In the morning, the A330neo breaks through the cloud cover. Slowly, a white coastline emerges in the turquoise of the Caribbean, followed by the dense green of the incipient jungle. Cancún, Mexico's tourist metropolis, lies beneath the Airbus as it slowly approaches the runway. Everything on the ground runs very quickly and in the next moment a completely overpriced taxi is travelling through the city. Unfortunately, Uber is not available from the arrival terminals.

Next destination: food! Cancún offers everything from street food stalls to fancy restaurants, and all of them have pretty much the same thing on the menu. There are usually tacos, quesadillas and enchiladas on offer. Anyone hoping for cheap food will be disappointed. In terms of price, Mexico is on a par with Germany, at least in the Yucatan region. The quality of the food, but also that of the accommodation and almost everything else, is significantly worse than what we are used to in Europe. Anyone visiting Mexico in the hope of a cheap package holiday will be disappointed. For those who want to experience an exciting culture, great nature and the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen, Mexico is the place to be.

From Cancún, a well-developed motorway takes us along the coast to Playa del Carmen. A beautiful town by the sea. Mainly characterized by American tourists who enjoy the safety and freedom of a country where not everyone runs around with a gun and female nipples are no cause for scandal. White beaches and clear turquoise waters invite you to swim and sunbathe here, at least a little away from the large beach clubs. The beaches south of the centre are particularly perfect for this. Here it is less crowded than in the centre and above all less rocky and not as plagued by algae as is sometimes the case on other beaches. Beyond that, Playa del Carmen doesn't offer too much. If you want to buy European brands at inflated prices, this is certainly the place for you. For everyone else, Cozumel is a great destination for a day trip.

The island of Cozumel is located around 16 kilometres south-east of Playa del Carmen. Our journey through Mexico's diving paradise begins in the island's capital San Miguel de Cozumel. Clear water with easy visibility of 20 metres and a diversity of species just a few metres from the shore that is second to none.

Two different providers offer crossings from the mainland to Cozumel at almost identical conditions. Not exactly cheap at the equivalent of around 30 euros and often fully booked to the last seat, but the ferry to the island is quick and punctual. Despite locust-like raids by international pensioners on the island, as soon as one of the gigantic floating retirement homes of the large shipping companies unloads its cargo, still sedated from the last all-you-can-eat buffet, at one of the numerous moorings on the northern coast, the centre of the island invites you to linger. However, the high prices on the island dampen the mood a little.

A scooter is a particularly good way to enjoy the island. A whole range of small hire companies provide these for the equivalent of around 22 euros per day and a deposit of 200 euros. With a snorkel in your rucksack and plenty of sun cream on your skin, nothing stands in the way of great snorkelling. We particularly recommend the beach club „Sunset^[:]“ aswell as „The Money Bar Beach Club^[:]“. At both, you can get something to drink or eat for little money and use the beach for free, if a waiter comes at all. The areas where snorkelling is permitted are marked by buoys.

Be careful when snorkelling because the current can be quite strong. The current mainly pushes eastwards from the west. However, this is not a fixed rule and the tides and shipping also have a major influence on the water near the coast. However, those who find a good spot will be richly rewarded. The natural and artificial reefs around Cozumel are home to corals, all kinds of fish, crabs, mussels and other aquatic life in water that is only around 2-7 metres deep.

For much more information on snorkelling around Cozumel, I recommend the following article: https://cozumelmycozumel.com/cozumel-snorkeling-from-shore