Cozumel Day Trips

Day Trips

With ferries departing hourly for Playa del Carmen on the mainland, making an excursion from Cozumel couldn’t be easier. From the dock, it’s only steps to the Playa’s lively center, or an hour’s drive south to Mayan ruins and natural splendor.

Smart Splurge    Great Value
Playa del Carmen
Hip Playa caters to more of a European crowd than American-friendly Cozumel – wander down La Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), to explore the open-air lounges and cool boutiques. But don’t forget: the last ferry to Cozumel leaves at 11pm.
Mexico Waterjets; 30-minute ferry ride west; 011-52-987-879-3112; www.mexicowaterjets.com
Tags: beach | shop
Xcaret
This sprawling eco-park is the Yucatan peninsula in miniature, with a fish-filled bay, an aquarium, caverns to snorkel through, a butterfly forest, and even some small, barely restored Maya ruins. It’s a major tourist destination, but it’s still, surprisingly, somewhat wild-feeling.
On the mainland; 4 miles south of Playa del Carmen; Carretera Playa del Carmen–Tulum; 011-52-984-803-1298; www.xcaret.com
Tags: beach | family | theme park
Tulum Ruins
The Yucatan’s most picturesque ancient Mayan complex is perched dramatically on a cliff overlooking the sea. After exploring the ruins, cool off on the wide beach to the south, one of the most beautiful on the coast.
On the mainland; 37 miles south of Playa del Carmen
Tags: beach | family | history
Cobá

A longer drive than Tulum, but worth the trip to see one of the towering pyramids the ancient Maya were known for. At the site, you can rent bikes to ride through the dense jungle and spot wildlife.

Tags: family | wildlife | history
Hidden Worlds great value
The Yucatan peninsula is studded with freshwater sinkholes called cenotes. Snorkeling in them is otherworldly, as you’re suspended in perfectly clear water above elaborate stalagmites. Hidden Worlds park contains some of the most dramatic of these watery caverns.
On the mainland; 30 miles south of Playa del Carmen; Carretera Playa del Carmen–Tulum; 011-52-984-877-8535; www.hiddenworlds.com
Tags: family | outdoors | great value | editor pick
Chichén Itzá smart splurge
A visit to this ancient Mayan city and its massive stepped pyramid – one of the new seven wonders of the world – is only feasible as a day trip from Cozumel if you sign up for a chartered plane tour.
On the mainland, 45 minutes by plane; 011-52-984-873-0804; www.aerosaab.com
Tags: family | smart splurge | history
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