Downtown Cozumel
Downtown Cozumel is a vibrant area with plenty to see and do. It's a great place to explore local culture, shop for souvenirs, and enjoy delicious coffee.
It can be a bit shocking to see Federal Police with machine guns patrolling the streets on every block. Don't worry, this level of presence is meant to protect the life blood that tourism is to the Island. The cartels of Mexico find the flow of money in tourist zones to be very desirable, and some places can be geographically challenging. On the Island, a strong show of force has kept the cartels from establishing large enterprise here.
The Malecón
Cozumel features a Malecón: a beachfront boardwalk lined with shops, restaurants, and bars. It is fairly small, and quite touristy considering its proximity to the cruise ship docks, but it is a great place to take a stroll and enjoy the ocean views.
The Plaza
The Plaza is the heart of downtown Cozumel. It's a great place to walk around, people-watch, and enjoy the local atmosphere. There are a lot of shops, restaurants, and cafes in the area. You can find everything from handmade crafts to high-end jewelry.
The Barrio
If you step a few blocks away from the Plaza, you will find the barrio: the local neighborhood. You'll know you are there because you'll notice the DIY security features on the houses, like the barbed wire and broken glass on top of the walls. It is very likely that you do not belong there. You'll figure that out about the time you notice the drug dealer. He'll be walking around just sort of singing the spanish version of the drug words you know. Should you follow him into the back of his shop and pay $40 for a bag of ditch weed? No, probably not. I can just tell you right now it tastes like burnt toffee and high school joints, it will take a concerted effort to get all the seeds out, you'll have to find a beach off property of the resort, and you would be shocked just how hard it is to find rolling papers there, and just how bad smoking ditch weed rolled in a full-color resort brochure can be. I mean, that's what I heard. A friend told me that.
Senor Frogs
Just. No.