Not to miss

Playa San Francisco

A 14km (9mi) jaunt from San Miguel on Cozumel's west coast, Playa San Francisco is one nice sandy spread. And with white sands running for more than 3km (2mi) it's a popular spot, where locals and daytrippers from the cruise ships go to snorkel, relax and play beach games like volleyball.

It's a great spot to picnic, which is fortunate as the restaurants are generally pricey. If dive shops get your heart pumping, you'll find plenty to keep you occupied here. A more isolated option is Playa Palancar, a few kilometres south. Jet-ski-less waters make it a beautiful place for a swim.

San Miguel de Cozumel

Isla Cozumel's only town is San Miguel de Cozumel, where you'll find many restaurants, bars, hotels, tour agencies, banks and other amenities. It is well-equipped to deal with the global influx - you can chow down on food ranging from vegetarian to Mediterranean to local mesquite-grilled chicken.

The waterfront Avenida Rafael Melgar bustles with cruise-ship tourists; wander off the track a little for a dose of the vibrant local scene. Before leaving, check out the Museo de la Isla de Cozumel for the lowdown on the island's flora, fauna (especiallly the reef corals) and ancient Mayan history.

Parque Punta Sur

At this over-priced eco-park, visitors board an open vehicle for the 3km (2mi) ride to visit picturesque Celarain lighthouse and the small nautical museum at its base. Another vehicle carries visitors to Laguna Colombia, stomping ground of crocodiles and many resident and migratory waterfowl. Of course you'll only see crocs when it suits them.

Punta Molas

Head northeast, fellow traveler, and you'll find yourself at the deserted lighthouse of Punta Molas. But take a 4WD, as this point isn't the easiest to reach. You'll want to fill up that gas tank and be prepared - there isn't much traffic around here to flag down for help. Once in the vicinity, you'll find some fairly good beaches and some minor ruins. The best camping spot along the road is at the lovely Playa Bonita

Playa Palancar

Palancar is one of the island's nicest publicly accessible beaches. There's a beach club that rents hydro bikes, kayaks, snorkeling gear and sailboats, plus a restaurant and a dive operation. Nearby Arrecife Palancar (Palancar Reef) has some very good diving and snorkeling spots.