Cozumel Bonita

Cozumel offers the quintessential island experience. Located on the eastern tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the tiny island is just 30 miles long and 10 miles wide. There's nothing flashy or loud about Cozumel, it reflects a quiet beauty that encourages you to come closer. Covered in bamboo, cedar and palm trees, orchids, red ginger and plumeria as well as white sand beaches lining jade waters, the island glows with natural beauty. I've been to Cozumel (briefly) before and was not impressed. The beaches were rocky and crowded with drunk cruise ship tourists. I didn't appreciate the aggressive hawking of souvenirs or that all the locals spoke to travellers in English, not even a "Como Esta?" could be heard. It was like my worst Cancun nightmare on a smaller scale. But when I was invited on a Cozumel media trip for Royal Holiday resorts, I decided to give the island another chance and I'm glad I did. I saw another side of Cozumel that revealed it's Mayan heart.



Settled by the Maya over 2000 years ago, the name Cozumel means "land of the swallows." The island remains an important cultural site for the Maya and this is revealed on many levels that I'll be exploring in later posts. At the Park Royal hotel where we stayed, the lush grounds are accented with Mayan art like this fountain.



The beach overflows with vividly colored fish and palm trees for shade.



There's also a stunning infinity pool with a partially submerged bar and water that lets out into the ocean.



The open air lobby also displays Maya heritage with a thatched roof and several towering sculptures like this one.



But my favorite part was the family of peacocks that lives on the grounds. This is one of the males but we played with females and babies as well. They strut though the grass and the cafes, posing for photos and lolling in the sun. I think they demonstrate the loveliness and laid-back feel of Cozumel pretty well.