I need help finding the right place for a day at the beach

[Low Country Sandlapper]

My husband and I will be in Cozumel in mid February.  We want to spend 5 hours or so at a beach.  Here is what we are looking for:

1.  Easy ability to get a cab back to the cruise ship.

2. A beach where we can snorkel from the beach itself.

3. Beach chairs or bed with shade.  This is VERY important. We would be happy to rent a cabana.

4. Easy access to bathrooms, bar, and restaurant.  (But does not have to be all inclusive.). Beach service would be great but not required.

5.  Quiet — no screaming children or blaring music.

 

What do you suggest?  Thank you so much for your help.

[c-leg5]

3 hours ago, Low Country Sandlapper said:

My husband and I will be in Cozumel in mid February.  We want to spend 5 hours or so at a beach.  Here is what we are looking for:

1.  Easy ability to get a cab back to the cruise ship.

2. A beach where we can snorkel from the beach itself.

3. Beach chairs or bed with shade.  This is VERY important. We would be happy to rent a cabana.

4. Easy access to bathrooms, bar, and restaurant.  (But does not have to be all inclusive.). Beach service would be great but not required.

5.  Quiet — no screaming children or blaring music.

 

What do you suggest?  Thank you so much for your help.

You will not find a “beach” with good snorkeling - you need rocks. Some locations have loungers in man-made sandy areas.
 

Suggestions of websites to check:

Cabana Beach, Chankanaab.

Buccanos (not Mondays)

Sky Reef

Del Mar Latino

Park Royal day pass

 

[JohninDC]

I would add Money Bar to the list - no beach but good snorkeling, good shade, service, food, facilities, etc.

 

No problem getting a taxi back to the piers (know which one you are going to) from any spot not on the east side of Cozumel.

[no1superfan]

21 hours ago, Low Country Sandlapper said:

no screaming

Nachi Cocom has a good quiet reputation. https://cozumelnachicocom.com/

[c-leg5]

24 minutes ago, no1superfan said:

Nachi Cocom has a good quiet reputation. https://cozumelnachicocom.com/

Whilst it is generally (not always) quieter than most, it is not good for snorkeling, unless you take a boat, which adds to cost.
 

Also although not strictly AI it does have a set price for day pass which recently increased.

[c-leg5]

3 hours ago, JohninDC said:

I would add Money Bar to the list - no beach but good snorkeling, good shade, service, food, facilities, etc.

 

No problem getting a taxi back to the piers (know which one you are going to) from any spot not on the east side of Cozumel.

Whilst I would agree it fulfills most of criteria I have had trouble getting a lounger in the shade at Money Bar - plenty of tables and chairs.

 

From my list above the only guarantee of cabana would  be pre-reserving at Cabana beach or Buccanos, the rest would all be lounger with umbrella/palapa, first-come first-served.

Edited December 4, 2023 by c-leg5

[ajtaylor29]

We've been to Cozumel numerous times and done lots of different excursions and beach days (always have had good experiences, btw!) We've gone to Mr. Sanchos and Paradise Beach and liked them both, but last month we were looking for something new (less crowded, quieter, etc.) so we decided to try Cabana Beach and we really enjoyed our day there! The price is very reasonable (you rent the cabana and pay ala carte for food and drinks, i know our cabana rental was less than $200)

With that came the use of snorkling gear for no charge.

There is no sandy beach here, but there are steps going in to the water which worked fine for us! If you wanted to you could walk down to the beach area but we didn't (other than to go see it).

The food and drinks were good and not expensive. there are only 10 cabanas i think so the whole area is very quiet.

We are going to be there again this Saturday and will be at Cabana Beach again!

Travel tip: they did not have any floats available so this time we're taking some with us (small easy to inflate noodles), it wasn't really necessary here since we used snorkle gear/fins whenever we were in the water. But on that same cruise, we had a cabana in Roatan without floats, and our day at Krazy Lobster in Costa Maya had limited floats available, so now i think taking our own will be our new policy!

