Looking for a Non All Inclusive Beach day with a sandy beachor Rental Car availability?

[cmp03]

Ideally we want to rent a car and then go find a sandy beach that isnt all inclusive to spend a few hours but when I was there last month, I couldn't find rental cars in advance and did see any around the port area as we walked through.  

Are there any rental car facilities open near the port (the one carnival docks at) yet or can someone recommend a nice sandy beach that we can get a cab back and forth to visit? 


 

[JohninDC]

For a non-AI sandy beach you can't beat Paradise Beach - admission/chair rental is about $5 each, good food (try the tack truck!), service, great facilities and a huge pool.  Taxi each way will be about $15-17 - check the fare board near your pier for current cab rates.

[misguy]

Mr. Sancho's has a free beach area that is not all inclusive,  You can see it in the beach tour video here. 

 

[grantbob]

2nd the suggestion for Paradise beach. We love it.

[c-leg5]

On 12/17/2021 at 1:30 PM, cmp03 said:

Ideally we want to rent a car and then go find a sandy beach that isnt all inclusive to spend a few hours but when I was there last month, I couldn't find rental cars in advance and did see any around the port area as we walked through.  

Are there any rental car facilities open near the port (the one carnival docks at) yet or can someone recommend a nice sandy beach that we can get a cab back and forth to visit? 


 

We would never rent a car, especially on a cruise ship visit, so I have never taken much notice of where to rent cars. However we have just returned from 2 week stay in Cozumel and  I remarked to my husband that I have never noticed so many rental places before. Granted these were mostly on the back streets of town and outside the airport so not particularly convenient for Puerta Maya. However here is a recent thread for Puerta Maya

 

 

 

 

PAYG Sandy beaches:

 

Paradise Beach/Sanchos - pool and beach, active, family oriented

Palancar - beach

Puerta Morena and east side - beach but caution no ocean swimming, (old restaurant and pool at Punta Morena now in ruins and lots of relatively new palapas and restaurant/bar)

Punta Sur - beach, entrance fee, need taxi to stay or own car.

 

That said, Cozumel is not renowned for “nice sandy beaches” it is known for snorkeling and diving, rough sand and rocks.

Edited December 28, 2021 by c-leg5

[cmp03]

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

We would never rent a car, especially on a cruise ship visit, so I have never taken much notice of where to rent cars. However we have just returned from 2 week stay in Cozumel and  I remarked to my husband that I have never noticed so many rental places before. Granted these were mostly on the back streets of town and outside the airport so not particularly convenient for Puerta Maya. However here is a recent thread for Puerta Maya

 

 

 

 

PAYG Sandy beaches:

 

Paradise Beach/Sanchos - pool and beach, active, family oriented

Palancar - beach

Puerta Morena and east side - beach but caution no ocean swimming, (old restaurant and pool at Punta Morena now in ruins and lots of relatively new palapas and restaurant/bar)

Punta Sur - beach, entrance fee, need taxi to stay or own car.

 

That said, Cozumel is not renowned for “nice sandy beaches” it is known for snorkeling and diving, rough sand and rocks.

Thanks,

What prompted my "nice sandy beach" was I was in Cozumel over Thanksgiving on a cruise and we did a snorkeling boat rental that stopped at El Cielo at the end in the shallow waters where the sting rays were and the beach there looked beautiful.  i was hoping there was a similar style beach like that somewhere else because the place we took the boat out from was a really rocky and rough water beach.

Probably like 13 years ago we rented a jeep on a cruise right at the port and it was lots of fun driving around the island.  I realize the island has grown a lot since then so it might not be the same experience.

I think at this point, we will either just do a ship tour to Tulum or hire a taxi for 3 (or more hours depending on price) and visit Punta Sur.  

[c-leg5]

1 hour ago, cmp03 said:

Thanks,

What prompted my "nice sandy beach" was I was in Cozumel over Thanksgiving on a cruise and we did a snorkeling boat rental that stopped at El Cielo at the end in the shallow waters where the sting rays were and the beach there looked beautiful.  i was hoping there was a similar style beach like that somewhere else because the place we took the boat out from was a really rocky and rough water beach.

Probably like 13 years ago we rented a jeep on a cruise right at the port and it was lots of fun driving around the island.  I realize the island has grown a lot since then so it might not be the same experience.

I think at this point, we will either just do a ship tour to Tulum or hire a taxi for 3 (or more hours depending on price) and visit Punta Sur.  

El Cielo, I believe but I have never been, kis between Punta Sur and Palancar so they are likely to be most similar. The east coast has much better beaches (sand) in parts but the best beaches have no facilities and the whole east coast is subject to strong currents and undertow. There are some areas for surfing but extreme care needs to be taken and several deaths occur.
 

The entrance to Punta Sur is near to Rastas, which is definitely “east side”, but it always surprises me when I look at the map how much you curve  round at that point back to the west coast which explains why Punta Sur doesn’t suffer from east coast sargassum so much. No road access between Palancar and Punta Sur hence the need for a boat to El Cielo.

 

Not sure where you picked up your boat but all around the piers is iron shore.

 

 Driving round the island is not a problem with regards to getting lost but you need to be able to negotiate your way out of trouble if you have an accident before your ship leaves, which they are only too aware of. Also unfortunately the highway on the east side has had to be moved inland a little, due to erosion,  and the old highway and better view is only for bicycles.

Edited December 29, 2021 by c-leg5