Getting There & Departing

By Plane -- During high season, several more international commercial flights fly in and out of Cozumel's airport (CZM) than in low season, including a few flights from northern U.S. cities. Airlines include American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, United, and US Airways. You might also inquire about buying a ticket on one of the charter flights in high season. There are few international flights in low season, but Maya Air (http://www.mayair.com.mx/; [tel] 987/872-3609 or 314/669-6879 in the U.S.) runs several daily flights between Cozumel and Cancún, and connections are painless. Beware of weight limits, though, especially if you’re carrying a lot of scuba gear. To save money, booking an air/hotel package can be a good idea. Try Expedia.com, CheapCaribbean.com, Vacmart.com, or Priceline.com.

By Ferry -- Passenger ferries run to and from Playa del Carmen. México Waterjets (tel. 987/872-1508; www.mexicowaterjets.com) and Ultramar (tel. 998/881-5890; www.granpuerto.com.mx) offer departures almost every hour in the morning and about every 2 hours in the afternoon. The schedules change according to seasons but generally start at 7am and continue until 9 or 10pm. The trip takes 30 to 45 minutes, depending on conditions, and costs about 160 pesos one-way. The boats are air-conditioned. In Playa del Carmen, the ferry dock is 1 1/2 blocks from the main square. In Cozumel, the ferries use Muelle Fiscal, the town pier, a block from the main square. Luggage storage at the Cozumel dock costs 20 pesos per day.

The car ferry that used to operate from Puerto Morelos now uses the Calica pier just south of Playa del Carmen. The fare for a standard car is 683 pesos. TransCaribe (tel. 987/872-7688; www.transcaribe.com.mx) has six departures daily; check the website for exact scheduling. The ferry docks in Cozumel at the Muelle Internacional (the International Pier, which is south of town near La Ceiba Hotel).

By Bus -- If you plan to travel on the mainland by bus, purchase tickets in advance from the ticket office for ADO buses called Ticket Bus on the municipal pier (open while the ferries are running). Another is on Calle 2 Norte and Avenida 10 (tel. 987/872-1706). Hours are from 8:30am to 9:30pm daily. ADO buses make the 1-hour trip from Cancún airport to Playa del Carmen (and back) throughout the day for 146 pesos; you can easily catch the ferry to Cozumel from Playa.

Orientation

Arriving -- Cozumel's airport is just a 5-minute drive from downtown. Transportes Terrestre provides hotel transportation in multi-passenger vans. Buy your ticket as you exit the terminal. To hotels downtown, the fare is 57 pesos per person; to hotels along the north and south shore, 96 pesos. A private taxi to downtown costs 134 pesos. Passenger ferries arrive at the Muelle Fiscal, the municipal pier, by the town's main square. Cruise ships dock at the Punta Langosta pier, several blocks south of the Muelle Fiscal, and at the International Pier, which is at Km 4 of the southern coastal road. A third cruise-ship pier, the Puerta Maya near the International Pier, is also operational.

City Layout -- San Miguel's main waterfront street is Avenida Rafael Melgar. Running parallel to Rafael Melgar are avenidas numbered in multiples of five -- 5, 10, 15. Avenida Juárez runs perpendicular to these, heading inland from the ferry dock. Avenida Juárez divides the town into northern and southern halves. The calles (streets) that parallel Juárez to the north have even numbers. The ones to the south have odd numbers, except for Calle Rosado Salas, which runs between calles 1 and 3. Vehicles on the avenidas have the right of way.

Island Layout -- One road runs along the western coast of the island, which faces the Yucatán mainland. It has different names. North of town, it's Santa Pilar or San Juan; in the city, it is Avenida Rafael Melgar; south of town, it's Costera Sur. Hotels stretch along this road north and south of town. The road runs to the southern tip of the island (Punta Sur), passing Chankanaab National Park. Avenida Juárez (and its extension, the Carretera Transversal) runs east from the town across the island. It passes the airport and the turnoff to the ruins of San Gervasio before reaching the undeveloped ocean side of the island. It then turns south and follows the coast to the southern tip, where it meets the Costera Sur.

Visitor Information

The Municipal Tourism Office (tel. 987/869-0212; www.cozumel.gob.mx), located at Plaza del Sol, also has information booths at the International Pier and Punta Langosta Pier. It's open 8am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Be Streetwise -- North-south streets -- the avenidas -- have the right of way, and traffic doesn't slow down or stop.

Getting Around

You can walk to most destinations in town, and it's very safe. Getting to outlying hotels and beaches requires a rental car, moped, or taxi.

