What to do in Cozumel? This time=partial handicapped

[mitsugirly]

We have been here many times and just booked a cruise that returns here again. It's only a month away and I need to hurry and make plans...I will have to have a "certain" type of place to go to this time around. 

 

In the past, we have done and been to the following locations:

 

Chankanaab x2 and swimming with the dolphins

Nachi Cocum

Playa Mia

Mr Sanchos

Passion Island

Playa Palancar

The Money Bar

Paradise Beach

Snorkeling tour and El Ceilo

 

 

Normally I would be either diving or going to a place to snorkel...except circumstances have changed for me. We are a beach loving, snorkeling loving, diving loving family and almost everything revolves around doing one of those activities. 

 

Here's the catch (for those of you that don't know me or haven't read my recent Breakaway review from August)... 2 days after returning from my last cruise, I fell and broke my leg (3 places around my ankle/fibula/tibia), chopped off my ankle, and a fibula fracture as well). It has been a living nightmare with a surgery consisting of plates and screws on both sides, 2 torn ligaments, and screws fusing the tibia and fibula together for now. Also, developing 3 blood clots, an infection, then a second surgery for the infection. I now possibly await a 3rd surgery in the near future. I NEED TO GET OUTTA HERE AND RELIEVE MY MIND at this point. I've been cooped up in the house for almost 3 months and I need a vacation!!! Like really really bad!!!

 

I have started to learn to walk again. I do well with a boot. However, I can't go long distances before tiring too much and my foot hurting at the heel from standing on it. If I have my boot on, I do great. I do ok barefooted...no shoes for me at this point due to the continued swelling since the day of the accident. They have no idea when this swelling will go down. 

 

I would still like to visit a beach however. I need some type of normalcy in my life.  I figured visiting a beach I could walk in my boot...even to the water, then remove it and go in carefully. That means I would need a very sandy area with no rocks and if at all possible, gentle waves that wouldn't knock me over. My husband did say that if I couldn't do it, he would carry me out to the water and "release me". 😄   Are there any places like this? Gentle water? Maybe in a cove area? I'm also considering buying a second boot to take with me as a "water boot" that I could just leave it on and walk out into the water. 

 

 

 I'm just going to die if I can't do any snorkeling at all this cruise. Although I have no idea what my foot/ankle will be like in a fin and my range of motion isn't going to be the absolute greatest, I plan on trying it out in the water at the beach first to see if I can kick at all with that leg. I will also take my ankle brace as well for support. But I know that water therapy is always a good thing when it comes to healing and it allows you to work on things without the pressure of gravity. I know my limits and I won't push them. I will also have my hubby to help me out. I would be able to go down into water if there are stairs or steps (thinking like Chankanaabs steps) however, since I have been to both Chankanaab and The Money Bar, I know that these tend to get slippery and also the water is crashing onto them in those areas. So, that's probably a no-no).

 

Last time we were here we were going to do the XRails to the caverns (I think it was called that) but the issue was that we would have to catch a taxi to the RC pier to meet up with them and then pay for the taxi to their location OR pay for a taxi straight to their place. It just sounded like too much of a hassle and I ended up deciding that we would give that a try another time when we were either cruising with Carnival or RC and end up at the "right" pier for that tour. I wouldn't mind doing something with the buggies or anything like that and know that I'd be fine with it because I would have my boot on and nothing seems to hurt my leg/foot when I'm in that. Any suggestions on that or things like that would be great as well. As long as I can do it directly WITH the company and not the cruiseline because I'm positive the cruiseline is going to tell me know "in my condition" for their own safety precautions.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Come on you wonderful people of cruise critic....help me out and give me some ideas. I really need this!!

[mitsugirly]

Ok, sorry I jumped the gun a little on this and remembered that we toured last time with a fabulous family company and was told if we ever return and book with them, we'd get a great discount. So, we booked a private jeep tour with them and can go anywhere we want.

 

So, you are welcome to respond to places on here or you can go to THIS THREAD and let me know if you have any suggestions. I'm super excited about seeing other parts of Cozumel other than the regular cruiser beach clubs.

