Create that luxury holiday!
If you have been planning and saving for this dream vacation for the family, do it like a V.I.P. Create that luxury holiday on white sandy beaches, snorkeling with Nemo and Dory in the underwater playground.
Pull out that camara Uncle Carlos gave you last Christmas and capture those timeless memories of you at the helm of the boat, cutting through the waves of the spectacular Caribbean Sea. You can feel the smiles coming from the family as they get energized by positive vibrations from the ocean. It is like a scene from a movie, where you are living the ‘lifestyles of the rich and famous.’ It could work out to be value for money, while giving you a luxury vacation by booking a private boating tour. Factoring in the number of people if you are a large group or family, versus the price for your family or group on a public tour to El Cielo.
The Public tours to El Cielo range from budget options for the thrifty tourist at $50 per person, many people on a small boat, on the long journey to heaven with strangers. Med range around $70 USD per person and V.I.P all-inclusive $110 and up. Making memories with different folks, from different strokes.
How cheap are the flights to Cozumel?
First things first, check out those flights and start manifesting this dream vacation today. Flights from Mexico City are as cheap as $1,500 MXN pesos one way, that’s only about $85 USD, Mexico City (MEX)to Cozumel (CZM) on Volasis. From the United States you can fly, there are multiple airlines that fly to Cozumel. Flights are as Cheap as $300 USD return, from Houston to Cozumel departing next week. Once you have locked in your flights, it is time to start picturing the kind of experiences that will have you living your best life.
Cozumel has something for everyone, from extreme island tours on ATVs, to snorkeling the incredible "Mesoamerican Barrier Reef", and exclusive beach Club packages at Playa Mia, which have the Kardashians calling their travel agent.
El Cielo
The latest and best kept secret (till now) is El Cielo, in English it roughly translates to the ‘sky meets heaven’. If you’re visioning a white shallow sandy ocean floor, with sparkling crystal-clear turquoise waters, drinking your ice-cold beer or margaritas you know you have found heaven.
There are tours leaving daily from Cozumel, first heading to Palancar. The reef is divided into multiple diving spots; Palancar Gardens, Horseshoe, Caves, and Bricks. Palancar Garden and Horseshoe are my favorite snorkeling spots. In this area you are likely to come face to face with angel fish, butterfly fish, triggerfish, and parrotfish.
Then onto Colombia Shallows, which sits in shallow sand. It has a maximum depth of thirty feet and the coral formations can reach as high as 8 to 10 feet from the surface. This gives you a panoramic view of the labyrinth of marine life in this part of the coral reef. You will see several varieties of tropical fish, including filefish, parrotfish, and angelfish. The conditions created here are perfect for snorkeling. The flat surface and the gentle current are fantastic to propel you over the reef.
Finally, you will finish snorkeling at El Cielo, spending another 20-25 minutes swimming with large gray sting rays and incredible orange starfish. This beautiful and fascinating area really lives up to its name. The last destination, the one everyone has been waiting for is, “El Cielito.” This is the moment your life looks like a music video, standing in the breathtaking picturesque water. Ice cold drink in hand, shaking your thing to the classical mexican music, sunkissed in the Caribbean.
A charter at your budget!
If you have more than four people on your holiday, it’s easy to hire your own boat to tour and explore the Arrecifes de Cozumel national marine Park. Depending on the size of the group it could save you dollars as well, giving you the freedom to explore any site that interests you. ‘Two Boats’ is one such site, this impressive area is full of sea life swimming with you while snorkeling to the two sunken boats. There is an abundance of coral and sponge growth between the boats, it’s likely here you will find lobsters and moral eels. Groups of Barracuda are waiting to greet you outside the boats. Sergeant majors will be guarding their eggs, while blue tang and a variety of other colorful fish will be inquisitive about your visit. When you pass the second boat it will come to a shallow grassy area, trunkfish, puffer fish, southern sting rays, and spotted eagle rays can be easily seen.
You can do the tour anyway you want, see the sites that you are enthusiastic about. Crowds will become a thing of the past. If you reach a reef that is full of tourists, the captain can take you on a spectacular adventure to another reef. If you want to snorkel longer, no problem when you are the boss everything is possible!
Humans still are unable to control the weather, to guarantee sun your whole vacation. The same can be said about the breeze. Sometimes El Cielo can have intense winds from the south, which don’t affect the marvelous conditions of the rest of the Island. Charting you own private boat means your tour will not be cancelled. Your trip can continue regardless of the weather in other parts of the Island.
Mayan Island of Love
The world-famous Passion Island in the north is an astonishing paradise, equal to the beauty of El Cielo. In the pre-Hispanic era, Mayans made a pilgrimage to Mukyaj Peten, the indigenous name of Passion Island. They went to honor venerate Ixchel, the goddess of love.
Ixchel, a Mayan princess, fell in love with Itzamá, a warrior from another kingdom." When he became God of the Sun, he gave Ixchel the virtue of the night, converting her into the Goddess of the Moon. From this union a complement was born, were Ixchel represented the femininity, the night, and the water; and Itzamá represented the masculinity, the day, and the earth. (“HISTORY | Isla Pasión”).
Mayans would arrive on the island and celebrate 3-days of marriage rituals, where the couple was purified, the families were united, and the marriage could take place.
Due to its isolated and remote location, the over land option has you on a long crazy journey by taxi to the small ferry pier at the north of Cozumel, at Bahia Ciega Bay. At least a 40-minute drive, the road is quite rough and bumpy as you navigate through a protected part of the island. Good luck finding a taxi who wants to take you in their car on this road. At the fisherman’s' wharf you can board a small ferry to Passion Island. This is a privately owned Island, after a businessperson brought the island following a hurricane that hit the Caribbean.
Is it possible to access Passion Island??
To access the island a day pass must be purchased, or its possible to book an adventure like an ‘All-inclusive Off-Road Jeep Escapades to Passion Island.’ Crawling though exhilarating water holes that take you on a natural roller coaster in a 4x4 Jeep tour. Reaching Bahia Ciega Bay, a boat will be waiting to ferry you to the exotic paradise island across Laguna Ciega or Blind Lagoon which is between Isla de la Pasion and Cozumel Island. While on Passion Island you can access an all-day smorgasbord buffet to satisfy your taste buds, and the cocktails flow from the little beach huts scattered along the white sandy beach.
By your own private boat, it’s only 45 mins from El Cid la Ceiba pier. You can stop at all your favorite spots in the north like Two Boats, Villa Blanca, Coral Princess, and San Juan to name a few. Making the most of the perfect boating conditions, while working on a Sunkissed tan. Ice Cold Drinks like beer and Juice, as well as snacks will be available on board during the voyage.
It has never been easier to live, that spectacular life of which you have being dreaming of. Tropical beaches, fine white sand with sparkling crystal-clear water running up to touch the shoreline. It is all here waiting for you on the Island of Cozumel. You deserve luxury travel, now it’s possible you can start planning today.
By Santana Warner