San Miguel de Cozumel in Mexico

Get in

By plane

Cozumel has an international airport (Airport Code: CZM ) which receives direct flights from Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Halifax%28NovaScotia%29|Halifax, Houston, Miami, and Toronto as well regional flights from Mexico City.

Alternatively, you can fly into Cancun (Airport Code: CZM ) which generally has more flights, then take a bus or van south to Playa del Carmen and take the ferry across to Cozumel. A shared van from Cancun airport to Playa Del Carmen will cost around $150 pesos per person one-way, where a bus will be $80 pesos per person one-way.

By plane

There are hourly boat rides to and from Playa del Carmen, costing $120 pesos per adult each way. Cozumel is also a favorite cruise ship stop, and can at times have as many as eight cruise ships docked (which have consequently damaged some of the reefs). A car ferry leaves from Calica, a few kilometers South of Playa del Carmen (pass Xcarte). The car ferry from Puerto Morales no longer exists! There are 4 ferries each day, but the first at 04:00 AM and the second at 08:00 AM are specially for supply and logistics of the locals and islander. So take the ferry at 12:15 AM and 06:00 PM. From Cozumel back to the mainland you can take all ferries: 06:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 04:00 PM and 08:00 PM

Get around

Walk, rent a car, or take a taxi; there is no public traffic out of town. The docks are saturated by pushy agencies trying to lure you into car rentals and activities. The younger travelers or anyone who has free time may want to take them up on their offer. Always check first so you are not getting scammed but it is usually just a timeshare offer. You pay about $20 for a jeep rental or a moped for the entire day and you get free breakfast at a five star resort. A regular day car rental is around $55, and scooters half that. Alternatively, taxis are always available and will take you to the west-shore beaches for $20 onwards, depending on distance and number of people. Taxis cost between $2 and $3 (20 to 30 pesos) for intra-town destinations. Like the rest of Cozumel, they accept US Dollars at an exchange rate of 10 pesos to $1 USD.

A warning about scooters

It should be mentioned that the majority of traffic accidents that befall tourists involve scooters (known locally as motos). These accidents seem to be due to a few factors: * Some inexperienced riders expect that if they can drive a car, then they can drive a scooter. * Some riders are unfamiliar with driving practices and conditions in Mexico. * Roads are not always in the best condition, and potholes are generally unmarked. * Scooters offer substantially less protection from accidents than anything with four wheels.

Scooters can be a great way to explore the island, but should only be driven by experienced riders.