Getting Around Cozumel

GETTING AROUND: San Miguel (population 60,000) is the only city on Mexico's largest island at 47 km (28 miles) long and 15 km (11 miles) wide. With a maximum elevation of 45 feet, the island sits 18 km (11 miles) offshore from Playa del Carmen. Two ferry services - a car ferry from Puerto Morelos and a people ferry from Playa del Carmen - serve Cozumel from the Yucat n mainland. The ferry service from Playa (US $7) changes schedule as often as we change underwear so check at one of the ticket booths. San Miguel also has an international airport with some direct flights landing from the States and numerous 15-minute connecting flights from Cancun (call Aerocozumel, % 98/84-20-00).

The scrub brush jungle covers the northern half of the island, which is virtually uninhabited. The southern portions, the interior and the entire windward east coast also have few inhabitants. A road loops the entire southern part along the sea, then cuts back into town, dividing the island in half, while a coastal road follows the northern shore to its end. The concentration of population in San Miguel makes for some interesting expeditions and explorations far from the madding crowd.

The Chankanaab National Park, south of town, may have some crowds but is a great place to snorkel, sun and see a botanical garden. The western shore beaches - both north and south of the main pier - are very beautiful. The northern section is mostly hotels and private homes of the wealthy; to the south are the 'public' beaches.
Besides taxis (a good choice when going direct from one place to another), three types of personal transportation are available: motorbikes, bicycles and cars - especially four-wheel-drives. Many major hotels rent motorbikes or cars and every street corner downtown near the dock has men hawking rentals. Cozumel's excellent roads combined with long stretches of wilderness make a motorbike ideal - and they even have automatic shifts. The prices on vehicles are pretty much the same between individual renters, especially near the dock, but you could try going direct to some of the shops in town or waiting until the ferry is empty and the crowd disbursed before negotiating. It's illegal to ride without a helmet and a rental may not come with insurance, so check first.
If you are already a crowd, or want to really see every detail of Cozumel's wilderness, try getting a good deal on a Jeep. Only a four-wheel-drive vehicle can handle the arduous northeast coast road (in the dry season only) to El Real ruin, a minor Maya ruin overlooking a good snorkeling spot. Farther along is the dramatic picturesque Punta Molas lighthouse warning ships of the reefs - then you have to turn around and bounce back. Take note, Jeeps carrying more than five people are subject to a moving violation ticket and impound of the car. The rest of Cozumel has excellent roads and enough to see and do to keep occupied, even if it's nothing more than floating around in the warm Caribbean waters.

If you're staying in town, a bicycle is handy on the more lightly traveled sidestreets. For longer hauls down to southern beaches or to do the island 'loop' you'd have to be very fit. Bikes are rented at several of the car rental agencies.

RENTALS (a partial list)
M=motorcycles  B=bikes  J=jeeps  C=cars

Aguila Jeep & Moto  987/2-07-29 M/B/J/C
Calle 11 # 101

Budget Jeep & Auto % 987/2-09- 03 J/C
Av. 5 x Calle 2

Masha  987/2-10-96 M/B
5ta Av. x 3 Sur

Popoy  987/2-10-96 M/B
3 Sur #3

Avis  987/2-00-99 C
airport

Rentador Cozumel  987/2-11-20 1 M/B
10 Av. x Calle

Less Pay  987/2-47-44 J/C
Hotel Baracuda

La Ceiba Hotel  987/2-08-44 J/C

The streets in Cozumel make it easy to know where you are... once you get used to them. Av. Rafael Melgar is the main road running along the western waterfront. Roads running north and south, parallel to the water, are avenidas and those running perpendicular to the sea, east and west, are calles. The sole exception to this is Av. Benito Ju rez, which cuts San Miguel and the island into northern and southern halves and should be a 'calle,' but is not. The streets north of Juarez are marked 'norte' and have even numbers (i.e. 2, 4, 6, etc.). All the calles south of Juarez are 'sur' and are given odd numbers (3, 5, 7...). Vehicles traveling north and south are supposed to have the right of way, while those traveling east and west are required to stop on every corner. Drive carefully and look before you go.

Parking can sometimes be scare in town so be careful of NO PARKING zones. Your car or moto could be towed or the license plate removed so that you pay a fine at the rental agency.