Explore the Best Beaches in Cozumel: A Detailed Guide

We have been to Cozumel many times, and every time we try to check out as many popular beaches as possible. One week is actually enough time to explore the best beaches this island has to offer! If you’re looking for more information for your next trip to Cozumel, check out our detailed Cozumel Travel Guide. In this beach guide we’ll score and rank the top 3 beaches that we visited, rating their water, sand, waves, location, and convenience to other amenities. We’re using Mexican beaches as the baseline with a 5 in any category being considered average. We decided not to give a number for waves because there is no universal definition of a “good wave.” If you’re a surfer, you want something entirely different than someone relaxing on the beach with a couple of cocktails. Instead of a number we will give a general description of the waves!

Watch this Snorkeling Vlog to see shots from Playa Chen Rio and Playa Palancar!

3. Playa El Cielo

man sitting on crystal clear blue beach in mexico

SAND : 8	WATER : 5
LOCATION : 1	AMENITIES : 1

SAND: 8

The sand here is very nice. It’s fine and white, and, compared to the vast majority of beaches, it is incredible. However, every beach in Cozumel is incredible, and where this one falls short is the high number of shells mixed into the sand and the seaweed all over the beach. Because of the shells, the sand can be a bit painful to walk on in some places, and the seaweed detracts from the overall pure beauty of the sand. Very good, but not the best on the island!

WATER: 9

The water here is incredible, just like the water everywhere on this island. It is immaculately clear, only goes up to your knees for a very long time, and is nice and warm. A 9 is a great score, but it might leave you wondering “what’s the catch? Why isn’t it a 10?” The answer is simple. Depending where you’re at on this beach, there is a ton of seaweed in the water. So much that you’re almost weary of walking in parts of the water, because honestly who knows whats under that stuff?

LOCATION: 6

This one is located just about a 40-minute cab ride from the center of town, which isn’t necessarily the most convenient location. It’s just a few minutes away from the very south tip of the island. It is near the Ecological park which is a nice feature of this beach, but all in all it’s pretty remote.

AMENITIES: 1

I couldn’t bring myself to give a 0 for any category, but the fact is that this beach is really remote and near absolutely no amenities. Everything is a drive away. You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks, and I’ll use that as my justification for giving this beach more than a 0 here. There is also cell signal, which isn’t a guarantee at some of these beaches.

WAVES

Extremely relaxed, and the drop off is so steady that you can be at waist-depth 40 feet into the water!

★

OVERALL SCORE

Six doesn’t feel like a high enough score for such a great beach, but that’s just how the math works out. Don’t let the number deter you – go! Just be sure to bring your own towels, food, drinks, and anything else you need. Also it might be a good idea to have your taxi driver wait for you, because drivers won’t pass by here very often.

2. Playa Chen Rio

man embracing woman in flowing white skirt on white sand beach in cozumel

bikini model looking out at ocean on gorgeous white sand beach in mexico

SAND : 10	WATER : 10
LOCATION : 9	AMENITIES : 6

SAND: 10

The sand here is literally perfect. It is beautifully white, very fine, mostly free of any impurities (like shells) and the slope into the water is so gradual. This sand (and the sand in our top-ranked beach) is the greatest sand you’ll find in Cozumel…and probably in all of Mexico.

WATER: 10

Are you getting the hint that this beach rocks? The water is absolutely stunning. From a distance there are so many shades of blue, but up close it is crystal clear. You can swim 20 feet into the ocean and still see your feet without goggles. The clarity is absurd. On top of that, the water is warm, because its on the Caribbean coast of the island. It doesn’t get better than this.

LOCATION: 9

While this beach is about a 30-minute taxi from the center of town, that’s on par with the rest of the good beaches on the island. It isn’t necessarily convenient to get to, but its no less convenient than all of the others. The plus to the location is that it is beautifully remote. By this we mean that it is not horribly difficult to get to, but it is far enough away and sufficiently isolated that you might have 100 feet of pristine beach all to yourself. It’s pretty incredible.

AMENITIES: 6

There is a restaurant located right on the northern end of this beach, which means you have access to food, drinks, and bathrooms if you want or need. We chose to bring our own food and drinks and never needed to visit the restaurant. It’s nice to have one, though, which is what lands this beach a 6 in the amenities category.