Cozumel is an island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea in southeastern Mexico. It is a popular tourist destination due to its coral reefs and water sports such as diving, deep-sea fishing, snorkeling, and more.
Around the classic period 300-900 B.C. Cozumel became one of the most important sanctuaries in the Yucatan region. The Mayans considered the island a sacred shrine. The name of the Island from the Mayan Kùutsmil, land of swallows. The temples here were a place of pilgrimage, especially by women who were either pregnant or wanted to get pregnant.
Also, it was on this island where all kinds of merchandise arrived from many places for storage before being sent in canoes to other locations. The first Spanish visitor was Juan de Grijalva in 1518, who proclaimed the land as property of the Spanish Crown. A year later, Hernan Cortez visited the island, it was the first site touched by his army. The Mayans accepted their domination peacefully and the conqueror proceeded to destroy many of the Mayan temples. An outbreak of smallpox devastated the population, and by 1570 only 30 Mayan were left alive on the island. Mayan trade was nullified so the inhabitants were forced to depend only on agriculture for their survival.
Several pirates used Cozumel and Isla Mujeres as an operations base. The island was not resettled until 1848. During Mexico’s Independence many Mayans escaped to Cozumel, Holbox and Isla Mujeres. From mid-19th century to the beginning of the 20th, Cozumel economy flourished becoming an important port in Mexico. During World War II, the U.S. built an air base for planes hunting U-boats in the mid-Atlantic and an airport was built.
Around the year 1960, Jacques Cousteau discovered the richness of the coral reef surrounding the island and made underwater enthusiasts aware of Cozumel’ existence. This, together with the construction of a much larger airport in 1970, boomed Cozumel tourism.
Dolphin Discovery Cozumel