We sailed to the island of Cozumel for a day, which was a special experience for me, as I had been there twelve years before. I was curious to see how much the place had changed since then, and I have to admit, a lot had changed. The port area and the row of modern buildings had completely transformed the landscape, but fortunately the core of the city center remained recognizable from my old memories. Since we arrived in the morning, we were able to spend the entire afternoon at San Francisco Beach, where we were lucky enough to get free entry, because our hotel provided us with the necessary voucher. We ended the evening at a pleasant local restaurant, where we would have chosen nothing but another serving of divine tacos.
Tacos are not just a dish in Mexico, but a cornerstone of culture, with endless variations from region to region. The most important element is the fresh, handmade corn tortilla, which is filled with a variety of fillings, and all this is completed by fresh cilantro, onions and the indispensable lime juice. Our absolute favorite was the Taco al Pastor, which is prepared similar to a kebab: spicy pork is grilled on a vertical rotating skewer, and a pineapple is placed on top, the sweet juice of which seeps through the layers of meat, giving it a special, sweet-spicy flavor. We also really liked the Taco Arrachera version, in which the meat, usually beef steak, is marinated in advance and then grilled briefly, giving it a smokier, more characteristic flavor.
The history of Cozumel is deeply rooted in Mayan mythology, as the island was a sacred place for Ixchel, the goddess of the moon and fertility, in the first millennium AD. Mayan women were required to make a pilgrimage here at least once in their lives to offer sacrifices to the goddess and ensure the well-being of their families. The island still has several ruined cities, including San Gervasio, that bear witness to this sacred past, when Cozumel was a major hub for Mayan trade routes and ritual pilgrimages in the Caribbean.
In the early 16th century, Cozumel was one of the first places where Spanish conquistadors landed on the coast of Mexico. In 1518, Juan de Grijalva’s expedition arrived here, and later Hernán Cortés also gathered here before conquering the interior. Spanish rule and the diseases they brought, especially smallpox, drastically decimated the indigenous population, leaving the island almost completely depopulated for centuries. Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, Cozumel’s isolation was exploited by Caribbean pirates, including the infamous Henry Morgan, who often used it as a hideout and supply base for their fleets.
The modern era and the island’s revival began in the mid-19th century, when families fleeing the caste wars on the mainland settled here permanently. However, Cozumel’s true international fame came with Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who in 1961 made a documentary about the island’s Palancar Reef, one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. This sparked a tourism boom that made the island one of the world’s premier diving destinations and a popular port for cruise ships, creating the bustling, modern atmosphere we experienced during our visit.
