Cozumel in Mexico is a Caribbean cruise ship capital famous for its magazine-worthy dive spots, thanks to its location on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest in the world. Yet, it’s an under-the-radar island to visit on your own steam. If you steer clear of the crowds and look below the surface, Cozumel reveals a rich, traditional Mexican flavour with crowd-free corners. My genuine island experience began unexpectedly, with a chance invitation from some locals.
My trip to Cozumel started in Japan. We were holed up in a hotel in Hiroshima, waiting out a typhoon, and happened to swap travel stories with some Mexicans over sake in the bar, like a group of gap-year backpackers waiting for the wind and rain to let up. Days later, they insisted I visit them in Cozumel. Who was I to be disagreeable?
