Day trips

Trips worth making

Cozumel is an island, so day trips mean a ferry back to the mainland. If diving is your focus, you may not want to give up a day — but a few options are worth it.

Playa del Carmen — about 45 minutes by ferry

The easiest hop. Playa has a long beach, the Quinta Avenida pedestrian strip and far more restaurants and nightlife than Cozumel. Good for a change of pace and a shopping-and-dinner evening. Worth it if you want a busier night out; skip if you came for quiet water.

Tulum ruins and beach — about 45 minutes ferry, then an hour+ drive

Cliff-top Maya ruins over the Caribbean, plus Tulum’s beach-town scene. It’s a long day from the island and Tulum has grown crowded and pricey, but the ruins themselves are genuinely worth seeing. Go early to beat the heat and tour buses. A full day, not a half.

Cenotes near Playa/Tulum — varies, from about 1 hour off the ferry

The mainland’s freshwater cenotes — swimming and snorkeling in clear limestone caverns — are a strong contrast to reef diving. Dos Ojos and the cenotes along the Tulum road are the accessible picks. Worth it if you have an extra day and want something different.

Honest take

The best trip from Cozumel is often another dive. The reefs here beat most day-trip alternatives. Save the mainland excursions for when you’ve had your fill of the water, or add a night in Playa or Tulum rather than doing it as a rushed round trip.

All travel times are approximate.