza known as “Plaza del Sol”
2. the crafts market behind the Plaza del Sol
3. the cruise ship visitor terminal at Punta Langosta Pier
Shops are generally open from 9 in the morning to 2 at noon and 5 in the afternoon to 10 in the evening (take the “siesta” fact into account). Most shops close for siesta, however, most shops near or on the pier will stay open during siesta hours and most stores are open all day during high season. Visitors can choose to pay in cash, either in pesos, American dollars or traveler's checks. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club and Discover cards are widely accepted although the first two are more readily accepted then other credit cards.