Chankanaab National Park

Chankanaab National Park Beach Front

Why do a completely separate review of Chankanaab National Park? Its easy, Chankanaab is a destination in itself and is worthy of many Cozumel visitor's complete attention. Chankanaab National Park is a great choice for a do-it-yourself shore excursion, as it is close to the cruise terminals, easy to get to, reasonably affordable, completely safe, and really caters to families and those wanting to experience more than just a day at the beach.

Chankanaab became a National Park in 1980 to portect its unique eco systems and ocean environment, flora and fauna. While Chankanaab National Park only resides on about 40 to 60 acres (my guess) it offers something for everyone. Here is a breakdown of what you will find.

The Entrance to Chankanaab National Park

Getting to Chankanaab National Park:
Getting to Chankanaab is quite easy. It is a short taxi ride from the International pier (about $5.00 each way) and a bit longer from the downtown piers (about $10.00 each way) There are always ample taxis waiting at Chankanaab to take you back to the pier or into town for shopping. The entrance fee for adults is currently $12 (as of April, 2004) The park opens at 8 am in the morning and closes at 5 pm. The entrance fee is collected at the tick windows at the entrance and you are given a temporary bracelet that must be worn the entire time you are visiting the park.

The Children's Beach at Chankanaab National Park

The Beach
Chankanaab National Park's beaches are typical for Cozumel with one exception. On the north side of the park (near the dolphin pens) there is a protected cove that is perfect for young children. HINT: If you have young children, don't think of going anywhere else on Cozumel! Other than this prize, the beach is imported sand held behind a rock wall built to retain the sand.

Typical Chankanaab Beach Front

You can lie in the sand (bring towels from the ship) but the palapas and beach lounges are for rent only. However, they are reasonable and do make the day much nicer if you have some comfort. To get the best spots, be sure to arrive at the park early and stake your claim.

The Float in the Center of the Snorkeling Area

The Snorkeling and Diving
Chankanaab is known to be an excellent snorkeling spot, however I have never seen the area they must have been talking about. In my opinion, the snorkeling here is only mediocre at best. There are a few rock outcroppings in the primarily sand bottom and the shoreline reef (rock) is barren of much life one would expect to see. The fish are friendly (especially if you have some fish food) but you will not see anything extraordinary here. There are some sunken statues and artifacts that are fun to find (one of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, a cannon, an anchor and a sea maiden)

Chankanaab's Dive and Snorkel Shops

Snorkel gear is rented at one of the sports shacks on the beach for a nominal amount of money, but I would always suggest that you visit a dive shop before you leave home and get fitted for your own personal mask and snorkel, as this will make every minute in the water so much more enjoyable for you. You can arrange for dives at Chankanaab's dive shops and I understand there are some excellent dives that are made from this location as the coastline is riddled with caves and tubes to explore.

Chankanaab's Swim with the Dolphins

Swim with the Dolphins
Swim with the dolphins has been a phenomenal success wherever it is offered. Chankanaab National Park has been offering its dolphin encounter for a couple of years now and it has met with huge success. For about $120 you get 30 to 45 minutes with two dolphins in their natural environment (of course, you and they are in a cage) Folks with you, but not participating in the swim can also join you at the tank while you swim to photograph you. Of course the park also takes a video of your experience and makes it available for a charge. Everyone that does it seems to walk away pleased with the experience.

Chakanaab's Sea Lion Show Arena

The Sea Lion Show
While I didn't see the show, or talk with anyone that did, I would suspect this would be a great choice for those with children. The current charge is $10 per person to enjoy the show and there seems to be a lot of takers for it.

Entrance to Chankanaab National Park

The Botanical and Archaeological Park
Now this is a cool reason to visit Chankanaab National Park. After clearing the entrance gates, you are presented with a pathway that leads into the park. Shops and dolphins, to the right; beach, straight ahead; if you want to visit the botanical and archaeological gardens, then take the left fork.

Chankanaab National Park Botanical Gardens Pathway

Exploring the trails and walkways that meander throughout a huge area is a wonderful way to enjoy the botanical and archaeological gardens. The diversity in vegetation is amazing.

Chankanaab Replica Mayan Village

All of a sudden, you stumble upon a complete replica of an ancient Mayan Village to explore. Inside the huts are artifacts from the era and the hanging planters used to grow vegetables was ingenious.

Leaving the village one enters an area where well over 50 replicas of famous statues and artifacts are located throughout the vegetation. It is very stunning to see.

Everywhere you look, there are more visual treats from the Maya, Aztec and other ancient cultures from the area.

The enormity of some of the artifacts is quite impressive. Without question, this is one area of the park everyone will enjoy.

Jungle Pond

Leaving the archaeological section of the park, one hears the sound of water falling into a stream and then follows the stream until it becomes a pond. The vegetation surrounding the pond is simply breathtaking. You could spend hours wondering around this section of the park.

The Saltwater Lagoon

The Lagoon
One of the main attractions of the park is the saltwater lagoon that is connected to the ocean by underwater limestone tubes. I could not get a picture that would do this lagoon justice, as the water color and intensity was almost unbelievable. There is a trail that surrounds the entire lagoon well worth walking, as you will see many fish you would normally only see in the surf zone swimming freely in the calm water.

Chankanaab Lagoon Inlet

The water in the lagoon is crystal clear as you can see here and the reef is absolutely gorgeous. This is one of the inlets where the ocean water transfers from the lagoon.

El Bucanero Restaurant

The Restaurants
As one might imagine, Chankanaab has several restaurants to select from. There is one (El Bucanero Restaurant) that is located back from the beach in a secluded location. Also, the beachfront restaurant is excellent

Chankanaab Oceanfront Restaurant

The Shopping
Of course, no national park would be complete without world class shopping opportunities. Chankanaab is no exception! Adjacent to the dolphin pens lies a complete Mexican shopping village that offers souvenirs for everyone.

Chankanaab Shopping Village

Here you can find all of the souvenirs that you might need and avoid having to go into town shopping. There are also shops outside of the entrance to Chankanaab National Park that sell souvenirs and other products.

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