near to cozumel Archives - The Cabana Beach

To speak of Mexico is to speak of the Maya civilization, one of the most important in pre-Hispanic America.

Therefore, it is not surprising that every year millions of people want to admire in person the invaluable legacy left by this culture in Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco, the eastern part of Chiapas and Quintana Roo.
Precisely, in this state we can locate the island of Cozumel among the favorite destinations for those who decide to enjoy a vacation in this country.

For you to enjoy even more your trip to this paradise on the Caribbean coast and its Mayan heritage, here are a few curiosities that you will probably like to know.

Things you have to know about Cozumel

Cozumel, in Mayan language Kosom Lumil, is the third largest island in Mexico and the second most populated.
It is one of the 11 municipalities of the State of Quintana Roo, is located 18 kilometers from the Yucatan Peninsula and just over 60 kilometers from Cancun.

It is also known as the Land of the Swallows due to the large number of these birds that fly over this territory founded by the Mayas as a sacred sanctuary and commercial stop.

The enchanting island has been the scene of historical events that have marked it, making it an exotic island, like something out of a fairy tale. It has sheltered Mayans, Spaniards and even reckless pirates.

Despite this, it has always been a peaceful island and its inhabitants seem to be enraptured by a love and respect for the Mayan culture as in few other places.

The Arrecifes National Park (Great Mayan Reef) and its spectacular corals and marine fauna are some of the reasons why Cozumel is considered one of the top 5 diving destinations in the world.

Around the 60’s the renowned filmmaker, diver, oceanographer and writer Jacques Cousteau after having explored the seas throughout the world aboard his ship Calypso, declared that Cozumel was the best place to dive and, as if by magic, all diving lovers fixed their eyes on this small island making it one of the best places to practice this sport.

The people of Cozumel in gratitude to Jacques Cousteau have placed a statue of him at the bottom of the sea.

If you don’t want to swim underwater to appreciate the marine fauna, coral formations and even a sunken ship, you can dive in a real submarine!

Although Cozumel does not have extensive white sand beaches, since its geography is rather rocky, there are at least 3 that are a must-see:
Punta Chiqueros – with a still rather “wild” environment -; Playa Palancar, one of the most popular and highly recommended for snorkeling; and Playa de Chen Rio, which looks more like a swimming pool, thanks to the rocks that surround the place and slow down the swell.

Archaeological sites in Riviera Maya

Among the most important archaeological sites to visit in Cozumel are the San Gervasio Ruins, where the sanctuary dedicated to “Ixchel”, the Mayan goddess of fertility, was erected.

The first inhabitants of Cozumel were the Mayas, who worshipped the goddess Ixchel, deity of fertility, childbirth, love and gestation. The love of the Mayan people for the goddess Ixchel was such that a sanctuary was built for her and it was the duty of every woman to go at least once in her life to worship her. It is said that the goddess Ixchel in gratitude made them bring from the sky the favorite birds of the Mayas, hence the name La Isla de las Golondrinas (Island of the Swallows). In Mayan Cuzam is swallow and Luum, place, giving origin to the name Cuzamil. The Spaniards, unable to pronounce it accurately, began to deform it to Cozumel.

However, you will have to board a boat to go to the mainland and tour the Mayan settlements of Chitchen Itza, Tulum and Coba.

LA TUMBA DEL CARACOL

Cozumel one of the ten municipalities of the state of Quintana Roo is a Mexican island, the third largest and the second most populated of the country in the Mayan language Cozumel means “Island of the Swallows”, rich in archaeological monuments, product of the Mayan culture, has incredible places for tourists the most relevant are San Gervasio, El Cedral, Miramar, Punta Molas, Celarain and Cinco Puertas on the island of Cozumel and Xel Ha, has historic buildings such as the Public Clock, the boardwalk, the Esplanade of the Flag, the main park, monument to the snail, monument to the diver and the statue of the Virgin submerged in the sea, in June is the religious feast of St. Pedro and St. Pablo, in September that of St. Miguel.

In June is the religious feast of San Pedro and San Pablo, in September is the feast of San Miguel (the name of the municipal capital is San Miguel de Cozumel), in February or March is the carnival and in May is celebrated in El Cedral the feast of the Holy Cross.

The name of the ruin “El Caracol” was given because of the snails that ornament the small dome that crowns the roof of this small temple, hence the name. It is also known as “Tumba del Caracol”, because of its small size, which resembles a burial mound.

It is certain that this pre-Hispanic complex was built during the late Postclassic period (1200 – 1500 A.D.) and although it is believed that this archaeological site is dedicated to and was built in honor of the Mayan goddess Ixchel, there are no remains to prove it.

