Cozumel above water is an island dedicated to tourist of all kinds. There are many excellent restaurants from Palmeras to Pepe’s where you can get almost any variety of food. Obviously, seafood is a big item with some places serving great lobster dinners for $10.00, and Pepe’s for $30.00. You can always count on several cruise ships being in port at any time including the ‘off’ season, so the streets and shops are always swarming with throngs of people  - all trying to buy out the multitude of shops selling everything from t - shirts to silver.

Bananas Foster at Pepe’s Grill are to die for!

In the northern end where the only town is, these are called beaches.

Lobsters don’t get any fresher than this!

A local strolling group of musicians named ‘Besseme Mucho’ has entertained for tips at Pepe’s for years. They go from table to table serenading lovers and other strangers.

And, everywhere you go there are the local singers to serenade you while you eat. .Iif, however, you get thoroughly bored with the shops in Cozumel, all you have to do is take ten bucks and thirty minutes to take the ferry over to the mainland to Playa Del Carmen on the ‘Mexican Riviera’ to find even more shops selling t-shirts and silver. The ferries run every thirty minutes so you can go when you want and for as long as you want. There is actually a good reason for the non diver to visit the mainland. Depending on the hotel you stay at, there is little to no beach on any but the southern shores of Cozumel. If you stay in or near A local  town, the beaches are miniscule and manmade or nonexistant as the shoreline is quite rocky. Should you stay in some of the more southerly resorts, they have beaches, but then, you have a long drive into town and the shops. The mainland, on the other hand, has beautiful beaches and the shops and restaurants come down to the beach.

This isn’t to say don’t stay in Cozumel since the diving is in Cozumel, but to give anyone with a nondiving partner options so you can dive in peace. And, even for the nondiver, there is lots to do besides shopping. There are beaches and the sea is georgeous, but there is also everything from touring the island by car or scooter, to parasailing and a ride in the Atlantis submarine

The southeast shoreline is also quite rocky and the sand is very coarse, but it is still very popular for kiting and sailboarding due to the reliable high winds. There are a couple of nice reasonably calm beaches on the southern tip but you need to rent a car or scooters to get here however and I would suggest taking whatever you will need with you.