This guide, How to Make the Most of a Day Trip To Cozumel (Plans for a Full Day!) covers everything you need to know for a day trip to Cozumel!

The beautiful island of Cozumel….Make it a point to visit the Island for at least a day while you’re in Mexico!

Staying in Tulum, Cancun or Playa Del Carmen you are so close to the ferry why not visit!? This island is known for its world class diving and snorkeling.

I visited Cozumel for a day trip while staying in Tulum in late December with my boyfriend and parents. We had a blast exploring the Island for a day. Check out my Tulum Travel Guide here!

I will tell you everything you need to know about visiting Cozumel for a day trip: how to get there, what to do while over there, where to eat, renting a car and more!

Let’s dive right in!

How to Make the Most of a Day Trip To Cozumel (Plans for a Full Day!):

Getting there:

Plan out the day you want to visit the island and wake up bright & early! Make the drive to Playa del Carmen. This is about a 45 minute drive without traffic. Enter ‘Playa del Carmen-Cozumel Ferry Dock’ into your GPS.

There’s a parking garage nearby and a few parking lots you can pay to park in for the day. Just drive around a few blocks from the dock and you will find one.

Try and get to Playa del Carmen early enough so you can catch an early morning ferry. Depending on how early you can wake up- aim for 7am, 8am, or 9am if possible!

Plan to arrive and have your car parked at least 20 minutes before the hour so you have time to buy a ticket and get in line, arrive earlier if you want a good seat on the ferry.

Colorful flags lining a street in Mexico

Ferry Tickets:

Ferry tickets cost 220.00 Mexican Pesos which is just under $11.00 USD. At the ticket window they will try and sell you roundtrip, don’t buy that, only buy one way.

You only want to get one way because the ferry company you rode over might not be the same one once you’re ready to leave, if that’s the case you’ll have to wait another hour. If you just buy one way you can buy your ticket home at the ticket window for whichever ferry is ready.

Once you have your ticket in hand head over to the ferry! There is lots of room but you want to try and get a good seat. The ferries often fill up or get close to it.

If you get any sort of motion sickness on boats take dramamine- the ride is pretty bumpy and a little under an hour long.

You’ve arrived!:

You will walk off the dock with many other people. It’s a little overwhelming with dozens of people trying to sell you excursions and car rentals.

Just ignore and walk past all of that off the dock, unless you see something that you really want to do or rent.

Walking off the dock, you will be in Centro Cozumel, a busy area. Lots of shopping, restaurants and people driving around. You might feel overwhelmed at this point but just relax and know you haven’t even seen the best parts of the island yet, there’s a lot to explore!

Isla Cozumel Mexico sign on the Island of Cozumel

Iced tea overlooking the ocean at Aqui and Ahora

Stop for breakfast:

If you rode over on an early morning ferry you’ve probably worked up an appetite. There’s a great place to get breakfast just a few minute walk off the dock!

Aqui + Ahora: very nice people, amazing food & drink with awesome views.

Ask to sit all the way upstairs if possible, it’s beautiful up there. Order the breakfast tacos!

Now what to do…

Rent a car:

A car rental is important! Or a jeep if possible. This is a must.

Centro Cozumel is simply not enough of the island for you to see, there is so much more to explore and so many better parts!

You need some sort of motorized vehicle or moped to get around and cover solid ground. Rent a car ahead of time online if possible, you will definitely save some money.

If you didn’t opt for one of the aggressive rental car salesmen at the dock don’t worry- there are so many more options!

Walk around town and in minutes you will find one. Jeeps are popular so if you want one of those, rent one right when you arrive or ahead of time.

They have mopeds, jeeps, dune buggies, and so many convertible cars I have never seen anywhere else. Also, don’t be afraid to drive in Cozumel; it’s very safe!

CP Rentals:

We were in a jewelry store/pharmacy after breakfast and saw a little sign for car rentals in there, we asked the local man working if we could rent one and he walked us to their little shop down the road. CP rentals.

Very nice people who didn’t try to charge us an arm and a leg. He took us out back to the cars he had left to rent and let us choose.

We rented a Volkswagen GOL. We rented it for the day, and had to have it back by 6pm. The cost was $120.00 USD including the necessary insurance.

There is quite a few of these funny looking style cars with some of the roof literally cut out. We had so much fun in it though, loved that the roof was open and the perfect size for 4 of us for a day rental!

Exploring the coast in our VW rental car

Drive the coast:

Start off in town by the ferry and take a left. Follow the road that passes by the cruise ship piers and up towards the best beaches.

Don’t worry about getting lost, it’s very clear and easy to follow this main road. The beaches are amazing, so beautiful! Depending on how much time you have, try and do the entire loop around the island!

If you are a little short on time, do the bigger half. Keep following around past those beautiful beaches. Looking at the map, take the straight road that cuts down a little past the middle, this will bring you right back to Centro Cozumel.

Stopping points on your drive:

Beaches:

All of those yellow squares on the map are the best beaches. The cluster of them on the bottom left are absolutely amazing.

I recommend pulling over onto each of them, just checking them all out and staying a little longer at your favorites.

Roadside shopping:

As you drive the coast every once in a while you’ll see some shopping stands and little stores.

The locals setup shop at some of the most popular beaches to sell their goods. Check a few out and you might find something you like!

Some of them can be a little aggressive so be mindful of that. They all really want your business and will yell for you to come to their shop.

Restaurants and bars:

Time for some lunch or a drink?

Get ready to stop at a quiet, tropical beach bar right alongside the beach with a nice ocean breeze.

There are a few of these you’ll see when you stop at the different beaches. You can’t go wrong with whichever you pick.

Ancient Ruins:

Cozumel has ancient ruins too! El Cedral are the ruins of Cozumel.

On your drive around the island you’ll pass the entrance to the ruins. It is a few miles drive inland. Take the time to go check it out, an often very quiet area compared to the ruins on the mainland.

Very cheap activity to do and if you’d like, you can hire a guide to teach you about the ruins.

Exploring the El Cedral ruins on the Island of Cozumel

What to pack for the day:

Backpack
Insulated water bottle
Hat
Sunscreen
Dramamine
Headphones (for the ferry)
Sunglasses
Towel
Bathing suit
Camera
Cash (pesos)
Credit card
Drivers License
Snacks
Change of clothes
Mask

How long should you stay on the island?:

A day trip is perfect for your first time here. Take the entire day- devote it to Cozumel!

The island isn’t very big so you will have enough time to explore and really get a feel for it. Once you go you’ll most likely fall in love with some part of it and want to come back for a longer amount of time, or maybe not, maybe just the day is perfect for you! Either way, make it a point to take that ferry over.

Heading back to the mainland:

At the end of your day in Cozumel, think about what time you want to actually get back to Playa del Carmen.

Give yourself enough time to fill the rental up with gas, drop it back off, get a ferry ticket home and a good seat on the ferry.

You might assume the ride home won’t be as busy but it most likely will be so keep that in mind when planning your arrival time.

Borading the ferry dock back to Playa del Carmen

A day trip to Cozumel is a really fun way to spend the day! Especially once you get off the ferry, past the crowds on the dock and out exploring on your own…then it’s so much fun!

Cozumel is a very safe Island with so much to see and do! If you aren’t too far of a drive from the ferry in Playa Del Carmen try and do this for a day while in Mexico. It’s a lot of fun to see a totally different part of Mexico than where you are staying.

Have you been to Cozumel? Did you visit for a day or for a longer period of time?

Share your experience below and follow along with me on Instagram!

How to Make the Most of a Day Trip To Cozumel (Plans for a Full Day!)