Cozumel

Laid-back Cozumel is a study in contrasts. It's Mexico's busiest cruise ship port with thousands of day-trippers wandering the streets and packing beach clubs. At night, the island's sole town of San Miguel reverts to its trademark tranquillity with families congregating around the plaza and couples strolling the malecón. Overnight visitors tend to stick to hotel beaches and the water when the sun's out, surfacing to stroll the streets and dine in small cafes in evening.

Hurricane Wilma battered Cozumel for more than 36 hours in October 2005, crumbling cruise piers and totally trashing hotels. The big ships were back in no time, but tourism recovered slowly. After a year's rebuilding effort most hotels had reopened better than ever, and many of the island's best restaurants were reborn.

Cozumel's biggest attraction is the Mesoamerica Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world. Reefs off the island's shores are protected in a national marine park, and the diving and snorkelling are superb.

Divers are Cozumel's hugest fans (if you don't count the cruise-ship passengers). But many of Cozumel's visitors are more interested in the island lifestyle than the underwater scenery. Families and couples are attracted to low-key all-inclusive resorts while more independent types find plenty of hotels in town and on the beaches. Travellers from colder climes linger for weeks in winter, while those seeking lower room rates come in summer.

Cozumel is 19km (12 miles) off the east coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. The town of San Miguel is 3km (2 miles) south of the airport.

Cozumel is a 189 square mile flat limestone shelf at the edge of the Caribbean. Most hotels, businesses, and the town are on the west (leeward) side of the island. The windward coast and much of the scrubby jungle in the interior remain largely undeveloped.

Cozumel's beaches took a battering in Hurricane Wilma and are slowly recovering. Sand is still sparse in some areas, but the water is gorgeous and easily accessed from the limestone shore. Beach clubs with plenty of amusements line the southwest coast. The most gorgeous stretch of white sand is in Parque Punta Sur (Carretera Sur, near the junction with windward coast road), a national nature preserve.

San Gervasio (7km or 4.5 miles down the San Gervasio access road off the Carretera Transversal) is Cozumel's largest Maya archaeological site and was a sacred site for Maya women seeking the aid of the fertility goddess Ixchel. The town of San Miguel is worth visiting several times during your stay. Plenty of restaurants and shops line the main downtown pedestrian streets. The golf course at the Cozumel Country Club (Carretera Norte Km 5) (website: www.cozumelcountryclub.com.mx) is an Audubon International sanctuary as interesting to birdwatchers as duffers.

Cozumel is an easy family destination. Children are amused by the schools of fish swimming close to beaches and find plenty of play equipment at beach clubs. Many hotels have clubs and activities for children; the all-inclusive resorts are best for full-scale programmes. The Museo de la Isla de Cozumel (Avenida Rafael Melgar, between Calles 4 and 6 Norte) has exhibits of the sealife, and impressive collection of shells and corals, and historical displays. Snorkelling and swimming are especially good at Parque Chakanaab (Carretera Sur Km 9), a marine park with dolphins, a botanical park, and exhibits on the Maya.

Cozumel's shops cater to the cruise ship crowd and stock predictable crafts and T-shirts. Large jewellery stores take up much of the waterfront while small souvenir shops line the back streets. Los Cinco Soles (Avenida Rafael Melgar at Calle 8) is the best for folk art from throughout Mexico and carries an excellent array of fine tequilas. Chedraui (Avenida Rafael Melgar at Calle 11) is the largest supermarket selling groceries, cigarettes and alcohol.

Nightlife isn't a big deal here. Revellers start their drinking early at Carlos 'n Charlies and Señor Frog's in Punta Langosta mall (Avenida Rafael Melgar 599) and other casual outdoor bars along the waterfront. The sole disco is Neptuno's (Avenida Rafael Melgar at Calle 11).

Quite naturally, seafood is abundant at Cozumel's many small restaurants. The fanciest places tend toward Italian or American fare and a few in-town restaurants serve authentic Yucatecan cuisine. Franchise restaurants have yet to overtake Cozumel's dining scene and there are still plenty of cafes, taco stands and coffeehouses with reasonable prices.

A single road travels the circumference of the island. It's called Avenida Rafael Melgar in town, Carretera Norte and Carretera Sur on the leeward side, and simply the coastal road on the windward side. No public buses cover this road, but taxis are plentiful and fairly inexpensive. Motor scooters are the preferred vehicle for locals and are easily available for hire, but accidents are common. Hire cars and Jeeps are far safer.

Playa del Carmen and the mainland Caribbean coast (called the Riviera Maya) are a short ferry ride from Cozumel. Shopping and dining options are more varied in Playa than on Cozumel, and the town has a youthful international vibe. The archaeological site of Tulum is near Playa, as are several cenotes (freshwater sinkholes) popular with divers. Buses run frequently from the Playa del Carmen terminal to Tulum and other points of interest along the coast.

To sample Cozumel's most luxurious setting, book at beachfront suite at the Presidente InterContinental Cozumel hotel (Carretera Chankanaab Km 6.5). One of the oldest and most-beloved hotels on the island, the Presidente was completely transformed into Cozumel's only five-star property after Hurricane Wilma. Its Mandara Spa is fabulous, and Alfredo di Roma restaurant serves divine imported cheeses and wines with its homemade pastas. If you can't go for the full splurge, book a sunset dinner at Alfredo's and come early to enjoy cocktails accompanied by guitar ballads by the sea.

Cozumel Airport (CZM)