COZUMEL HISTORY & OVERVIEW

Cozumel (co-zoo-MEL), Mexico's largest inhabited island, is also one of the country's biggest paradoxes. Serene, laid-back and somewhat undiscovered by Mexico's 20 million annual visitors, Cozumel rivals many Caribbean island destinations when it comes to visitor facilities, activities, and stunning beauty.

Yet until recently, the island has been best known as a cruise ship port-of-call and mecca for hard-core scuba divers. Cozumel is now shedding some of its "divers only" reputation and making strides in attracting more mainstream international guests. The majority of the island's visitors are now families, ecotourists, honeymooners, and Yucatan-bound visitors that find nearby Cancún a bit overwhelming.

Cozumel's appeal lies with its combination of the best of Mexico (friendly people, affordable prices, great dining/shopping, interesting cultural sightseeing) with the allure of vacationing on a Caribbean island. This mix makes Cozumel one of Mexico's most unique destinations, offering a hard-to-find vacation duality.

In the last four years, the island benefited from improved air service (both charter and scheduled), a tremendous increase in cruise ship visits (bringing nearly 1 million annual day-only visitors), a bevy of spiffy new resort developments, and a robust assortment of dining, shopping and sports options. (Note: Two new cruise ship piers are under construction. Each project has certain controversy, as the sites selected have raised the ire of local divers and ecologists. The projects are going forward, under the watchful eye of NAFTA's Commission for Environmental Cooperation.) Cozumel now has world-class facilities to complement its legendary beauty and laid-back atmosphere.

The jewel-shaped, flat-as-a-pancake island lies just 19 kms. off the Yucatan Coast, and measures 48 kms. long and 16 kms. wide. Its jungle-clad interior and ivory white beaches are girdled by one of the most spectacular ensembles of coral reefs in this hemisphere. The island's limestone shore is surrounded by temperate, crystal clear waters which range from stunning turquoise to deep indigo.

The area's diving and snorkeling are legendary. Following a 1961 documentary by Jacques Cousteau, Cozumel earned a world-wide following of divers who ranked it one of the top five scuba diving and snorkeling sites on the planet. The island's surrounding sea is teeming with undersea life, colorful reefs, and the slumbering hulls of Spanish galleons.

For non-divers, the island has something for everyone (in fact, only 30% of visitors are divers). Sightseeing includes over 35 archaeological sites (only a few of which are accessible and worth seeing), and the charming city of San Miguel (population 50,000). The town is a hodgepodge of cafes, restaurants, and attractive boutiques. It encircles the main plaza, and extends several blocks along the city's breezy seaside promenade.

Nature lovers come to Cozumel to see giant sea turtles laying their eggs (May to September) and to observe the island's variety of exotic migratory bird life. Visitors are only a 40-minute ferry ride from the incredible Tulum Corridor region of the Yucatan Peninsula, brimming with hidden beaches, secluded resorts and archaeological treasures.

Large numbers of daytrippers from Cancun and cruise ship passengers sometimes overtake the city proper, only to retreat a few hours later. This is when Cozumel really shines, as the island's bountiful man-made and natural attractions can be leisurely explored.

Cozumel's history is a unique collage of epic episodes of outside confrontation interspersed with long periods of total obscurity. The island boasts a rich May-an heritage, and was settled as early as 300 A.D. It later flourished as a commercial port for Mayan sea trade and as a ceremonial center. Cortés landed here in 1519 en route to his conquest of the Mexican mainland. Later, the island's coves provided sanctuary for marauding pirates.

Interestingly, the growth in popularity of chewing gum in the U.S. led to the island's resurgence in the 19th century. Cozumel was a port-of-call on the chicle (gum) export route from Central America. During WWII, a U.S. Air Force base was built from which the Allies launched aircraft to hunt for German U-boats.

The island's lodging (around 3,400 total units) has been significantly upgraded in the last five years. While there is still a wide assortment of budget 3-star properties and rustic bungalow-style hotels, the entrance of Allegro Resorts, Meliá, Plaza Las Glorias and others has put a new gleam on the island's once bohemian veneer. Several resorts have recently converted to the all-inclusive theme, and a $10 million convention center will open in 1996.

Hotels and resorts are scattered along Cozumel's long western coastline with San Miguel near the midpoint. In the town there are a few two and three-star properties, catering mostly to budget travelers and divers. Fortunately, massive resort development is paralyzed by a lack of potable water and a desire to protect the island's delicate ecosystem. This helps keep island life simple, while somewhat limiting the island's land-based activities (i.e. no golf courses).

While Cozumel pre-dated Cancún as the Yucatán Peninsula's first resort area, and rests a mere 56 kms. from its big sister resort, it can't hold a candle to Cancun in terms of grandiose development. However, the island has nothing to apologize for, and is the hands-down favorite for vacationers seeking a serene Caribbean island vacation.

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