[time2cruisegbgna]

What company are you using for your private jeep tour? 

[mitsugirly]

23 minutes ago, time2cruisegbgna said:

What company are you using for your private jeep tour? 

 

We are using Cozumel Cruise Excursions . net. They have some great deals and decent price for being a private tour. You go where you want to go and do whatever you want. It also includes a Mexican meal and drinks all day.

[time2cruisegbgna]

2 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

 

We are using Cozumel Cruise Excursions . net. They have some great deals and decent price for being a private tour. You go where you want to go and do whatever you want. It also includes a Mexican meal and drinks all day.

Thanks for responding. We have booked a majority of our excursions from your great reviews! And like in the past your recommendation is the best that I have seen for a private tour.  I will be booking this today!

[suebee53]

I am so, so sorry about your accident. 

A day pass at the Occidental gives you buffet, open bar, pool . . . and a sandy beach for easy entrance into the water. I found it through ThisIsCozumel dot com. (Jungle Garden Beach Resort Day-Pass). 

 

By the way, I had both hips replaced in 2018. The post-surgery swelling in my foot and ankle is finally resolving now, 18 months later. So just to encourage you to be patient about that.

[crewsweeper]

On ‎11‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 3:06 PM, mitsugirly said:

Ok, sorry I jumped the gun a little on this and remembered that we toured last time with a fabulous family company and was told if we ever return and book with them, we'd get a great discount. So, we booked a private jeep tour with them and can go anywhere we want.

 

So, you are welcome to respond to places on here or you can go to THIS THREAD and let me know if you have any suggestions. I'm super excited about seeing other parts of Cozumel other than the regular cruiser beach clubs.

Drive up the East side (wild side).  You can go to Chen Rio and beach it at their lagoon or if the Gulf is tame, maybe to Punta Moreno.  About the only 2 places you can go into the water.  You may not be able to walk up to Coconuts, but it's a nice view (food and drink are meh and a bit pricey, IMO). But the blow holes along the route and the rock formations are interesting.   Plus coming back along the Transversal Road ( or going out if you catch your jeep in San Miguel) you can do a tequila tasting at the Tequila Factory.  And on the back end of  San Miguel is the KaoKao Chocolate place. 

[mitsugirly]

On 11/26/2019 at 5:05 PM, time2cruisegbgna said:

Thanks for responding. We have booked a majority of our excursions from your great reviews! And like in the past your recommendation is the best that I have seen for a private tour.  I will be booking this today!

 

Thanks for the comment and I hope you enjoy your excursion. I'm looking forward to mine.

 

9 hours ago, suebee53 said:

I am so, so sorry about your accident. 

A day pass at the Occidental gives you buffet, open bar, pool . . . and a sandy beach for easy entrance into the water. I found it through ThisIsCozumel dot com. (Jungle Garden Beach Resort Day-Pass). 

 

By the way, I had both hips replaced in 2018. The post-surgery swelling in my foot and ankle is finally resolving now, 18 months later. So just to encourage you to be patient about that.

 

Thanks. I ended up booking a private jeep tour so that we could explore the other side of the island and places we haven't been to.  I appreciate the suggestion though. Maybe next time we are in Cozumel.

 

The swelling is just so annoying (as you know) and I'm just so over this injury. But, I'm not going to let it drag me down on this cruise and try to enjoy myself. Glad to hear your swelling has went down...even if it's been quite some time.

 

7 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

Drive up the East side (wild side).  You can go to Chen Rio and beach it at their lagoon or if the Gulf is tame, maybe to Punta Moreno.  About the only 2 places you can go into the water.  You may not be able to walk up to Coconuts, but it's a nice view (food and drink are meh and a bit pricey, IMO). But the blow holes along the route and the rock formations are interesting.   Plus coming back along the Transversal Road ( or going out if you catch your jeep in San Miguel) you can do a tequila tasting at the Tequila Factory.  And on the back end of  San Miguel is the KaoKao Chocolate place. 

