Cozumel is a Mexican island in the Caribbean just 12 miles from the Yucatan Peninsula. Small, quiet, and mostly undeveloped, its incredible beaches, perfect food, Mayan ruins, and fabulous all-inclusive resorts make it the perfect honeymoon getaway. Many of the resorts have special honeymoon packages for just that purpose. Cozumel’s main industry is tourism, so they how to cater to and pamper their visitors.
Due to its crystal clear waters, Cozumel is known for its excellent diving opportunities with more than 30 reefs to explore. Columbia Reef is one of the world’s incredible deep dives with coral pinnacles close to 100 feet. Jack Cousteau himself called Cozumel “one of the top 10 dive spots in the world.” Most resorts can arrange diving and snorkeling lessons. The beaches are beautiful, secluded, and pristine.
The main town of San Miguel has a plethora of high-end duty-free shopping for alcohol, leather goods, jewelry, cigars, and liquor. A special shopping treat is the Black Coral Gallery, with its very rare black coral jewelry. These make a unique souvenir or gift.
Cozumel’s Caribbean location also makes it the perfect day trip launching site. Playa del Carmen’s and Cancun’s exotic nightlife are a chance of pace from the exotic beaches. For honeymooners who prefer the tranquility of Cozumel but still want to see one of the Seven Wonders of the world, the magnificent Mayan ruins and pyramids of Chichen Itza, there are guided tours beginning with a ferry ride to Mexico, land transportation, and lunch before heading back to Cozumel.
From peaceful beaches to striking Mexican adventures, a honeymoon in Cozumel has it all.
Best Hotels and Resorts for a Cozumel Honeymoon
Iberostar Cozumel
The all-inclusive Iberostar Cozumel is situated by the world’s second-largest coral reef, making it a beloved destination for divers. The hotel’s diving center has instructors and boats to take guests exploring the waters. They will also help with PADI certification.
Comfortable rooms have either a garden or ocean view, and most have a private balcony or terrace. The restaurants at the hotel offer Mexican and Japanese dining. Cocktails are served at the La Perla Pool Bar, the beach bar, and the lobby bar. Guests can soak in the spa’s hot tub or treat themselves to a variety of soothing massages. There are activities galore, from water polo, yoga, volleyball, and incredible snorkeling and diving.
Cozumel Palace
The all-inclusive Cozumel Palace by the shore of the Caribbean is the winner of the 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best award. Couples can embrace luxury in suites with in-room double whirlpools, a balcony, and a private hammock. Twenty-four-hour room service is a given in a palace where pampering guests is priority one.
Dining ranges from Mexican, Italian, to Asian, all served with the appropriate top-shelf wine and cocktails. Or enjoy some pizza and chocolate by the pool.
The hotel’s Honeymoon Package includes a bottle of wine, sweet petit fours, breakfast in bed, and a romantic dinner. The pampering continues in the spa, where couples have a choice of a plethora of massages.
The Palace Cozumel is all about romance and weddings. With a minimum of ten registered wedding guests, it will arrange a wedding on the beach. The wedding planners will also arrange for an officiant, 30 wedding chairs, music, wine, dinner for 30 guests, and breakfast in bed the next day for the happy couple.
The Explorean Cozumel
The all-inclusive Explorean Cozumel is a stunning honeymoon resort. Accommodations consist of small villas, most with balconies, and some with a view of the jungle.
Lool Kan Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the occasional surprise snack. Guests can laze in the Lobby Bar after a long day and enjoy a cool drink. Explorean Cozumel will arrange various excursions around the island. For the adventuresome, there are three-wheel motorcycle trips.
The Na’Ha’ Spa uses ancient Mayan treatments to replenish both the mind and the body, to be followed by a visit to the steam room.
Playa Azul Cozumel Hotel
The Playa Azul Cozumel Hotel is the winner of the 2021 TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Award. The normal stay includes breakfast, but guests can opt for an all-inclusive plan. The hotel has 32 rooms and 8 suites with an ocean view. Four of the suites have a balcony with a private jacuzzi.
The hotel serves both Mexican and Caribbean cuisine and can accommodate vegans.
Savia Spa is influenced by ancient Mayan cultures in its rejuvenating treatments, body scrubs, and hour-long massages. The mini spa plan includes a facial, a pedicure, exfoliation, and a massage.
The hotel has a pool and a game room, and the Diving Center has lessons for all levels of divers and will take guests out on daily trips. This is part of the all-inclusive service. From May through September, the Diving Center will introduce snorkelers to the local whale sharks.
All honeymoon and anniversary visitors will have a room with a jacuzzi, fresh roses, breakfast in bed, chocolates, and wine. A special honeymoon package with a four-night stay includes a romantic candlelit dinner with wine and two visits to the spa.
Presidente Intercontinental
Presidente Intercontinental is by Cozumel’s largest beach and is one of the world’s favored diving and snorkeling destinations. It is a AAA 4 Diamond hotel, which places it in the top 4.2 percental of exclusive hotels. Its 218 rooms and suites are decorated with a Mexican flair and have a balcony or terrace.
Special high-end suites have a whirlpool tub, a plunge pool, and/or a large deck. For a special stay, the Esmeralda Suite has two swimming pools, a dining room, direct beach access, and an area for a campfire. The Sapphire Presidential Suite has its own wine cellar and bar along with two pools. Le Cap Restaurant is situated on the beach with an incredible view of the sunset to accompany dinner.
