10 Reasons to Book a Trip to Cozumel, Stat

The island is about 185 square miles — and the vast majority of them are totally undeveloped. Instead, the inland jungles are lush and thick and dotted with wild boars, pygmy raccoons, foxes, and exotic birds. Incredibly, most of the island's eastern shore remains undeveloped, too, with all the hotels and resorts clustered on the western coast. You can book a horseback ride into the jungle or a guided excursion to check out the wild waterfront — or just relax feeling oh so far from everything.

The coral reef communities in Cozumel's clear, blue-green waters are thriving. There are a few reasons for that. One, the Mexican government established the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park more than two decades ago, which made touching or taking marine life from the reefs inside a crime. And two, the island's geography naturally protects many of the coral reefs. Grab a snorkel and some fins and ask a local to take you out to a scenic underwater spot, or just push off from the waterline; coral reefs grow almost all the way up to the island's craggy beach. (Scuba divers, you'll love the sea here, too!)

While you're at it, keep that snorkel mask and flippers handy, because a half-mile from the island, there is a magical underwater land covered in starfish. It's a shallow sandbar known as El Cielo ("the sky"), and the five-legged wonders love it for the tiny plants and sea creatures that drift by and become their dinner. Stingrays are known to hang out here too, so keep an eye out for the ruffly, fluttery little creatures.

Chankanaab, which means little sea in Mayan, is an eco park centering around a lagoon that has underwater caves and tons of turtles, exotic fish, and iguanas. There's even a crocodile exhibit and areas for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and scuba diving (all clearly separated from that crocodile exhibit, of course).

Cozumel is best explored via guided excursions, and only one resort on the island includes daily activities in the cost of your stay. The Explorean Cozumel doesn't skimp on the offerings, either, with outings such as horseback rides through the rain forest, stand-up paddleboard lessons, and sunset kayaking followed by stargazing and some stories based on what Mayans saw in the constellations above. Bonus: while you can dine at any of the seven restaurants at the Fiesta Americana Cozumel, the property's much-larger sister hotel across the street, the Explorean, has a sweet plein-air restaurant where the chef picks up whatever's freshest every morning (no menu) for a few specialties. And a final VIB (very important bonus): the outdoor pool and hot tub? They're open all night.

At the MUSUBO, submerged sculptures are slowly becoming one with the seascape as plants and animals latch on. The massive busts, located in an area that's less mobbed by snorklers, pay tribute to people who left an impact on Mexico's diving history.

Beautiful Mayan homes and buildings, in various states of decay, are sprinkled over the island, including some inside the Chankanaab eco park and others in the downtown area. The San Gervasio Mayan ruins, shown here, are the largest on the island and the only official archaeological site on Cozumel. It's an homage to Ixchel, the goddess of fertility and love, and some female visitors who were trying to conceiving have sworn that a visit here changed their luck.

Yes, the US State Department recently put Quintana Roo, the state that Cozumel is in, on its "do not travel" list. But the island seems to be collateral damage, because crime rates are so low there (even in the charming downtown), you almost couldn't be safer without locking yourself at home. Locals explain that because the population is so small, everyone knows everyone, so anybody caught acting out would swiftly face their community's ire. And since tourism is Cozumel's main industry, there's little to be gained by scaring tourists off.

In the late Spring and early Summer, loggerhead and green turtles come ashore to Cozumel's uninhabited east coast and lay hundreds of eggs apiece. Two months later, the sand is crawling with the little tortugas as hatched babies head for the open ocean. In what is now at the top of your bucket list, guided visits let tourists help the lil' guys out by picking them up and releasing them into the ocean (under the watchful eye of marine biologists, of course).

Cozumel is about 34 miles long and 11 miles wide. Any halfway decent biker will tell you those are riding distances, and Cozumel rises to the challenge with paved, car-free bike paths running along much of the coastline, just outside the main roads. For a scenic sunset loop or just a quick dash into the city (no car rental or cab fare required), rent a bike and make yourself a third wheel.