Information about Cozumel weather, restaurants, beaches and links to maps and books.

As a tourist destination, Cozumel is one of the top locations in Mexico. Hardly surprising since its beautiful beaches, clear waters and spectacular reefs are a major draw to divers and sun lovers alike.

The local people are super-friendly, the restaurants are abundant and the nightlife is superb.

Its difficult to think of another Carribean holiday destination that offers so much value for money!

	Each year Cozumel attracts hundreds of divers and snorklers. In 1961 Jacques Cousteau, the famous marine biologist and filmmaker, produced a series of documentaries in the waters off Cozumel. From then onward, divers flocked to the island to dive the reefs that have been listed in top dive locations in the world.
The dive conditions and warm waters with clarity of up to 200 feet, are unmatched. Depths of dive range a shallow 20 feet to 130 feet or more. Drift diving is the most common form of diving in Cozumel.Drifing allows divers to explore a dive site while they move along with the current, it also requires less effort. The dive boat follows the group on the surface and picks them up at the end of the dive.
	Come and see the extensive reef system with swim throughs, swaying sea anenomies, coral gardens and steep shelf walls teeming with all types of life, all often within distance of the beach make Cozumel and excelled destination for snorklers and divers alike. Photographers will love the clarity and abundance of color and will have no problem snapping underwater shots to rival the professionals.
There are many dive shops on Cozumel, catering to all levels of ability, from introductory "resort courses" for the beginner to technical diving for the more experienced. Most of the dive sites are within the Marine Park, a zone protected by the Mexican government.

Cozumel has an abundance of restaurants of every type. Be it exotic, romantic, chic, or rustic you will never be short of a choice of eating places on your vacation and not all are Mexican, one of the most popular is the Chinese restaurant Chi's.

Fresh seafood dishes are the speciality of Cozumel restaurants and ceviche with tortillas is a common appetizer. You will also find authentic Mexican and Yucatan dishes such as Chicken Mole which unexpectedly mixes chocolate with chilis, tomatoes, and spices for a great flavour. Be warned, once you have tried the "real thing" you will no longer be satisfied by the Tex-Mex at home. Try Lobster House, Capi Navegante, Conchita del Caribe for seafood, for Mexican, La Chosa, Primas, Casa Denis, Senora Grill ...are only some of the many.

If you want to try something a little different, eat at restaurants where the locals eat. Most eat around mid-day, often at Concina Economicas. These little local restaurants, part time businesses, often run out of a residents own kitchen, offer great value. Casa Olivia is within easy walking distance of the most popular of these. The most recommended is Chilangos and the Three Patitos is a popular local takeaway serving empanadas, stuffed pastries. If you are hesitant to "eat local" look for a busy establishment, this is the best recommendation. Once you try one, you will wish you had done it sooner.

There are also a number of great breakfast restaurants ... Rock and Java, Zermatt Bakery, Coco's ...and if you want your breakfast with a view you can't do better than the Museum.

If you want to cook at home you will find what you need at the local market, supermarkets Chedraui and San Fransisco, or Pasquadellis for those "hard to find" items.

On Cozumel you will never be far away from good food.

When visiting a new area it is always a good idea to get some information on the "lay of the land" and a good map to get the most out of your trip. Even those who have visited before can discover a thing or two they may otherwise have missed. At Casa Olivia you will find we provide some excellent maps and books (including map chick's popular maps of Cozumel and diving locations ... but you might also want to check out the selection below.

The books and maps listed below will help you to prepare your holiday "must do" list.

Everyone wants a great beach when on holiday and Cozumel has some of the best beaches in the Carribean all waiting to be discovered by you!

	There is a choice of three types of beach on Cozumel; the soft white sand beaches, the rocky ironstone and the man made beaches. My first choice is definately the wonderful powder soft white sands that are truely like something out of your favorite travel magazine. These sandy beaches are mostly out of town, on the east side of the island. They stretch as far as they eye can see. Hire a car or take a cab and head about fifteen to twenty minutes out of town, you will be glad you did. There you will find your own idylic deserted soft white sand beach, the type everyone dreams of.
These beaches are also a favorite of the locals too. On Sundays they head off in numbers to soft white sands of the east side for family time on the beach. Go during the week and you are almost guaranteed a patch all to yourself. The cab drivers know all the best spots and for an extra fee, will be happy to remain close by till you are ready to come home.
	The rocky ironstone stretches are a great choice for exploration but will jab your feet if you are not wearing rubber shoes or flip-flops. Croc type shoes work great here. Each rocky pool in the ironstone shore is like a mini aquarium. Hunt for the well known "Jacuzzi pool" on the East side. Man made beaches have been developed around the larger hotels, condos, and beach restaurants. Many were washed away during Hurricane Wilma in 2005. These have now been replenished with new soft white sands from other areas and are better than ever.