Car rentals are about $50 for a VW bug and $90 for a Jeep Wrangler. Avis (tel. 987/872-0099), Dollar (tel. 987/869-2957) and Hertz (tel. 987/871-6783) have counters in the airport. Other major rental companies have offices in town, including Thrifty (tel. 987/869-2957) at Juárez 181, between avenidas 5 and 10 Norte. Rentals are easy to arrange through your hotel or at any of the many local rental offices.

Moped rentals are readily available and cost about $30 for 24 hours, which includes a helmet but not insurance (that will add another $15). If you rent a moped, be careful. Riding a moped made a lot more sense when Cozumel had less traffic; now it involves a certain amount of risk as taxi drivers and other motorists have become more numerous and pushier. Moped accidents easily rank as the greatest cause of injury in Cozumel. Before renting one, inspect it carefully to see that all the gizmos—horn, light, starter, seat, mirror—are in good shape. I've been offered mopeds with unbalanced wheels, which made them unsteady at higher speeds, but the renter quickly exchanged them upon my request. You are required to stay on paved roads. It's illegal to ride a moped without a helmet outside of town (subject to a 300 peso fine).

Cozumel has lots of taxis and a strong drivers' union. Fares are standardized -- there's no bargaining. Here are a few sample fares for two people (there is an additional charge for extra passengers to most destinations): island tour, 800 pesos; town to southern Hotel Zone, 100 to 200 pesos; town to northern hotels, 50 to 70 pesos; town to Chankanaab, 120 pesos for up to four people; in and around town, 50 pesos.

Neighborhoods in Brief

San Miguel is the island’s dining, shopping, and business center, with endless choices in one-story buildings on streets branching off the main plaza. Avenida 5N and Av. Juárez are closed to traffic for a couple of blocks around the plaza and are perfect for strolling and dining at sidewalk cafes. Residential neighborhoods and local businesses pack the streets from Ave. 15 inland.

    South of town the main road is lined with hotels and tourist-oriented businesses to the International and Puerto Maya Piers. Buildings give way to undisturbed rocky coastline with a few businesses from here to the northern tip of the island. Shore diving and snorkeling is good in this area, but there are few sandy beaches. At the far south is a cluster of al-inclusive resorts. North of town the coast is lined with more hotels facing shallow, clear water good for swimming and snorkeling.

The wild west coast is undeveloped except for a few rustic seafood restaurants and one hotel. Beautiful long beaches face rough seas—swimming is discouraged when the water is the least bit rough.

Fast Facts

Area Code -- The telephone area code is 987.

ATMs, Banks & Currency Exchange -- The island has several banks and casas de cambio, as well as ATMs. Most places accept dollars, but you usually get a better deal paying in pesos. HSBC has an ATM machine on the corner of the main plaza at Av. 5 Sur and Calle 1 Sur; the fee for withdrawing cash here is less than at other ATMs along Avenida Melgar.

Climate -- The weather is most pleasant from late October to December and March to June. January and February can bring strong winds and sudden rain. Hurricane season has become unpredictable; strong storms can occur any time between June and October.

Consulates -- The U.S. Consular Agent is in the Villa Mar Mall in the Plaza, Parque Juárez between Av. Juárez and 5th Av. Norte (tel. 987/872-4574); open Monday through Friday from noon to 2pm.

Hospital -- Médica San Miguel (tel. 987/872-0103) works for most things and includes intensive-care facilities. It's on Calle 6 Norte between avenidas 5 and 10. Centro Médico Cozumel (tel. 987/872-9400) is an alternative. It's at the intersection of Calle 1 Sur and Avenida 50.

Internet Access -- Most hotels and many cafes now have internet. In addition, Several cybercafes are in and around the main square. If you go just a bit off Avenida Melgar and the main square, prices drop. Rates at Mexatel, between Av. Juárez 15 and Calle 2 Norte, are 10 pesos per hour. It’s open daily from 9am to 10pm.

Post Office -- The correo is on Avenida Rafael Melgar at Calle 7 Sur (tel. 987/872-0106), at the southern edge of town. It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm, Saturday from 9am to noon.

Recompression Chamber -- Cozumel has three cámaras de recompresión. The best are the Hyperbaric Chamber and Clinic (www.sssnetwork.com; tel. 987/872-2387, -1430), open daily 9am to 6pm, with a 24-hour emergency line, at Calle 5 Sur 21-B, between Avenida  Melgar and Avenida 5 Sur; and the Costamed Hyperbaric Center (tel. 987/872-5050), at Av 25 Sur 50.

Seasons -- High season is from Christmas to Easter and August.

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