[Mum2Mercury]

On 12/3/2023 at 12:18 PM, Low Country Sandlapper said:

My husband and I will be in Cozumel in mid February.  We want to spend 5 hours or so at a beach.  Here is what we are looking for:

1.  Easy ability to get a cab back to the cruise ship.

2. A beach where we can snorkel from the beach itself.

3. Beach chairs or bed with shade.  This is VERY important. We would be happy to rent a cabana.

4. Easy access to bathrooms, bar, and restaurant.  (But does not have to be all inclusive.). Beach service would be great but not required.

5.  Quiet — no screaming children or blaring music.

 

What do you suggest?  Thank you so much for your help.

We went to Chankanaab last month and would return in a heartbeat ... even though weather put a damper on our trip.  Looking at your list: 

- Weave your way through the shops (we docked at the International Pier), and you'll find taxis waiting in a row and an employee helping people to their rides.  Costs are posted on a big sign ... the posted rate to Chankanaab is $15, but the lady who drove us out only charged us $12.  When it was time to leave Chankanaab, it was much the same:  Many taxis lined up, waiting to take people back to the cruise ship and an English-speaking employee sorting out which groups need the size of a van vs. couples who can fit into a small car.  

- I think you can snorkel at Chankanaab ... that's not our thing.  They don't have much gentle, walk-in beach ... rather, you walk down a set of steps to a ladder, which puts you immediately into fairly deep water.  Lots of rocks ... water shoes would be a good idea.  

- Throwing this out for any parents who might be reading this:  Most of the beach is not child-appropriate ... as I said, down a ladder straight into deep water.  The pool and the lagoon, however, are great for kids ... but they were the most crowded part of the park, and we visited on a rainy day in October.  I fear they'd be even more crowded in summer.  

- Many, many chairs and loungers with shade (or sun).  You'll need a ticket/wristband to enter the park, but chairs are no cost once you're in.  You can also sit at one of the bars or in a hammock.  

- Yes to bathrooms ... large, clean, foot-wash station outside. They have outdoor rinse-off showers by the pool and also real, enclosed showers in the bathhouse (personally, I'd rather go back to the ship to shower).  

- Yes to bars and restaurants.  We didn't order food, but it looked good and prices were reasonable.  

- Yes to beach service.  Good service too.  

- The middle portion of the park, where the lagoon and pool are located were much more busy (but not all that loud), but we went out to the far reaches, and it was quiet as the grave ... not busy at all.  The sea lion show was the only "crowded" portion of our day.

- For no additional cost, Chankanaab also has a sea lion show that's worth seeing and a trail through the woods with a replica of a Mayan village.  We missed the reptile exhibit.  They also have a swim with dolphins (and manatees?) program ... those do cost extra.  

- Entrance to Chankanaab is posted as $21/person (and you can get a $2 coupon off the internet).  We messed up and let ourselves be swindled.  Our taxi driver asked us if we already had tickets, and when we said, "No, we're going to pay at the gate" (no savings for purchasing ahead of time), she stopped at a roadside spot and told us this was the place to buy tickets.  We thought we'd buy our tickets, then walk a little trail that obviously led towards the beach.  The man at the little hut told us that entrance was $25 and our coupons were expired ... we believed him /assumed the price had gone up recently.  Only after we paid, we realized this was a roadside ticketseller /Chankanaab was still 2-3 miles down the road, and the driver knew the ticketseller.  We did get a coupon, which was good for a small draft beer at a specific bar.  I am not usually so gullible, and I was a bit ashamed of myself ... but he did sell us good tickets and our wristbands allowed us entrance to all the parts of Chankanaab.  You are now forewarned.  Know that when the taxi drops you off, you'll see a HUGE thatched-roof entrance to the dolphin swim on the right and a HUGE sign saying something like "Enter Chankanaab here" on the left.    

 

I want to try Nachi Cocom, but I'd go back to Chankanaab again in a heartbeat!  

Edited December 6, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[Low Country Sandlapper]

Thank you, Mum2Mercury!  Your reply was most helpful.

Merry Christmas!

[bguppies]

On 12/3/2023 at 12:18 PM, Low Country Sandlapper said:

My husband and I will be in Cozumel in mid February.  We want to spend 5 hours or so at a beach.  Here is what we are looking for:

1.  Easy ability to get a cab back to the cruise ship.

2. A beach where we can snorkel from the beach itself.

3. Beach chairs or bed with shade.  This is VERY important. We would be happy to rent a cabana.

4. Easy access to bathrooms, bar, and restaurant.  (But does not have to be all inclusive.). Beach service would be great but not required.