...On Cozumel there truly is a beach for everyone.

What will the weather be like in ...? ... is a question we hear often. In fact there are very few times when the weather will curtail your holiday enjoymentfor any length of time. The temperature on Cozumel is a fairly consistent 78 - 80 degrees farenheight all year round. The humidity is higher in the summer months, especially during the peak hurricane months of August to October, making it feel much hotter. By midday you will be probably be glad to take a dip in the pool and then retire to the coolness of the air conditioning for an afternoon siesta. The rainfall is often higher in the summer but provides a welcome change from the heat rather than a hindrance to your holiday. Showers, no matter how heavy, seldom last the whole day. Rainfall and thunderstorm forecasts provided by popular weather sites are often misleading. So dont worry if you see a week of thunderstorms predicted	A view of the Corpus Christi Church, less than a minute around the corner from Casa Olivia, on a brilliant blue sky June morning.   for your holiday period on your favorite weather website ... it seldom happens that way. Many are surprised to find how short a time even the heaviest of showers lasts on Cozumel.
	In the evenings the warm evening breezes provide the perfect environment for a pleasant stroll to your favorite restaurant in town or a romantic evening relaxing on the balcony. The weather conditions during the main holiday months from November to May on Cozumel are pure perfection. No-one could wish for better. The humidity is lower and the temperature averages a very pleasant 80 to 85 degrees. The skys are clear and blue during the day with maybe only the occasional short rain shower The evenings are marginally cooler so pack a very light jacket for your evening stroll around town.
For more specific charts and weather information ...including some suggestions as to what to do if it rains ... check our forecast section.

When good weather turns bad ... It difficult to find a good weather forecast source for Cozumel. Most give a general description of what the weather might be like but forecasts of thunderstorms and rain all week are usually vastly overstated. Cozumel is in the tropics however ... and we all love that lush foliage ... so a "bit" of rain is to be expected once in a while. Below you will find some weather forecast information and some tips to help you not only survive but possibly enjoy the occasional damp days on Coz. If there is a heavy downpour when your flight lands, never fear ... the ground staff usually bring a batch of brollys to the plane to assist you to keep dry on your way to the immigration department. On days like these, water resistant luggage helps keep your clothing dry. On Cozumel it rarely rains over the whole island ...so if you have a rental car ... jump in and head off around the island to find a dry spot. Often it will rain on one side of town and be dry on the other. Even heavy rainshowers rarely last long on Coz and things dry out quickly once it stops. Carry a thin disposable raincover with you if it looks cloudy for those unexpected downpours. You will find some of these and a brolly at the house. Save those posh pumps and trainers ... trendy flip flops and Crocs are "the" best footware for wet days! Grab some before you leave and splash through those puddles like a kid again! The chances that you will be "rained out" all week are remote but you will probably have a bit of rain during the rainy months (see chart on weather section). Plan to save some rainy day activities for those days. There are lots of things to do on Cozumel when it rains. Bowling, shopping, museum tours, tequila tasting, movies (at home and Cineplex), DVD's, surf the net, people watch from your favorite restaurant, make some new friends at a local bar, contemplate life in the solitude of a church, read our Cozumel information book or checkout Mapchick's maps of Cozumel and the Reef systems (we have up-to-date copies at the house)... I can guarantee you will learn something new about Coz! Or just simply curl up with a good book ... the list goes on ... and of course, rain does not prevent swimming, snorkling or diving! Personally find one of most reliable weather resources is MSN's weather forecast. So check out below for the latest weather information and dont forget that pinch of salt. For more charts showing monthly, weekly and daily averages, satellite views and a wedding planner from Weather.com click on links below. Links will open in a new window. Average Weather Charts | Satellite on Weather.com | Ten day forecast

Some time ago now, in October 05 Hurricane Wilma dealt the island of Cozumel quite a jolt, especially since it followed so close behind its sister Emily earlier that year, a force four lady who now tends to be forgotten The Cozumeleños however are not a people to be kept down for long and within months of Wilma, their worst hurricane in years, they sprang back with a recovery that was nothing short of amazing. The majority of the buildings here are concrete so many properties, including Casa Olivia, came through with only cosmetic damage. Repairs were speedy and all the regular tourist venues are back in action ...many even better than before.

The new trees that were planted are now thriving and thanks to the tropical climate our garden has returned to the lush green oasis it was before the hurricane.

A visitor to Cozumel today, who knew nothing of the event, would be hard pressed to notice anything out of place.

Have no doubts ...Cozumel has been back in action as a tourist resort for well over a year now.
A testimony to the resilience and character of the wonderful people of Cozumel.