adminCozumel, Mexico
Cozumel is a Caribbean island just off the Yucatan Peninsula in southeastern Mexico, and is Mexico’s largest permanently inhabited island. It has great beaches, nice people, and safe streets, with prices comparable to other Mexican tourist destinations.
This was my first excursion on a Caribbean Cruise. We docked in Cozumel, Mexico within a couple days of departure. This was a great opportunity to mingle with the locals and take advantage of the shopping in town. This was also my first experience with bartering for goods. I like to think I came out on top, but it’s probably just wishful thing. Unfortunately, It wasn’t long before our first excursion so i didn’t get to experience much more than the tourist areas of Cozumel due to tight time constraints. So we headed off for a day of relaxing beach fun on the private island they call Isla Pasion.
Isla Pasion by Twister Boat
If spending the day on a secluded island wasn’t good enough, the fun part comes on the boat ride to and from the island. We took off to the island on a Twister Boat where we experienced incredible acceleration and high speed maneuvers, including 360 degree turns at high speed. It was a fun way to start the day, getting drenched by the wake created from fast-breaking turns at high speed. At Isla Pasion, there were a bunch of amenities to keep you entertained, away from the crowds a beautiful beach like this should draw. I checked out the local shops here and picked up a few souvenirs, as well as barter for some Cuban cigars. My group and I headed to the bar to grab some margaritas, lit up a couple cigars and relaxed on the hammocks. The views on this beach were pulled right out of a Corona commercial, so much so that we couldn’t help but recreate our own Corona ad. When it got a little hot, we all went for a swim in the water. There were inflatable obstacle courses out on the water that provided a day’s worth or laughs and good times.
We spent the rest of the day enjoying a complimentary Mayan lunch buffet and domestic open bar before hopping on the Twister Boat and heading back to town. While it was only a taste of what Cozumel has to offer, it was a great experience that you hope to have on a Caribbean vacation. If I ever get the chance to visit again, I think i will try to see more of the mangrove forest, and maybe some of the great destinations on the island other than their beautiful beaches. This was my first international visit, other than Canada, and was certainly more of a relaxing tourist day as opposed to a rugged adventure but this was just the tip of the iceberg. After visiting a new country and experiencing different cultures for my own, it opened my eyes to the fact that there is so much more to discover in the world than just the United States. The USA certainly has its own unique beauty to be discovered but it wasn’t until this trip that i gained an understanding for how people live in different parts of the world and it was utterly fascinating. I can’t wait to apply this lesson to my future travels.