 

Is Punta Moreno in the San Martin Beach area? That was one of the beach areas they suggested. When I looked up Chen Rio, the beach looks like it has a lot of huge rocks in the water. I'm not so sure about that if the water is a bit choppy (from the pictures it looks like if the water is choppy, it flows over into the cove area). I'll have to play it by ear and see.

 

I'm very interested in seeing the blow holes. What area is that in?

 

They did mention the Tequila Factory and also said lunch at Playa Uvas.

 

Thanks for the suggestions crew. I appreciate it and will check into it.

[crewsweeper]

Punta Moreno is just down from the transversal road.  Not sure where the San Martin beach area is.  Yes Chen Rio can be rough if the Gulf is rough.  True for the whole East Side, including Punta Moreno.  Those rocks are the "breakwater" for the lagoon.  It's not large.  Chen Rio used to serve a great whole snapper.  Not sure what they have now.  Playa Uvas is on the West Side between  the Money Bar and Playa Corona.  Never been there so can't opine on food.  But lots of excursions go there.   If eating on the East Side, I recommend Rasta's/BobMarley's/Paradise Café/or whatever it's called now. Right at the turn at the southern end before the lighthouse. Need cash there as no electricity on east side.

[mitsugirly]

6 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Punta Moreno is just down from the transversal road.  Not sure where the San Martin beach area is.  Yes Chen Rio can be rough if the Gulf is rough.  True for the whole East Side, including Punta Moreno.  Those rocks are the "breakwater" for the lagoon.  It's not large.  Chen Rio used to serve a great whole snapper.  Not sure what they have now.  Playa Uvas is on the West Side between  the Money Bar and Playa Corona.  Never been there so can't opine on food.  But lots of excursions go there.   If eating on the East Side, I recommend Rasta's/BobMarley's/Paradise Café/or whatever it's called now. Right at the turn at the southern end before the lighthouse. Need cash there as no electricity on east side.

 

Thanks for the info Crew. I do know that our lunch is included with the private tour. They pick where we go, so no choice in that (or extra expense). We are going to Punta Sur eco park and I'm excited about that.

[crewsweeper]

5 minutes ago, mitsugirly said:

 

Thanks for the info Crew. I do know that our lunch is included with the private tour. They pick where we go, so no choice in that (or extra expense). We are going to Punta Sur eco park and I'm excited about that.

OK.   I'm sure your review will cover Playa Uvas in detail.  Punta Sur is good.  You can walk out over the marsh and see the gators.  You may not be able to climb the lighthouse stairs but there were some great swinging hammocks to lounge in while others go up.

[mitsugirly]

On 12/4/2019 at 8:08 AM, crewsweeper said:

OK.   I'm sure your review will cover Playa Uvas in detail.  Punta Sur is good.  You can walk out over the marsh and see the gators.  You may not be able to climb the lighthouse stairs but there were some great swinging hammocks to lounge in while others go up.

 

Counting on my hubby or child to do that for me....fingers crossed. I bet there's some amazing views up there.

[kayehall]

On 12/3/2019 at 12:46 PM, crewsweeper said:

Drive up the East side (wild side).  You can go to Chen Rio and beach it at their lagoon or if the Gulf is tame, maybe to Punta Moreno.  About the only 2 places you can go into the water.  You may not be able to walk up to Coconuts, but it's a nice view (food and drink are meh and a bit pricey, IMO). But the blow holes along the route and the rock formations are interesting.   Plus coming back along the Transversal Road ( or going out if you catch your jeep in San Miguel) you can do a tequila tasting at the Tequila Factory.  And on the back end of  San Miguel is the KaoKao Chocolate place. 

Follow the Cozumel Bar Hop bus!!!!

[c-leg5]

On 12/3/2019 at 7:54 PM, mitsugirly said:

 

Thanks for the comment and I hope you enjoy your excursion. I'm looking forward to mine.

 

 

Thanks. I ended up booking a private jeep tour so that we could explore the other side of the island and places we haven't been to.  I appreciate the suggestion though. Maybe next time we are in Cozumel.

