Mexican Caribbean

5 places you must visit during a Private Island Tour at Cozumel

It has been made clear multiple times that Cozumel is a place you can’t miss out on. Have you ever been on a cruise ship and thought, “I won’t go down in this port. It’s probably the same as the last one”? Well, I’m here to tell you you’re beyond mistaken. Sure, you can see clear waters in The Maldives, no doubt, and yes, you can eat Mexican food anywhere else in Mexico; that’s just a fact.

It still doesn’t compare with Cozumel.

Here at Cozumel, you can eat the most delicious Mexican dishes while sitting on our white sand-covered beaches, drinking a margarita (or straight-up tequila shots, no judgment from my end) after snorkeling in our crystal-clear waters, the same ones that hide beautiful reef formations and colorful fishes. You can learn of the Mayan civilization and La Conquista, all from the mouths of knowledgeable locals. It’s a magical experience and, again, one you can’t miss out on.

All of this brings me to the one activity I have advised travelers to do for years (because it truly gives you an idea of what the island is like and allows you to do multiple things), which is the Private Island Tour. I’ve done this with friends and family, waved goodbye and hello to tourists that have done it, and I’ve always received the same reaction; A huge smile. Because of this, I feel more than comfortable recommending it, and I thought giving you some advice on what to do could be positive, so here it is the things I believe you must do/see when doing this activity. 

  1. Churches

Whether you are religious or not, you can’t deny that a church’s architecture its always breathtaking, as if all minds have collected to build the most beautiful space that must be seen by as many eyes as possible.

Also, something worth mentioning is that with the company of a knowledgeable guide, you don’t only get to admire the space. You’ll be able to hear of how La Conquista (When Spain conquered what used to be Tenochtitlan, now Mexico) went down here at Quintana Roo, all the things the Mayans went through in the past to be what they are in the present. Basically, you don’t just get to visit a beautiful place; you also get history lessons.

There are plenty of churches here at Cozumel; I’d recommend you visit “San Miguel” and “Corpus Christi”. Your guide could have other suggestions.

  1. El Cedral

My preference for this is similar to why I believe you should visit some of the churches, the history, and the architecture. El Cedral was the first settlement here at Cozumel, and there are still locals living there or owning houses in the area. 

This is a topic I would like to go more in-depth about in the future (Click here for that article), so I’ll leave this short. Still, I believe knowing more about the history of the place you are visiting adds to the fondness you develop once you’re gone. It’s hard to love something you don’t yet understand.

  1. Chocolate Factory

I might be biased here, but chocolate is what makes life worth living.

But let’s be real, what better place to learn about the history of chocolate and the process of making it than where it was discovered? Also, I’m quite positive that free chocolate tasting can make any horrible experience a hundred times better, so let’s say you end up hating everything about the tour (I’m not sure why that would be, but indulge with me), one taste of the palpable magic they make at KaoKao, and you’ll be set for the rest of your life.

I think you can deduct that I’m a history junkie, but it’s chocolate + history, and to me, that = the recipe for happiness. 

  1. Tequila Factory/tasting

Here you’ll hear about the art of making tequila, one of Mexico’s gifts to the world, and taste some delicious artisanal tequilas. I recommend this because I fell in love with tequila after going there; I didn’t understand how people liked it when it would burn my throat. I’d say it was an eye-opening experience. My life truly split before I tried their tequila and after I did.

I’ve never seen better days.

  1. Beach Bar and Mexican Food

This is my last point because I believe this is the last thing you should do. After a long day of visiting places, the course of action is to allow yourself to relax, have some drinks, and eat some wonderful food. There are plenty of options, and your guide will probably have other recommendations, but one that I know to be popular is “Paradise Beach,” and it might be good to give it a shot.

Now, truthfully, there’s much more you can do, I’ve only just started to uncover the iceberg of possibilities, but I believe this to be a great start for those that have never been here. 

I think the best part of a Private Island Tour is that you have guidance. Like after reading this article, you have gained options; the same happens when you have a guide by your side crafting the perfect day with you. And well, even though I pride myself on my knowledge as someone who grew up on the island, I must admit that I, with my antisocial tendencies, might not know of many hidden gems the way that someone who does this for a living would.

You should really try this and put your trust in our selected guides because there is no better way to discover this Caribbean dream of an Island than to do it by the hand of someone who sees its full potential.

 

Bee Díaz