Thatched roofs of the Park Royal Hotel

The name Cozumel means “land of the swallows” but it should mean “land of the laid back vibe.”  The tiny island is just 30 miles wide and 10 miles long but it’s filled with a quiet beauty that encourages you to linger.

I was invited on a Cozumel media trip by Royal Holiday Resorts a few months ago and I enjoyed a soothing and colorful stay. Cozumel was settled by the Maya over 2,000 years ago and the lush grounds of the Park Royal Hotel where I stayed boasted many tributes to Mayan culture like the towering statue and serene fountain below.

Covered in bamboo, cedar and palm trees, orchids and red ginger, Cozumel glows with natural beauty.  A family of peacocks lolled in the sun at the hotel and the beach overflows with vividly-colored fish.

Not all of the beauty comes from nature, however. I found that the people and culture of Cozumel reflected just as much loveliness as their island. I took a night-time stroll in Cozumel’s downtown area of Plaza Central. The colonial architecture was splashed in vibrant shades of pink, yellow and orange and grinning children ran and skipped through the square. Vendors hawk churros and cotton candy while shops offer handcrafted hammocks, fanciful figurines and traditional Mayan dresses.

But the lively focal point was a man painted as a bronze, living statue. Just when he convinces you that he’s a real statue, he busts out with shimmies and turns to the live cumbia music playing in the plaza. Sitting under a palm tree and watching the spectacle, the Cozumel sunset was the most beautiful of all.

All Photos by Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

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