Cozumel City Information

Area: 490 sq km
Population: 67,000
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -6 (Central Standard Time)
When to Go
The busy winter tourism season, when prices reach their peak, overtakes the island from mid-December to April. This time of year is attractive not just because it's winter in North America and Europe (and you can make friends back home jealous with your souvenir tan), but also because it's not raining and the heat isn't unbearably muggy. May, the end of the dry season, and June, the start of the rains, sees Cozumel at its hottest and muggiest - don't come at this time, if you can help it.
Summer tourists start pouring in during July and August, which are hot, with temps in the high-80°s to low-90°sF (30-33°C), and not overwhelmingly rainy. September and October are less rainy and a lot less crowded. The ideal time to arrive, however, is probably November through to early December, when it is even drier and quieter.

Getting There & Away

There's always something happening at Cozumel's international airport, which sees many direct flights from other parts of Mexico and the USA. Flights from Europe and other continents are usually less direct, routed through Mexico City or the USA.
Another option is to arrive via the seas. Passenger ferries run from Playa del Carmen, and car ferries run from Puerto Morelos.

Getting Around
Aside from the minibus from the airport into town, there is no bus service on the island. Taxis are available, however. For a look-see at the sights, you could probably haggle with a taxi driver to give you a tour of the island, drop you at a beach, and come back and pick you up, and still pay out less than you might for a rental car. But for more freedom, a rental car is definitely the go; there are agencies aplenty around the main plaza. Moped rental prices are often negotiable - be sure to ask for a helmet, or risk a fine. Bicycles are the most inexpensive way to get about.