Explore The Very Famous Island Of Mexico

By Linda Patterson


Dubbed as the Island of the Swallows, the beautiful Cozumel Island is located in the Caribbean Sea. It is the well known island of Mexico and the second most populated region of Mexico. It is famous for a number of things such as the beautiful beaches in the Caribbean with azure waters, coral reefs and the ancient Mayan ruins.

Its city San Miguel is unique because it possess timeless elegance that is featured through the colonial and Pre-Hispanic architectural style, influence and remnants plus it houses the Maya archaeological sites, white sand beaches and many outdoor activities to make a visitor's stay more than memorable and enjoyable.

The island shelters coral reefs which were made famous by Jacques Cousteau in 1960. After that, the island became renowned to American divers and its piers welcomed the arrival of tourist vacation cruises which gave Cozumel global recognition.

Cozumel Island And Its History

Recent studies claimed that it was during the 2nd century BC that the first settlers came and they were believed to be a part of semi nomadic people dedicated to hunting as well as fishing.

The second group of settlers arrived in the third century AD and they were made up of the Mayas that came from the Peten region of Guatemala.

The chontal Mayans were the 3rd migrant waves that arrived the island of Cozumel in the 8th century and were dedicated navigators and traders. They introduced the worship of the god Ix Chel among the others.

Juan de Grijalva from Spain discovered the island on May 3rd 1518 and named the island Santa Cruz de la Puerta Latina, in English, Holy Cross of the Latin Port and after held the first Catholic mass on the Mexican territory.

The conquest of Mexico in the island of Cozumel was begun by Herman Cortes in 1519 and the sailor Geronimo Aguilar joined the conquest to be one of the first interpreters of the Maya language to Spanish.

It was during the colonization that the island San Miguel de Xamancab which was named by Francisco de Montejo in 1527 was abandonment and eventually became a refuge for pirates.

During the middle of the 19th century, families from Valladolid, Saban Tihosuco and also Chemas in the Yucatan state started to repopulate the island as well as build settlements in El Cedral which was originally known as Oy ib situated in the south and San Miguel on the northwest coast due to the War of the Casts in 1847.

The Beautiful Celerain Lighthouse

The Celerain lighthouse is found the southern tip of Cozumel Island in Punta Sur which is a large ecological reserve. A number of plant and animal species dwell in this ecological reserve. Additionally, you can visit a navigation museum where you can learn about Cozumel's history and also the evolution of navigation ever since the ancient Maya civilization till these days.

An antique lighthouse or an ancestral structure called El Caracol is used by the Mayans to warn their population about a coming hurricane.

Island Exploration

Riding a car is among the very best ways to enjoy Cozumel as this will allow you to see its long coastline, which offers a wonderful sight of the lovely beaches.

Visiting the island of Cozumel will provide you with a number of attractions that is bound to keep you busy and enjoying. Embark on a deep-sea diving adventure, visit the Chankanaab National Marin Park, take a safari tour, go on a dinner cruise, play golf in a world class country club in Cozumel, try dinner cruises and enjoy Mexican cuisine or go shopping.




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