Cozumel, Mexico
Life moves a flake slower on an island. Hitchhiking is a marvelous means to taste this slower pace, coming together some interesting novel friends inwards the process.
Even if y'all don’t know much virtually Mexico, y'all may receive got heard of Cozumel before. Why? It’s on the Cruise Ship route. Everyone knows somebody who’s been on a cruise ship, too they’ve belike stopped hither at some point.
This is plainly evident past times all the jewelry shops too touts that business the chief street of San Miguel past times the docks. But don’t allow this description of Cozumel dissuade you, because it’s real like shooting fish in a barrel to move to the contrary terminate of the isle where you’ll uncovering almost no buildings too enough of beautiful empty beaches waiting for you.
Cozumel On H5N1 Budget
Cozumel Island lies solely half dozen miles off of Mexico’s Caribbean Area coast, too tin give the sack endure accessed past times regular ferry service from Playa del Carmen. The trip takes virtually 45 minutes, too costs $13 ane way.
The isle is good known for it’s fantastic SCUBA diving too snorkeling, every bit at that spot is a protected marine park/coral reef along the coast. But if y'all don’t experience similar spending coin on these activities, at that spot are also some Mayan ruins too enough of pristine beaches to cheque out.
My friend Morgan was visiting me from States that week, too nosotros decided to firm over too explore Cozumel on the cheap.
Exploring Cozumel Island
After disembarking from the ferry, nosotros wandered into the substance of San Miguel too bought a twosome of $1 cans of beer to drinkable along our walk.
It tin give the sack endure extremely frustrating to hitchhike or too thus whatsoever type of town. There’s no signal inwards sticking out your pollex for a ride on busy streets, where people are a lot less probable to halt or fifty-fifty endure headed inwards the same direction every bit y'all are.
So nosotros walked. For over an hr inwards the hot sun.
Hidden Neighborhoods
Eventually a colectivo (group taxi) drove by, too nosotros jumped inwards amongst some locals. It wasn’t going real far, but it got us out of the Sun too farther downwardly the route for less than $1.
This van also took us through some local neighborhoods that nosotros never would receive got seen on our own.
Hundreds of unproblematic concrete low-income homes where many local tour manufacture people lived. Resort staff, street vendors, too others who brand their living off the thousands of cruise send passengers who transcend through on a regular basis.
Hitchhiking With Fellow Travelers
Dropped off dorsum on the chief road, nosotros were finally inwards a to a greater extent than rural surface area that was perfect for bumming a ride. After a few failed attempts, it didn’t receive got long until a automobile stopped for us. I intend it helps a flake when you’re traveling amongst a adult woman inwards short-shorts…
Morgan too I crammed into the dorsum of the small-scale sedan amongst iii travelers from Buenos Aires.
Our saviors Matias, Thomas, too Victoria had rented an quondam beat-up automobile too driven it downwardly hither from United Mexican States City. They were headed for the beaches on the far side of the island.
Sounds similar a plan!
We were ready to piece of occupation out of the scorching Sun too into the water. So off nosotros went.
Quiet Cozumel Beaches
The Eastern side of the isle is pretty barren. Luckily at that spot is real piffling development, too thus the beaches are withal tranquil too inviting. Occasionally you’ll uncovering a small-scale bar/restaurant, or a grouping of thatched-roof souvenir shops, but that’s virtually it.
We stopped at a prissy beach amongst an outdoor bar, thanked our novel friends for the ride, grabbed some other beer too went for a swim inwards the crystal clear water.
Cozumel is primarily made upwards of limestone, too thus at that spot are enough of cool stone formations along the beach for the waves to crash against.
Fish Tacos On H5N1 Cliff
Swimming volition brand anyone hungry, too thus nosotros walked downwardly the route for a flake to Coconuts Bar & Grill for some tasty fish tacos to snack on spell sitting on pinnacle of a beautiful cliff overlooking the sea below.
It was starting to larn belatedly instantly though, too nosotros withal needed to uncovering a ride dorsum towards town to select handgrip of the ferry.
Hitchhiking inwards the night is never real productive — the clock was ticking.
Drunken Americans
On the route again, nosotros spied a gringo twosome inwards the parking lot amongst a bright-red rental jeep. I ran over to inquire them for a lift. It turns out they were simply arriving, non leaving. But the adult woman said if nosotros waited or too thus for xxx minutes, she’d endure happy to allow us tag along.
One await at her husband, too nosotros chop-chop nixed that idea. He was completely wasted! Like “hospital emergency room time” variety of drunk. They manifestly didn’t read that route sign earlier…
We politely declined too decided to hoof it for a while…
Six People & H5N1 Dog!
After a few drive-bys amongst no luck, nosotros spied a tiny hatchback total of people. We stuck our thumbs out anyway, simply for the fun of it. They looked piteous they didn’t receive got whatsoever room too kept on driving.
But v minutes later, nosotros institute the same automobile stopped on the side of the route amongst somebody waving us over! Our novel friend Miguel offered to sit down inwards the torso surface area too thus nosotros could both mash into the automobile amongst the four of them too their dog. How’s that for Mexican hospitality?
It turns out they also hitchhiked frequently, too didn’t desire to leave of absence us stranded.
Just to a greater extent than proof that people who hitchhike are awesome.
We arrived to town simply inwards fourth dimension to select handgrip of the in conclusion ferry back. ★
Packing Guide
Check out my travel gear guide to assist y'all showtime packing for your trip. Pick upwards a move backpack, photographic boob tube camera gear, too other useful move accessories.
Book Your Flight
Book inexpensive flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to uncovering deals. Also read my tips for how I uncovering the cheapest flights.
Rent H5N1 Car
Discover Car Hire is a keen site for comparison automobile prices to uncovering the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.
Book Accommodation
Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking inexpensive hotels.
Protect Your Trip
Don’t forget move insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read to a greater extent than virtually why y'all should e'er bear move insurance.
READ NEXT: 7 Things To Do In Playa Del Carmen
Have y'all ever hitchhiked before?
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