Explore Refresh

July 2022 by Kate Gray

We have traveled to some pretty awesome places, and many of them several years ago. I’d like to share them anyway, even though the dates will be off in the headings. Although, we visited Cozumel a little over 3 years ago, I still have the wonderful memories, can taste the food, and feel the sensations of being there. It’s also nice to keep a journal, which I did! To be sure, I looked online to see if the various restaurants and sites are still in business, which they are, so that’s good to know! We’d love to go back.

First of all, we gave ourselves plenty of time to renew our passports because we were traveling internationally from the United States. Our flight was direct, but you can fly into Cancun and then take a ferry for about 45 minutes. There are also huge cruise ships that port there with a big touristy area. Traveling with kids made it more convenient for us to take a direct flight and rent a small car from the airport. It takes around 4 hours to get around the island while stopping along the way to take in all the beauty at the various beaches, and enjoying the beach bars and restaurants. We saw tourists who had rented mopeds as well. Before I forget, use Reef Safe sunscreen or wear a rash guard, and you’ll definitely want bug spray, after all, much of the island is mangrove forest.

We prefer to have experiences off the beaten path and submerge ourselves in the culture, so we stayed at a boutique hotel and ate at local restaurants. It also helps to know some Spanish, while not required, it’s considerate to know basic courtesies, for example , hola, gracias, por favor, adios, and buenos dias. My years of Spanish classes came in handy, as well, and I found the language started to come back to me after years of not using it. We found most locals spoke English though.

Our beautiful, small hotel called El Encanto Cozumel was about a 15 minute walk to restaurants, a coffee shop and a grocery store. Within the gates it was like a tropical oasis, with lush gardens and a bohemian chic vibe. We were in a villa, that was separated from the other guests, with a kitchen and front porch with hammock. We parked our car right there. The whole place had a tranquil feeling and we met other guests at the pool who were enjoying their stay. The pool was perfectly refreshing, especially since it was so hot and humid. After a day at the beach and exploring, coming back to the beautiful gardens and taking a dip was exactly what we wanted. There was also a charming gift shop in the reception area with handmade clothing, art and jewelry which was a nice touch. I purchased a handmade embroidered shirt. The only issue we had was the barking dogs at night. We go to bed early, maybe that was part of it. We didn’t really see the dogs much, but at night they would bark when I assume people would walk by the property. One night, my husband ran out in his boxers yelling like a madman at the barking dogs. There were security cameras and so I imagine the video footage was quite funny.

A major highlight was the beach at Playa Palancar. It was maybe a 30 minute drive from our hotel, easy parking, you pay about $20 for lounge chairs with umbrellas and servers come to you. What more could you want? It was gorgeous. The water was turquoise blue with gentle lapping waves so it felt safe for the kids. We had fun snorkeling there too. The sand was soft, and people were mellow and relaxed.

We spent a couple days on the beach and playing in the Caribbean Sea, but another highlight was the Museo de La Istla Cozumel. It was really well done with various exhibits of art and history of the Mayan culture. It felt good to get out of the heat and spend time in the cool AC, and take a break from the sun. We all enjoyed this rich cultural experience.

Another day we decided to go to the Jade Cenote in the village of El Cedral. It was a rather quiet and sleepy town, with little souvenir shops and a man selling fresh coconuts. He was cutting them with a machete while a dog and a large pig competed for the scraps, which was fun to watch. We purchased some gifts and a handwoven hammock chair. Walking around, we looked at some Mayan ruins and a small church near the town square. The cenote was a drive into the jungle outside of town on an extremely bumpy and narrow road. We were getting nervous about the rental car not making it, so we parked. Some other tourists had the same idea and parked as well, so we walked together to the cenote. We had visions of swimming in cold, clear water which would’ve been amazing on such a hot and humid day, however, we were sadly disappointed. The cenote cave was full of bats hanging from the ceiling with murky water. The air was dank and there was no way we’d be getting in. The environment was quite beautiful with its vines and lush plants, and we agreed it wasn’t what we were hoping, but it was a part of the adventure. Plus, we could swim back at the hotel.

Probably, my most favorite experience of the whole trip, was the snorkeling off a pier of a resort near Alberto’s Beach Bar. First, we randomly found this restaurant for an early dinner. Incredible view, table in the sand, delicious food and snorkeling right there off the beach. There were so many fish. Then it got better. Some other diners told us to check out the snorkeling just a short walk down the beach off the pier. We were so glad they told us, because it was totally magical with colorful fish all around us. There were many other people swimming and snorkeling as well. It felt like we explored the underwater paradise for hours, just transfixed, until the sun started to set. More people came out to watch the sun set. The beach bar band started playing “Hotel California,” which wouldn’t be my top choice, but what the heck. As we headed back to the restaurant and our car, we may have accidentally photo bombed a couple getting engaged on the beach. Oops.

What can I say about the food? Yes please. Take me back right now. Gracias. I can’t even begin to describe the wonderful meals we ate, but I’ll list our favorite restaurants. La Gloria Botica de Sabores- I could taste the love in the mole sauce and feel it in my soul. Our meals were authentic and delicious and the interior was bright and colorful. We loved it. K’ooben Laab- homemade pastas, creative salads and quality ingredients in a laid back, boho vibe. It was so delicious we went back for breakfast the next day! La Cuisine by Nutribalance was walking distance to our hotel, so we ate there a few times for breakfast. Everything was fresh and healthy. We had smoothies, fresh juices, amazing salads, fruit bowls, and great coffee. The ambience was light and airy with green plants in the windows. El Paloma’s Cozumel- we had a delicious dinner in this beautiful and historic building along the downtown promenade overlooking the sea. It had a chic, old world aesthetic and we watched the sun set over the water. Casa Mission Restaurant- also historical with lovely old architecture, a beautiful garden and fountains. The waiter made our Cesar salad at our table, which was interesting to watch and delicious to eat, while a mariachi band serenaded the diners. Rasta’s Punta Sur- beach bar with gorgeous views of the more wild, windswept side of the island. We sat at a table on the beach with our feet in the sand while eating lunch. Pretty great.

Exploring this island was a blast. Chilling on the beaches and swimming in the gorgeous Caribbean Sea was so relaxing and therapeutic. Oh how I love to explore and refresh.