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 This small island is located near Mexico’s famous Mayan Riviera and tiny at only 53 km long 15 km wide. With only three per cent of the island developed, much of its interior is covered by marshes, lagoons, scrub, and dense jungle.
The word Cozumel means "land of the sparrows" in the Mayan language. To the Mayans, Cozumel was a sacred island dedicated to the fertility goddess, Ixchel. Mayan women were expected to travel here at least once in their lives to pray and give offerings. The temples and ruins that were built here were invaded by Hernan Cortes in 1519, and due to the building of a US air base in WWII, many were destroyed.
In the 14th century, Cozumel became an important trading port, but foreign diseases slowly destroyed the population leaving it almost uninhabited. During the 17th and 18th century, pirates used the harbors, catacombs, and tunnels dug by the Mayans for their treasure storing needs.
In the beginning of the 20th century, the chewing gum industry focused on Cozumel for its large supply of zapote trees, which in turn led to the discovery of the few ruins left. In the 1960’s, the discovery of the diving reefs by Jacques Cousteau’s changed Cozumel’s history forever. It is now one of the world’s top diving destinations.
Cozumel has a climate typical of the Caribbean. From July to September, average temperatures are in the low to mid-30s. From November to May, temperatures hover around 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, warm breezes and low humidity make the evenings perfect for a stroll along the beach. |
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