Beach Bars and Cozumel BeachesMoney Bar
Costera Sur
The Southern Hotel Zone, located along Carretera Chankanaab, and also known as the Costera Sur, offers the best beaches beginning at Playa Corona and ending at Playa Palancar. The famous coral reef running parallel to this part of
the coast is a protected zone called Parque Marino de Cozumel.
The first attraction along the way is the popular Parque Chankanaab, a park with a landlocked lagoon connected to the sea. Just off the fine sandy beach is excellent snorkeling where you can spot tame fish, underwater statues,
a sunken ship and a pirate cannon.
The two largest beaches, San Francisco and Paradise Beaches, are popular spots with the cruise ship crowd that swarms both beaches by early afternoon. On Sundays, Playa San Francisco is the gathering spot for Mexican
families who come to enjoy the beach and bring along their music, games and family picnics.
Mr. Sancho's You may want to visit Mr. Sancho's for its free admission, laid-back beach atmosphere and good Mexican cuisine. Crowds and noise aside, both beaches offer excellent
swimming and snorkeling.
Along the way is Cozumel's original settlement founded in 1847. El Cedral is now a charming farming community known for its country fairs. Beside its modern church are the remains of
the oldest Mayan structure on the island. Look for the tan arch. Only do this if you have plenty of time
Do not miss an evening at Alberto's Seafood beach club, the only beach club on the south side that stays open past 5:00 PM all the way to 10:00 PM. They are right across from the
EL Cedral Arch. They only serve seafood and it is the best on the island. It is one of the few undiscovered tranquil beaches, they have an excellent band that plays awesome Mexican and us beach music starting at 7:00 pm.
Watching the sun set while dining and listening to the awesome music, is as close to paradise as you'll get. Don't miss this beach club, admission is free and food prices are reasonable. They also have a volleyball sand court, and
the bathrooms are much cleaner than in the past.
Palancar Beach
Another quiet not so discovered beach a couple kms south of Alberto's. If you are willing to walk a bit past the concrete pier in the distance, you can find a secluded beach to call your own for a few hours.
Bob Marley Ragae
Parque Punta Sur to Punta Molas
Just as the highway turns north you will find Parque Punta Sur, a national wildlife refuge. Inside the park is the ancient Mayan lighthouse, El Caracol, which was built as an early hurricane warning system. At the southernmost tip is
Punta Celarain Faro, a historic lighthouse that has been transformed into a navigational museum. For extreme snorkeling experience ask us about the beach at Punta Sur. It is the best on the Island.
Those in search of more tranquility can follow the highway west to where Costera Sur takes a northern turn becoming the Costera Este (Eastern) Highway. Here the beaches are wild, wind-swept
and, for the most part, deserted.
Coconuts
Playa Paraíso is the first beach just outside of the park's entrance. Close to Playa Chen Rio are two smaller Mayan ruins, El Mirador and El Trono. The best beaches for swimming are found at
the crescent shaped Punta Chiqueros cove and at Playa San Martin. If you are on this beach during the full moon in May or June, you may see giant sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Further north is Punta Morena, which is
popular with surfers and boogie boarders because of its pounding surf.
Punta Este has a blustery beach, perfect for beachcombing, and is the final stop before the paved highway turns west and becomes Avenida Benito Juarez, leading back into San Miguel. An unpaved road continues north, leading to some of
the most unspoiled beaches: Ixpal Barco, Los Cocos, Hanan Reef, Ixlapak and Playa Bonita are all what you would expect from a Caribbean beach. Along the way is the Mayan ruin of Castillo Real.
Mezcalitos - Do a Google search on Mezcalitos, if you want to go there make sure your arrive about 4:00 because the place closes at 5:00.
The roads end at Punta Mola Faro, the island's most northern point. A tour is recommended to explore this extremely rugged area.
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