Cozumel is an Island region in the Caribbean Sea, just off Yucatan Peninsula’s eastern coast,
Mexico. Cozumel is located conveniently opposite Playa del Carmen, in proximity to the famous Yucatan Channel, and is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel. The city is home to numerous Balnearios, fronting many water activities including swimming, underwater snorkeling, as well as scuba diving among many others.
Cozumel has grown to become a popular tourist destination regardless of its moderately small size. Most of its town features tourist attraction spots like the several stunning beaches, marine conservations and zoos, ports for the many cruise ships used by visitors, and several archaeological sites around town. Generally, the outdoors of Cozumel are inviting and encompassing of entire family settings.
Some of the attractive tourist features of Cozumel include the ancient Maya ruins of San Gervasio and the iconic Chan Santa Cruz monument. These and other museums and archaeological sites have preserved Cozumel’s history well.
Cozumel experiences a tropical savanna climate as classified under the Köppen climatic classification. Some of the weather characteristics of Cozumel may appear like those of a tropical monsoon climate. The weather is generally characterized by a moderately stable temperature throughout the year, with very minimal variations recorded.
The city experiences two main seasons; the wet season and the dry season. The dry season tends to be shorter than the wet season, extending from
February to
April, whereas the wet season runs through most of the remaining months. The driest month of the year is
March, recording a monthly average of 32.2mm (1.3") in precipitation. The wettest months in Cozumel are
September and
October, both registering an average of 241.3mm (9.5") of precipitation.
During the dry season, the daily hours of sunshine average seven and a half per month and the humidity go as high as 80% on average. The afternoons receive mildly low rainfall, with an average of five rainy days per month. The temperature remains warm and pleasant within the range of 23°C (73.4°F) and 26°C (78.8°F).
The wet season comes with slightly higher temperature readings, with the mercury stretching within the range of 23°C (73.4°F) and 28°C (82.4°F) averagely. On the hottest days, the temperature rises to as high as 34°C (93.2°F) or more, but it feels a lot cooler as the rains are in plenty. In September and October, the rains come for approximately fifteen days per month, and the humidity remains quite high, reading up to 88%. The sunshine hours per day during the wet season increase considerably, going up to nine per day on average.
The wet season may come with episodes of thunderstorms and hurricanes as the rains rise. Even with the effect of the sea in cooling the temperature, the period between
December and February remain the coolest in the year, making it the peak of the tourist period. For the lovers of scuba diving and snorkeling, the best time to visit Cozumel is from March to
May.
On varying dates between February and March, Cozumel holds its annual Carnaval Festival. The festival is adorned with colorful decorations, stunning dance shows, many street parties, as well as magnificent colorful floats. Between April and May, Cozumel celebrates its El Cedral Festival with splendid rodeos and numerous showcasing of talents.