Punta Sur Eco-Park

Cozumel is a beautiful island paradise in the Caribbean. located 40-km off the coast of Playa del Carmen along the Riviera Maya. Punta Sur (South Point) is at the very bottom of the island, and it is part of the protected area that surrounds waters of Cozumel; Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park. There is an incredible beach, with a long stretch of beautiful white sand and an incredible selection of different shades blue in the water, and some of the best snorkeling we’ve ever experienced.

If you just want a nice quiet place to spend the afternoon, the beach here is perfect. There are two beach clubs here that serve food and drinks while you lounge on the beach chairs. The ports of Cozumel are busy, and there are several massive cruise ships that come into port every day. These passengers are always looking for the the best thing to do, and this is it; Punta Sur is our top destination on the island. We’ve been on Cozumel for just over a year now, and it is still our favourite place to take people when they come over to visit the island.

The best thing to do at Punta Sur – in our opinion – is the snorkeling. There are some easy to reach shallow areas where you can see some fish, but just off the coast from Punta Sur is an incredible reef. You have to be a fairly strong swimmer to visit the reef; it takes about 20 minutes to swim out to the first buoy which is where the show starts. Once you get to the starting point, the current will take you along and you won’t have to spend much more effort. The abundance of purple fan coral here is worth the trip alone. This is one of the best snorkeling spots we’ve ever been to! Its absolutely amazing!

Life jackets are mandatory, and even if you’re a strong swimmer, highly reccomended. The beach clubs will try to “rent” lifejackets to you, but they are free if you ask at a different place. You just have to exchange a piece of ID. During our first trip to Punta Sur, we filmed an underwater snorkeling video, so if you a little bit more inspiration, check out our Snorkeling at Punta Sur video from 2018.

There are several things to see and do here besides the beach. You can visit a small Mayan Temple, take a boat trip around the lagoon (or climb the viewing platform) with a good chance to see crocodiles and a lighthouse that you can climb up for some incredible views.

There is no public transit on the far side of the island, so unfortunately it’s not easy to get to Punta Sur. There are a few options; bring your own car (there is a car ferry to service the island) you can rent a car or scooter on the island, book a tour at the port or hire a taxi for the day. We promise, it’s 100% worth it.

There is a lot to do on Cozumel, so its unfortunate so many people visit on a half day trip; it isn’t enough to see everything, but if you have to pick one thing, we suggest Punta Sur. Many people also visit from Playa del Carmen, and there is an hourly ferry service that connects the two cities. To get here from the mainland, it is a short 45 minute ferry ride to the other side, so it’s definitely easy to explore.

Punta Sur Eco Park: