Cozumel

Just south of Cancun and opposite Playa del Carmen, Cozumel is the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean as well as an important cruise ship port. Home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world - the Mesoamerican Reef - Cozumel is a paradise for snorkeling and scuba diving enthusiasts. White, unblemished beaches stretch north to south, east to west, leaving travelers taken with the island's seemingly endless swathes of sand. The city of San Miguel de Cozumel is the largest city on the island and the right place to get a peek into the mystical Mayan culture and catch a glimpse of Spanish colonial architecture.