The island of Cozumel is mostly uninhabited. The town of Cozumel, which shares the same name of the island, is only a small dot compared to the rest of the island, three-quarters of which is free of civilization. For tourists, this means you don't have to be around people if you don't want to be. You can find isolated beaches, without a building in sight, on the east coast of the island, such as Playas Hermosas and El Mirador.
Ancient Mayans named the island Cozumel, which when translated into English, means "Island of the Swallows." The name is a combination of two Mayan words: "cozam" for "swallow" and "lumil" for "land of."
The waters surrounding Cozumel are known for its coral reefs and abundant sea life. Look out for sea turtles, sea caves and some of the many colorful fish. You will not get cold scuba diving in Cozumel: the average water temperature is 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you go through the uninhabited tropical rainforest, chances are you will stumble upon remnants of Cozumel's former inhabitants, the Mayans. These stone buildings, some of which are topped off with straw roofs, date back to when the Mayans ruled this part of Mexico from 2000 B.C. to around A.D. 250. Some of the Mayan ruin sites are San Gervasio, Castillo Real and El Cedral.
Unlike most places in Mexico, Cozumel's water source is the ocean. Through desalination technology, salt water is brought from the ocean and turned into fresh water.