5.  Quiet — no screaming children or blaring music.

 

What do you suggest?  Thank you so much for your help.

Nachi Cocum

1. YES was $20 each way cabfare for the two of us a few weeks ago. (actually I think it is for up to four each way per cab, but its usually just the two of us.) Fees are clearly printed at the cab stand where you'll catch your cab.  When you are ready to leave Nachi just let your assigned server know and they'll have a cab ready when you are.

 

2. No - I've done the additional cost from a boat at Nachi once. They pick you up on the pier right by the restaurant and run you out to two spots over reefs a few miles out. The beach at most of the southern beach clubs

are sandy, at Nachi just a few fish to be seen swimming down by the pier.

 

3. YES There are two beach beds with cover next to the pool, three tables with umbrellas next to the pool and plenty of thatched palapas on the beach with four chairs under each. (there is also some of the palapas back closer to the jungle, so plenty oif shade to be had) The restaurant is well covered with a giant palapa if you need to retreat for some shade and that day every other seat is taken. (I've yet to experience it full yet)With a 130 person limit each day it never gets crowded and packed in like some of the other clubs and I've never seen in my many times there, seen them run out of palapas.

 

4. YES  All right there by the pool where you first walk in. (we almost exclusively use the swim up bar in the pool, so we have never waited for drinks ever) They have a man and woman cleaning the restrooms constantly all day as people use them. You will be assigned a server when you arrive. He will bring you drinks where ever you decide to stay for the day. We usually sit poolside, so he will bring you your food or drinks right to your seats all day. If you choose a palapa on the beach they will bring anything you want to your palapa or if you choose to eat in the large restaurant, he will be your server in there.

 

5. YES  This is the main reason we choose Nachi everytime. The 130 person limit per day keeps the crowds and noises down. They play lightly in the backround some music at the edge of the pool/restaurant area.

In previous years it might be some mexican music playing. This past December it sounded like they had an 80's music playlist from Spotify or something playing all day. Its so quiet I had to keep asking DW what song she was hearing.

As for no screaming children I don't think any of the beach clubs have a no children rule. Nachi tends to have much less than anywhere else, as they don't have any of the kiddie pools are inflatable toys the other clubs do. A few weeks ago there was one group of 3-4 families with a kid under five in each. They made a tiny amount of noise, but nothing irritating. I forget how many times I've been to Nachi,  I think that is only the 2nd or 3rd time I've seen kids there and I don't remember them or any adults being disruptive.

 

If the snorkeling is that important to you, Chankanaab, and the steep rocky water entry definitely would be better for you.

Mr.Sanchos will have bigger crowds and louder music for sure.

Playa Mia will probably have the most kids, as it is geared towards them.

Paradise beach is a very middle of the road place (compared to the other clubs, a bit of all of them) that caters to families, so more kids.

Nachi, Sanchos, Playa Mia and Paradise are all along the same section of sandy beach.

 

Best of luck in your hunt.

[Cruisini]

Nachi Cocum has the best food ever and they serve large portions. If you go, try the garlic shrimp and quesadillas. The chips and salsa are amazing. The beach is beautiful. If you want a relaxing day Nachi is it 🙂

[tetleytea]

On 12/3/2023 at 2:41 PM, c-leg5 said:

You will not find a “beach” with good snorkeling - you need rocks. Some locations have loungers in man-made sandy areas.
 

Suggestions of websites to check:

Cabana Beach, Chankanaab.

Buccanos (not Mondays)

Sky Reef

Del Mar Latino

Park Royal day pass

 

 

What about Punta Sur?   All the rocks seemed to be down there in the south.

[c-leg5]

18 minutes ago, tetleytea said:

 

What about Punta Sur?   All the rocks seemed to be down there in the south.

I haven’t snorkeled there. You are correct there is a nice beach and snorkeling possible from the beach but reports are it is a long hard swim out to the reef so you need to be a strong swimmer.

 

However it does not fulfill the OP’s #1criteria

1.  Easy ability to get a cab back to the cruise ship.