Punta Sur Ecotourism Park

Information

It is a protected natural area located south of the island of Cozumel. It is an unmissable place for those who like to do activities in contact with nature, in addition to a unique landscape.

To get there from San Miguel de Cozumel (the capital of the island), it is about 30 km along the road that runs parallel to the west coast of the island.

When you enter, you pay an entrance fee, which includes a map and instructions. From here you go along a main road and you can stop to see the different attractions:
- At 2.7 km there are footbridges with a viewpoint to see the X'tacún lagoon, where it is common to see the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). Just in front of the access to this place, at the side of the road, there is a Mayan vestige called El Caracol (The Snail).
- Further on, at km 4.5 is the Celarain lighthouse with a navigation museum. Opposite is a small white sandy beach where iguanas frequent. From there, there is a path with an observation tower and a water area where crocodiles are often seen.
- The main path ends at km 12, where there is a long white sandy beach and snorkelling is possible. The beach parasols and sun loungers are free, you can use them without any obligation to buy anything. However, there is a restaurant in case you want to eat or drink something.
- Just in front of this last beach, there is a 40-metre path that leads to a pier, from where a boat leaves to take you to the Colombia Lagoon and see the crocodiles that live there. When I was there, you didn't have to pay for this tour either, as it was also included in the ticket paid at the entrance.

Besides crocodiles, there are other large reptiles easy to spot such as the common green iguana (Iguana iguana) and the common spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis).

As for mammals, the endemic pygmy raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus) is a common sight. This species is endangered and is different from the mainland raccoon.