The diving center offers classes in snorkeling, and diving and offers fishing and snorkeling trips.
The wedding planning team can arrange a civil ceremony, a symbolic observance, an LGBTQ wedding, as well as an authentic Mayan ceremony performed by a Mayan shaman.
Culture in Cozumel
Cozumel may be a part of Mexico but is it of Mayan descent, and the effects of the Mayan culture can still be felt, especially in their art, natural medicine, and weaving of cloth. However, the Cozumel economy has bloomed due to tourism. These days, Cozumel is all about its amazing beaches. It is merely a question of which one.
Playa Punta Marina
Playa Punta Morena is on Cozumel’s eastern shore and is a great beach for surfers. Swimmers should take heed of the occasional strong current. The beach is lined with eateries, souvenir kiosks, and places to get cool drinks. For everyone’s comfort, there are loungers and umbrellas to just relax and drink in the tranquility.
El Cielo Beach
With its pure turquoise water, El Cielo is a popular snorkeling beach. It is best known for the huge starfish that can be spotted through the water. The best way to get to El Cielo is by taking a boat tour such as a four-hour Cozumel Cruise Tours which includes a hotel pick-up to the best snorkeling spots, freshly made guacamole, and cold drinks. Honeymooners and other celebrants can expect a cake.
Passion Island
Passion Island is a private island off the coast of Cozumel. This is an all-inclusive breathtaking gem and a favored Cozumel excursion.
The Isla Pasion offers powdery white sand and the clearest water imaginable. With a five-hour day pass, guests can enjoy an all-inclusive cash bar, a buffet, beach sports, hammocks, and lockers with showers. This checks all the boxes for a romantic beach honeymoon afternoon.
Top Things to Do in Cozumel
Chankanaab Adventure Beach Park
A short taxi ride will bring visitors to the Chankanaab Adventure Beach Park, a wonderful adventure park for adults, especially couples. A day pass includes some fabulous snorkeling, equipment, and snorkeling lessons, time on the beach with the dolphins and sea lions, as well as lunch and two beers, loungers, and lockers. There is an optional tour through the botanical garden.
Here, couples can stroll among the orchids, water lilies, and 60 different types of palm trees, as well as the 60 sculptures honoring the Aztec and Maya cultures.
San Gervasio Ruins
San Gervasio Ruins is where Mayan women honored the goddess of fertility and love, Ixchel. Quite an appropriate visit while on a honeymoon. Cozumel Tours has guided excursions to the ruins that provide a lot of historical information.
El Museo de la Isla de Cozumel (Cozumel Island Museum)
The museum in downtown San Miguel depicts the island’s history along with Mayan and Spanish colonial artifacts.
Cozumel Bar Hop
Cozumel Bar Hop takes guests through some of the lesser-known sections of Cozumel, away from the crowds, for a hopping good time while meeting fellow visitors. Each of the four venues has authentic Caribbean food with great drinks.
The place to meet and the first stop is Senor Frog, with its great food, singing, dancing, and fun ambiance. Just unleash your inner frog and hop. Moving on to the Punta Morena by the beach and grab a lounger end enjoy some tasty food and drinks to the sound of the waves. Continue to Coconuts Bar and Grill situated on Cozumel’s highest point. The second floor is a bit of a secret, but it offers a marvelous view. They serve both American and Mexican food with beer. The resident iguana, Elvis, will happily pose for selfies. We blush to admit it, but topless women can pose for selfies here, as well. Probably not with Elvis, though.
The final leg of the bar hop is El Pescador which is also right on the beach. Enjoy the tasty food and strong drinks.
Average Cost of a One-Week Trip to Cozumel
An average honeymoon week in Cozumel can cost between, $2,314 to $4,364, or $331 to $623 per day. Average food and sightseeing costs will range from $98 to $278, and two to three-star accommodations are between $100 to $124 per day. Economy fights can be had for as low as $680 and as high as $1,390.
Best Time to Visit Cozumel
Cozumel is a dream beach vacation. The months of March to May provide the most comfortable weather and the least rain. The water temperature is between 72 and 82 degrees, which makes for perfect swimming, diving, and snorkeling. It is ideal lazing-on-the-beach weather.
Cozumel’s wet season lasts from May to October, with hurricanes possible from June to November. But even the wet season has more sunny days than rainy ones. Rainfalls are short, and clear skies soon return. It’s a great time for Cozumel’s famed snorkeling. This coincides with the whale shark season, and lucky divers get to swim along with these harmless giants.
Weather in Cozumel
Cozumel has some marvelous weather year-round. The summer months of July and August see a comfortable high in the low 90s. The temperature lowers to the 70s in December and January.
To make up for its great temperatures, Cozumel has not one but two rainy seasons. The first one is from October to January and the second one is April through July. The summer rains are usually short occurrences.
The temperature of the waters surrounding the island at 76 to 83 degrees throughout the entire year.
Getting to Cozumel
Cozumel has an international airport in San Miguel. There are non-stop flights from Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, and Miami via United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Airlines daily.
Frontier Airlines has non-stop flights out of Denver.
Another option is to fly into Cancun and take a ferry to Cozumel.