 

The swelling is just so annoying (as you know) and I'm just so over this injury. But, I'm not going to let it drag me down on this cruise and try to enjoy myself. Glad to hear your swelling has went down...even if it's been quite some time.

 

 

Is Punta Moreno in the San Martin Beach area? That was one of the beach areas they suggested. When I looked up Chen Rio, the beach looks like it has a lot of huge rocks in the water. I'm not so sure about that if the water is a bit choppy (from the pictures it looks like if the water is choppy, it flows over into the cove area). I'll have to play it by ear and see.

 

I'm very interested in seeing the blow holes. What area is that in?

 

They did mention the Tequila Factory and also said lunch at Playa Uvas.

 

Thanks for the suggestions crew. I appreciate it and will check into it.

 

On 12/4/2019 at 6:51 AM, crewsweeper said:

Punta Moreno is just down from the transversal road.  Not sure where the San Martin beach area is.  Yes Chen Rio can be rough if the Gulf is rough.  True for the whole East Side, including Punta Moreno.  Those rocks are the "breakwater" for the lagoon.  It's not large.  Chen Rio used to serve a great whole snapper.  Not sure what they have now.  Playa Uvas is on the West Side between  the Money Bar and Playa Corona.  Never been there so can't opine on food.  But lots of excursions go there.   If eating on the East Side, I recommend Rasta's/BobMarley's/Paradise Café/or whatever it's called now. Right at the turn at the southern end before the lighthouse. Need cash there as no electricity on east side.

Sorry to hear of your accident, Mitsugirly and hope you feel better soon.

 

One of the biggest negatives I have read of that company is that they don’t always follow their advertised stops or locations. Just FYI, previous reviews have stated lunch and snorkeling have been at various locations including Tortugas, Playa Uvas, San Martin and Punta Morena - not a problem if you are adaptable  but disappointing if you have a particular location in mind. However recent reviews of the company, including yours, have been more positive so perhaps administration has improved.

 

San Martin is between Punta Sur and Chen Rio, I believe. Beautiful stretch of beach, not sure that you can swim there. There is a restaurant/bar across the road from the beach with an upstairs terrace - not sure of the current owners or name, possibly back to El Galeon? It has been a popular stop for bikers and jeep tours.

 

At Chen Rio, you also have El Pescador bar, which is one of the Bar Hop stops now. Chen Rio does have limited swimming as Crew said -  popular with Mexican families on Sundays. These bars will expect you to buy a drink to use facilities and it is cash only due to no electricity. We enjoy Punta Morena, away from the main restaurant area. Lots of beach, hammocks, volleyball but again I am not sure how mobile you will be. There is a dipping pool to cool off but certainly not swim and again you can get wet in the sea. I fear the east side will be frustrating for your daughter. None of these clubs have other activities like the west side.
 

Punta Sur will probably offer most to do - lighthouse, lagoon ride, crocodiles, strenuous snorkeling - could take up most of your time if you get to the beach club and relax there for a while. I will add to your other thread too.

 

One activity I am surprised you haven't considered on Cozumel is the trip to the Pearl Farm. I wouldn’t be brave enough to try on a cruise ship day and would wait for a land vacation but cruisers have done and reviewed it in the past and I think it may fit your sense of adventure.

[mitsugirly]

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

 

Sorry to hear of your accident, Mitsugirly and hope you feel better soon.

 

One of the biggest negatives I have read of that company is that they don’t always follow their advertised stops or locations. Just FYI, previous reviews have stated lunch and snorkeling have been at various locations including Tortugas, Playa Uvas, San Martin and Punta Morena - not a problem if you are adaptable  but disappointing if you have a particular location in mind. However recent reviews of the company, including yours, have been more positive so perhaps administration has improved.

 

San Martin is between Punta Sur and Chen Rio, I believe. Beautiful stretch of beach, not sure that you can swim there. There is a restaurant/bar across the road from the beach with an upstairs terrace - not sure of the current owners or name, possibly back to El Galeon? It has been a popular stop for bikers and jeep tours.

