The Island of Cozumel Beaches

The Cozumel beaches have something to fit almost anyone’s needs but most cater to those who want to spend more time in the water than out of the water. Cozumel is famous for its diving and natural coral reef. A rule of thumb is if there is good diving or snorkeling close by it is probably not a good place to find miles of sand but surprisingly the island is a diver’s paradise that also offers some great beach finds if you are willing to look for them.

San Francisco Beach is my favorite Cozumel Beach

Cozumel is divided into a developed western coast and an undeveloped eastern coast, also known as the “wild side” of the island. The western side faces into the coast of mainland Mexico and at night the lights of Cancun can be seen from the shore. This side of the island is dotted by resorts and vacation villas along somewhat rocky shores with calm serene water perfect for snorkeling. I review several beaches on this side of the island and recommend a few that are sandy and welcoming for sunbathing and sandcastles.

The acoomodations on the western side of the island are various apartments, hotels, and rental homes that are found mosty in the actual town of San Miguel. These accommodations range from dirt cheap to opulent and are convenient to night life and a wide array of restaurants. It is fairly simple to take a taxi to a beach club or a public beach and to arrange pick-up or to get a return taxi. It is even easier to rent a car and drive around this small island to visit many of the Cozumel Beaches (We did this and found it very convenvenient).

Sidenote: While very popular with tourists, especially cruise ship tourists, it is not recommended to rent a motor scooter. The roads are sufficient but not great and you will be absolutely covered in dirt and sand before the day is over. See my section on Dune Buggies for a much better experience if you are looking for a little adventure.

The other main accommodation alternative on this island is a resort located on its own stretch of shoreline. Many of these resorts are all-inclusive and vary in the quality of the experience they offer and how close they are to one of the Cozumel Beaches (so if being near the top beaches of the world is important, pay attention to the locations carefully).

San Francisco Beach Cozumel

Nachi Cocom Beach Club

Cozumel's East Side Beaches

Allegro Occidental All-Inclusive Resort

Cozumel Beach Clubs