COZUMEL, MEXICO

The largest inhabited island in Mexico and the oldest in the Caribbean group, Cozumel is located 12 miles off the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.  Despite the recent boom in tourism and residential development in the past few years, Cozumel continues to have vast expanses of untouched jungle and shoreline.  The island is one of the top 5 dive destinations in the world thanks to the stunning coral reefs (second largest in the world).   Cozumel in known for its unusually clear waters – with visibility as great as 200 ft! On the island's west coast you'll find the vibrant city of San Miguel, population 90,000. This safe, extraordinarily friendly Mayan/Mexican community has somehow managed to retain its ancient traditions, customs and a cultural identity despite the increasing influx of visitors.  San Miguel, in fact remains one of the very few places left in the Mayan Riviera where visitors can truly experience and even become involved in traditional Yucatan culture.  It's also a great place for shopping and sampling a wide variety of Mexican and international cuisine. The combination of great diving, snorkeling and fishing on the west coast, lovely isolated beaches on the east and a thriving city full of markets and restaurants make Cozumel an excellent vacation destination for anyone who feels that variety is the spice of life.  And with a fast modern ferry to the mainland running 10 trips per day, its also great as a base from which to launch out on side trips to attractions like Playa del Carmen, Chitzen Itza, Coba, Tulum and Xcaret.