Cozumel , a wonderful wedding destination, is easily accessible, for you and your party, by cruise ship, by airplane to an international airport, or by ferry from the mainland. Sandy turquoise-blue water beaches, incredible hotel properties, astonishing downtown patios, gardens and restaurants, are among the many exciting environments that await you at this island paradise.
Cozumel has incredible diving and snorkeling sites including 25 Km of reefs that are part of the second largest barrier reef in the world, Cozumel is not only a famous diving destination, but it is also the largest cruise ship destination in the world.
Cozumel offers you Kilometers of coral formations, white beaches and a variety of leisure activities to do. VW buggy excursions, jungle tours, ruin exploration, horseback riding and amazing shopping are just some of the activities waiting for you in Cozumel.
The climate is humid and tropical, with a rainy season between June and October.
Historically, after the arrival of the first inhabitants (416-435 AD), Cozumel became an important religious center that revolved around the God of Wisdom, Itzamná and his wife Ixchel, Goddess of Fertility.
San Gervacio was the main religious, political and commerce center of the island.
Agriculture was the principal Mayan activity, for which they used and built “milpas” and “pet kots”. Milpas grew a mix of corn, pumpkin, beans, chile peppers, etc.
In the past, the slashing and burning of forest to obtain the needed land for starting a milpa was a successful technique. However, today the growing human population overstresses the system, contributing to a global loss of tropical forest.
Pre-Hispanic low stone walls, or “pet kots”, have been used as a collection site for “wild” tree and plant species, that were used for medicine, food, and construction. The walls were used also for orientation in the dense jungle. As third, the pet kots probably functioned as borders between properties, Pet kots are still being used today.
Cozumel was discovered by the Spaniards on May 3, 1518. These Europeans came with violence and they brought diseases such as the Black Plague. In no time, the island was deserted.
Repopulation occurred no sooner than three centuries later, when many people fled the peninsula because of La Guerra de Castas (“War of Races”). In 1900, the island had 971 inhabitants. In 1922, the first hotel was built.
The international airport was built in which, together with the harbor, enabled the development of tourism.
The state of Quintana Roo was established in 1974. In 2000 the population of Cozumel grew to 60,025 people. Now more than ever there is a huge need for environmental protection due to increasing population and tourism.
Cozumel contains numerous ruins and pre-Hispanic structures. The majority of them have their origin from 1200-1600 AD, the Postclassical period. The biggest site is San Gervasio.
The island′s flora consists of coastal dunes, mangroves, and tropical dry forests.
Littoral zone vegetation occurs abundantly on the east coast of the island and is characterized by its salt-tolerance and thick waxy leaves. It contains ground-level herbs and branching bushes.
Mangrove systems can often be found next to the coastal dune area. They are located in areas that are periodically or permanently flooded with brackish water. Mangrove vegetation encompasses almost the entire perimeter of Cozumel.
Majority of Cozumel′s flora consists of medium and low tropical dry forest. Life zones of tropical dry forest are frost-free areas where the mean annual temperature is above 17ºC; mean annual rain-fall ranges from 250-2,000mm. Low tropical dry forest contains the same species as medium forest. They are not as high, however. Medium tropical dry forest is composed of several vertical layers: trees, bushes and herbs.