The ruin of the Caracol has a west-east alignment towards the islet “Celarain” 550 m. away and you can see the sunrise in alignment with it, on February 22 and October 20. In addition, the observation of celestial movements was of great importance to the ancient Maya.

That is why they developed calendars of great precision used in agricultural and religious activities, and transferred the knowledge to build their cities in harmony with the cosmos and worship the deities that inhabited the celestial vault.

The main temple is the one that gives name to the zone and it is a miniature temple of vaulted roof and four doors, that later was wrapped in three of its sides by a bigger construction.

On the roof it has a small square temple, with four openings and an upper hole, where a snail-shaped top was placed, decorated with four rows of natural snails embedded in the stucco.

One of the legends that embrace this archaeological zone is that people believe that the wind makes the snails whistle, and that the ancient Maya related it to hurricanes and the cult of the wind.

The singular decoration of the roof of this building is unique in the region. This makes it highly recommended for a visit, which includes an exceptional view of the sea at the southern tip of Cozumel Island.

The Caracol group is located at the southern tip of the island of Cozumel, on the dirt road leading to the Punta Celerain lighthouse, where there is currently a small museum which is in charge of the Foundation of Parks and Museums of Cozumel.

The site is located within the ecological reserve of Punta Sur, administered by the same foundation. From the city of San Miguel de Cozumel, it can be easily accessed by following the perimeter road to the south of the island.

Services available in the area:
The archeological site does not have any. To access the park’s services, the corresponding access fee must be paid.

Hours:
Visits are scheduled upon request to the INAH Center. The park is open from Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 to 16:00 hrs.

Recommendations:
Wear comfortable shoes, water, insect repellent and biodegradable sunscreen.
Since INAH does not have permanent staff at the site, visits should be requested at least five days in advance.

How to get to the site:
It can be easily accessed by following the perimeter road to the south of the island.

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A Wonder of the World close to your vacation in Cozumel

Chichen Itza is not technically located in Cozumel, but many consider it one of its cultural secrets, as most tours to Chichen Itza depart from Cozumel.

The ruins of this ancient Mayan city have been certified by UNESCO to be included in its famous World Heritage List, and it is also known as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Chichen Itza is one of the most important Mayan ruins.

So, if you are looking to take a tour, only schedule one where the tour guide is certified as an expert, as this is the only way you will experience the wonders of this most famous site.

For centuries there has been speculation about the significance of the pyramid of Kukulcan in particular since, according to recent indications, it could be a kind of calendar given the importance of time changes for the Maya.

This pyramid is 24 meters high; each side has exactly 91 steps plus one more at the top that leads to the upper temple which, added together, would be 365, exactly the same as the days of the year.

When can the feathered serpent be seen?

During the equinoxes, the so-called descent of the feathered serpent is observed.

Starting from the snake heads, the shadows of the platforms are projected, creating an optical illusion that looks like the body of a snake moving, crawling down the stairway.

Scholars of Chichén Itzá believe that it was a way for the Mayas to symbolize the mandate of the gods to go to the agricultural work before the imminent rainy season.

El Caracol

Chichén Itzá offers a myriad of charms such as the Observatory, also known as El Caracol because of the spiral shape hidden inside, a place where the Mayas studied the stars.

Also the Temple of the warriors with its impressive group of columns or the Ball Game court in which the two rings through which the ball had to pass are preserved.

How to visit Chichen Itza?

There are several ways to get here and the most common are excursions that take you to the site and also offer you a guide who will explain the secrets of the site.

However, Chichen Itza can also be visited on your own, since there are several buses from the nearest cities, such as Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum or Merida.

Before the arrival of the coronavirus, there were tours to Chichen Itza at night that were highly recommended, with a narrative reproduction of lights and sound over the great pyramid of Kukulcan.

At the moment these tours are suspended until further notice. It should also be noted that, after its reopening, the capacity of Chichen Itza is limited to 3000 people and its schedule is from 8 am to 5 pm, with the last visit at 4 pm.

El Cenote Sagrado de Chichén Itzá

Also, while you are in Chichén Itzá it is important not to miss the sacred Cenote.

With about 60 meters in diameter, it is believed that this impressive opening was used by the Maya to make human sacrifices, in fact it has a platform that seems explicitly designed for it.

As a curious fact; at the beginning of the 20th century a person found out that the Mayas used to throw maidens into the cenote, so he bought the property believing that inside he could find remains of the ladies’ jewels.

He dredged the cenote and found a number of objects that he later sold until 1926 when the Mexican government expropriated the land and sued him. After years of trial, the great majority of the pieces were returned to museums in the country.

Luis Fernando

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