For my visit to Cozumel, I used several modes of transportation. I had flown into Cancun a week earlier, took a taxi from my hotel, a bicycle to the ferry since the cab can only get so close and I had some luggage, and a 30-minute ferry from Playa de Carmen. The ride was nice and I enjoyed live music along the way. As I neared Cozumel, the water was so beautiful – with turquoise to dark blue colors. I knew I was somewhere special.
Upon arrival, I took a taxi to the Presidente Intercontinental Hotel. The taxis here are well regulated, safe, and reasonable. The hotel is located about 15 minutes away from the main city of San Miguel and is one of the nicest hotels in Cozumel. The grounds have nice gardens with many iguanas sunning themselves, one pool located away from the water, and one pool at the hotel white sand beach. The hotel has undergone some renovations that have added to the allure of this luxury hotel. The rooms are luxurious and spacious and I have a beautiful view of the Caribbean from my room and balcony.
There are several restaurants here with one of them being their open-air restaurant on the water where I enjoyed both breakfast each day and dinner. I enjoyed this restaurant the most because I get the best views of the sunset from here and the staff is very accommodating and friendly. On another night, I try their Italian restaurant, Alfredo di Roma Trattoria. The food and service here are also good.
The beach features white sand and beautiful clear water where you can easily spot many species of fish. They have turned the former dock into an area with day beds and have renovated the outdoor bar here where you can get lunch, snacks, drinks, and most importantly enjoy beautiful sunsets. The water is breathtaking.
A couple of nights, I venture into town for dinner. One of the restaurants I tried is Pancho’s Backyard. This restaurant is situated on an open-air lush patio with a very chill atmosphere. The margaritas pack quite a punch and the guacamole here is great. While in town, I recommend walking around the main square, doing some shopping, and avoid getting hustled into bad restaurants, time-shares, and services and tours that you are not interested in. There are plenty of great dining options here so just do a little research using a service such as TripAdvisor. This is a major cruise ship port and the crowds come and go with the boats. When the boats depart, this town gets a little sleepy.
Why go to Cozumel if not on a cruise? You go for the snorkeling and scuba diving. The water here is amazing because of its great visibility, beautiful reefs, coral, and diverse sea life. I took a resort course for scuba diving with a firm located at Presidente Intercontinental Hotel, ScubaDu. The staff here is friendly and my instructor, Sandra, was amazing. The course included my first dive out to a small sunken barge located in the water off the hotel. There were so many interesting fish and underwater life that got me ready for the deeper water diving. The next day, I went out on a multi-dive trip and had a truly amazing and surreal experience. Sandra and the staff were amazing and ensured that I had a great experience. I saw sea turtles, rays, schools of fish, gorgeous coral reefs, sharks, and a wide variety of sea life. The dives were spectacular and I saw a totally different world that I will never forget.
I will return to Cozumel, the Presidente Intercontinental Hotel, and will dive again with ScubaDu. The waters of Cozumel are unforgettable and beautiful.