Cozumel, Mexico
About half of the cruises around the Caribbean include a stop in Cozumel. I give it a 2 out of 5 on my rankings. There are a number of good things though if you just look.
One of the first things you notice is that you get dropped off in the duty-free shop. There is a path around it, but it’s easier just to close your eyes and walk through. It is the alcohol, chocolate, and perfume trap. I’m highly allergic to most perfumes and hate this area so I usually just run right through. Once you’re on the other side, there are lots of shopping and restaurants including a Hard Rock Café.
On one of our trips, we opted for the horse drawn carriage thinking it would be a romantic way to tour the island. Not. We were first taken to the Tequila Factory. This place is well worth the cost of the carriage ride as they wait for you and you probably won’t walk back anyway. A free margarita awaits you as you enter along with a lot of sampling as you go. I’d already had a couple of margaritas at the HRC, so by the time we returned to the main gate, I almost face planted stepping out of the carriage. Our tour took us through some neighborhoods that were a bit shady and downtrodden. Lizards ran in and out of houses with dirt floors, plastic sheet windows, and other luxurious amenities. Our second stop was at a very over-priced jewelry store. I explained to the proprietor that I was only waiting on my husband to exit the bathroom, and I didn’t plan on buying a bracelet for $3500 USD that I could get in the USA for $129. He got aggravated, and I walked out. I’m not sure how much they pay the drivers to stop, but it’s not worth the headache.
On another trip, my son and I went to the Kun Che Park via a bus. They had numerous demonstrations including a cleansing ceremony, a ball game, food sampling, a village and a dance performance with lunch. It was quite an enjoyable time. I would highly recommend this excursion and the food was wonderful.
If you want to purchase knock-off designer handbags and such, this is your stop. There are vendors with every knock-off imaginable. Besides shopping, there are other options such as oxygen bars and self-guided walking tours with a ton of murals.