Are the coral reefs on your Instagram reels calling your name? Then how about going to Cozumel? It’s a beautiful island in the Caribbean known for its crystal-clear water. It’s a dream destination for snorkelers, divers, and beach lovers. But let me say it out loud – like any beach paradise, it also has stuff that you shouldn’t be involved with. Today I’ll be warning you about everything what not to do in Cozumel. Let me save you from all the unnecessary drama so that you get to have a better trip.
Where Is Cozumel?
Just in case you don’t know much about Cozumel, it’s located in the proximity of the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world. This beautiful beach town is located off the Eastern Coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea.
It’s a part of the Quintana Roo which is a Mexican State if you didn’t know. In terms of distance by time, it’s about 12 miles or 20 km from the mainland. Cozumel is directly across Playa del Carmen and situated South of Cancún.
It’s one of the most popular destinations for snorkeling and underwater diving. See the stunning reels of influencers with colorful fishes under fresh water? Yes, that’s Cozumel in most of the videos.
What Not to Do in Cozumel?
Besides a big list of things to do, there are a few things you don’t want to do for your own benefit. What should you avoid in Cozumel? Listen carefully!
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Don’t Forget to Bring Your Reef-safe Sunscreen
Yes, you know sunscreen is important – why do I need to remember you? Well, it’s because Cozumel is surrounded by beautiful coral reefs. You can not use your regular sunscreen there. Why?
Because these are very fragile to common ingredients found in regular sunscreens such as oxybenzone and octinoxate. These can not only damage but also kill the corals. Whenever you get on the water putting on your regular sunscreen, the ingredients will mix up with the water. You don’t want to harm the marine biodiversity of Cozumel, do you?
So don’t forget to take specially made reef-safe sunscreen. Well, even if you do, those are available in local shops there but too expensive. So buy those sunscreens from your own area.
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Don’t Touch the Marine Life
Resisting yourself from touching the colorful fishes underwater is hard – I get it. But you have to do it for overall safety. Not everything that looks good is actually good. So you may be restless to touch those pretty fishes or starfish, but it’s a no-no in Cozumel.
Some of the species can release toxins bad for human touch. It’s not like only you can get harmed by them, they can get harmed by you too. The coral reef ecosystem is very delicate, so it’s only for you to watch but not to touch.
Did you know Coral itself is a living organism? It may be surprising to many as they don’t look like anything like that. So even touching corals is something what not to do in Cozumel.
So whenever you are snorkeling or diving, you can find ‘Nemo’ there, but don’t touch it. Yes, you can take pictures with all the colorful fishes but resist touching literally anything.
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Don’t Rent a Car or Scooter Without Knowing Island Rules
Cozumel is pretty small – you can walk in most of the places. But in case you want to explore its remote beaches and other attractions, you can rent a car or scooter to zip around the town. This sure is fun but remember it’s a small Island.
So Cozumel’s road can be tricky and the traffic in town can get chaotic. Besides, despite how fun driving a scooter sounds, it can get dangerous if you don’t know how to drive one. Especially when it’s an Island with sandy, bumpy, and curvy roads.
If you rent a car in Cozumel, rental agencies can try to charge you extra unnecessary fees or can push you to buy unnecessary insurance by claiming them to be mandatory. These kinds of scams are pretty normal for international tourists as they don’t know the language or rules.
Instead, you can go everywhere by taxi – they are not only affordable but also comfortable. You can roam around Cozumel hassle-free – more convenient, don’t you think?
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Don’t Skip the Local Food
Here’s one of the non touristy things to do in Cozumel – skip the local food. But if you want to feel 100% of the Mexican Cozumel culture as a proper tourist, you shouldn’t skip the local food. Well, I understand the concept of not disturbing the bowl while traveling. Many of us try to stick to our familiar food in most cases.
But Cozumel has a local food culture that you don’t want to miss. There are a lot of local eateries that serve authentic Mexican and Mayan dishes such as Tacos al Pastor, Fresh Ceviche, Cochinita Pibil, etc. So don’t make the mistake of dining only at familiar food chains.
And don’t forget that you are on an Island surrounded by fresh fish. So
Go to local restaurants that serve fresh seafood daily. I’ve one recommendation for you – Mercado Municipal. It’s a popular spot for locals to enjoy local cuisines at affordable prices.
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Don’t Assume the Beaches Are Free
Well, most of the beaches and places are free to both locals and tourists. But there are some beaches where you need to pay a small entrance fee. You can assume by now that these beaches are not the basic ones. They have special facilities like loungers, umbrellas, snorkeling equipment, etc.
To access these premium kinds of beaches, either you have to pay a small entrance fee or you have to spend a certain amount of money on food and drinks. So don’t arrive at any beach without carrying cash. Or you can plan ahead by checking if the beach you are going to visit is free or requires any kind of payment.
