Cozumel sits on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, and the water off Palancar is clear enough that snorkeling from a boat is worth the morning even for people who have never put a mask on. It is the rare port where the headline attraction is genuinely the reason to be there.
It is also enormously busy, across three separate piers, and which pier your ship uses changes the day considerably. That is worth knowing before you book an excursion independently — the difference between a short walk and a long taxi is decided for you when the itinerary is set.
Highlights
- Snorkeling and diving on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
- Palancar and Colombia reefs
- Three separate cruise piers — which one you use matters
- Year-round itineraries; hurricane season June–November
Best time to go: Year-round, with hurricane season June–November peaking in late summer.