 

At Chen Rio, you also have El Pescador bar, which is one of the Bar Hop stops now. Chen Rio does have limited swimming as Crew said -  popular with Mexican families on Sundays. These bars will expect you to buy a drink to use facilities and it is cash only due to no electricity. We enjoy Punta Morena, away from the main restaurant area. Lots of beach, hammocks, volleyball but again I am not sure how mobile you will be. There is a dipping pool to cool off but certainly not swim and again you can get wet in the sea. I fear the east side will be frustrating for your daughter. None of these clubs have other activities like the west side.
 

Punta Sur will probably offer most to do - lighthouse, lagoon ride, crocodiles, strenuous snorkeling - could take up most of your time if you get to the beach club and relax there for a while. I will add to your other thread too.

 

One activity I am surprised you haven't considered on Cozumel is the trip to the Pearl Farm. I wouldn’t be brave enough to try on a cruise ship day and would wait for a land vacation but cruisers have done and reviewed it in the past and I think it may fit your sense of adventure.

 

Thanks leg. Yea, it's been a bad couple of months for me.

 

With this excursion, there's really no "set stops" and we can go and do what we want...other than where they decide to take us for lunch. Their website had listed 2 different places: 1 at a resort with a pool (which I inquired about the location and they said it was Playa Uvas) and another on the "Wild Side", which I seen pictures and figured out which place it was but can't remember now because I didn't put much thought into it when they told me they would be taking us to Uvas.

 

They give suggestions on places to go, but you don't have to follow the suggestions or can add to it. Since we haven't been over to that side or down that far (as Punta Sur), we figured we'd just go with the flow and go to all of those places. I'm thinking we will spend a majority of our time at Punta Sur and also Uvas (since my little one will enjoy both and we have not been to either). But, I did want to see the unspoiled beauty of the Wild Side (even if we can't swim no biggie) and see the blow holes (fingers crossed they are "blowing" that day.

 

I have never heard of the Pearl Farm. But, I guess if it's too far to do on a cruise day, I probably won't ever get to go to it. Our land vacations usually consists of going to Aruba for a few weeks.

[c-leg5]

17 minutes ago, mitsugirly said:

 

Thanks leg. Yea, it's been a bad couple of months for me.

 

With this excursion, there's really no "set stops" and we can go and do what we want...other than where they decide to take us for lunch. Their website had listed 2 different places: 1 at a resort with a pool (which I inquired about the location and they said it was Playa Uvas) and another on the "Wild Side", which I seen pictures and figured out which place it was but can't remember now because I didn't put much thought into it when they told me they would be taking us to Uvas.

 

They give suggestions on places to go, but you don't have to follow the suggestions or can add to it. Since we haven't been over to that side or down that far (as Punta Sur), we figured we'd just go with the flow and go to all of those places. I'm thinking we will spend a majority of our time at Punta Sur and also Uvas (since my little one will enjoy both and we have not been to either). But, I did want to see the unspoiled beauty of the Wild Side (even if we can't swim no biggie) and see the blow holes (fingers crossed they are "blowing" that day.

 

I have never heard of the Pearl Farm. But, I guess if it's too far to do on a cruise day, I probably won't ever get to go to it. Our land vacations usually consists of going to Aruba for a few weeks.

Sounds good! 
 

i think Uvas and Punta Sur will suit you and the rest will be a bonus, hopefully!

 

Cruisers have done Pearl Farm, when they have had suitable port times as it requires a boat trip to the north end passed Passion Island. Sounds fun but I am ultra cautious. Probably no further tha El Cielo.

[mitsugirly]

59 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Sounds good! 
 

i think Uvas and Punta Sur will suit you and the rest will be a bonus, hopefully!

 

Cruisers have done Pearl Farm, when they have had suitable port times as it requires a boat trip to the north end passed Passion Island. Sounds fun but I am ultra cautious. Probably no further tha El Cielo.

 

Well we've done a boat ride to Passion Island and also El Cielo so it sounds like something I could be interested in sometime in the future. I will definitely have to check this out.