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Don’t Forget to Carry Cash
What should you avoid in Cozumel? – carrying only credit cards. Yes, you can not expect to spend only with your cards. Remember, it’s a small island. You can not pay everywhere with credit cards, especially in small local shops and taxis.
So carry some cash all the time and by cash I mean Mexican Pesos. US dollars may be acceptable in some specific big shops, but other than that, you can only work with Mexican cash. Wherever USD is accepted, you’ll have a bad exchange rate.
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Don’t Forget to Bring Bug Spray
Do you want an itchy vacation? I’m sure you don’t! Cozumel is a tropical island – so you know mosquitoes are a problem! So what not to do in Cozumel? Leave outside after dusk without using any bug spray. Trust me you’ll regret it if you do.
Even in daylight, if you plan to visit a jungle-like spot, use your bug spray all over your bare skin beforehand. Another place is the lagoon of Cozumel – don’t forget to use your bug spray. You know what! How about carrying your bug spray wherever you go? That’d be the best idea.
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Don’t Just Stay in the Tourist Zone
Usually, tourists only roam around in the bustling tourist area near the cruise ship docks. As a result, they miss a lot of the real fun, you don’t want that! The island has so much more to offer and you should not limit yourself only to the common tourist areas.
Cozumel’s Eastern side known as the ‘Wild Side’ has secluded beaches where not a lot of people go other than locals. If you are looking for a more natural feel instead of a commercial feel of Cozumel, check out beaches like Playa Chen Rio and Playa San Martin located on that Wild side.
The landscapes are unforgettable. These beaches don’t have any big resorts and sometimes no humans at all. It’s a great experience to have a piece of paradise all for yourself.
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Don’t Expect Cozumel to be a Party Island
If you become a party freak as soon as the sun goes down, Cozumel may not be for you. So what should you avoid in Cozumel? Expecting a crazy nightlife. Well, if you were planning to visit a Mexican beach town with a late-night party and fun, you can head to Cancun or Playa de Carmen – just across Cozumel.
This island is more to unwind and stress release in a calmer laid back vibe. If you want music, you can go to restaurants there. They offer quiet evenings with melodious slow songs. But if you are expecting nonstop high-energy music, Cozumel can be disappointing for you.
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Don’t Miss out Snorkelling or Diving
On a coral reef island, one of the non touristy things to do in Cozumel would be missing out on snorkeling or diving. Cozumel has the most vibrant coral world – thanks to the Mesoamerican Reef just off the coast.
This beach town is a safe haven for snorkelers or divers. Even if you never done it before, you should do it at least once in your life. And what’s life? A time between birth and death when we tend to make a lot of memories. I may sound a bit philosophical, but how about you add the most amazing memory in your bucket?
Don’t worry if this is going to be your first time. Operators offer beginner training and introductory diving. And if you are quite a pro in this, go to El Cielo, Palancar Reef, and Columbia Reef to have the best snorkeling experience in Cozumel.
How Safe Is Cozumel?
If you read this far, I understand the charm of Cozumel has got you hooked. You may have started planning about coming to this place. But before that, you should ask the bigger question. How safe is Cozumel, really?
Let’s start with the crime rate. This Mexican Island is one of the safest places in Mexico. Even the crime rate is lower than popular Cancun or Playa del Carmen. And why wouldn’t be? The main source of revenue for Cozumel is tourism. So the locals take tourism safety as their priority. Petty crimes like pickpocketing can be seen rarely in crowded areas. So you don’t show off your expensive jewelry or devices frequently in crowds, this island is safe for you
How safe is Cozumel at night? Well, it’s a tourist-friendly area where you can roam around day and night alike – no problem! But use your common sense as well. You shouldn’t roam around alone at midnight in a remote humanless place. Though nothing happened before but there’s nothing in being cautious.
As I have suggested using taxis to roam around the town, you must have thought – are taxis safe in Cozumel? Yes, no worries about that. As I said before, locals take tourists’ safety as their priority, and so do the taxi drivers. You can travel to Cozumel with no fear of getting into any taxi scam or robbery. However, there’s no meter in any taxi on this small island. So know the proper price of different distances and fix a fare before getting into the taxi.
Oh, the biggest unsafely comes from its geological positioning. Cozumel is a hurricane-prone island. Though the hotels are well-prepared for this, I suggest you skip June to November to come to Cozumel.
Final Thoughts
Like any other island, there are some pitfalls that you should avoid in Cozumel to have the best beach experience. You can ensure a safe stay full of fun and relaxation. By avoiding what not to do in Cozumel, you’ll leave this island with only happy and fun memories. Crystal-clear water, vibrant coral reefs, and exciting snorkeling on this tropical island are calling your name. See you on the sand!
