Cozumel's East Coast Beaches

Cozumel’s East Coast Beaches are delightful. They are on the open ocean and the entire eastern shoreline gets pounded with surf year around. Over the years, this had created some huge beaches that enjoy a good amount of deep, fine coral sand. The clouds that come in from the open ocean tend to drift across the island and pile up on the western side, so there is an excellent chance that the eastern beaches will be hot and sunny, even if the western beaches are cloudy and overcast. Overall, the entire eastern shoreline is undeveloped with the exception of the beaches, restaurants and bars that follow. It is mostly covered in brush and I would suspect many of the beaches not readily accessible with parking are rarely visited. None of the eastern beaches have admission fees or user fees whatsoever. You are free to enjoy them at your leisure.

To visit the eastern shoreline of Cozumel, you can head south down the western shoreline and simply follow the road all the way around the island, until you hit the first spot (the Paradise Café). If you want to visit the eastern shoreline from the center of downtown Cozumel you can go east on Av. Bonito Juarez (right at the foot of the downtown pier) and it becomes the Island Crossroad that cuts straight across the island and hits the east side of Cozumel. Simply turn right and you will shortly hit the first beach.

If you want to escape the maddening crowds of the closer west coast beach clubs and parks then think about taking a trip to Cozumel’s east coast beaches.

Surfing at Punta Morena

Punta Morena
Punta  Morena is either the last beach that you come to or the first, depending on which way you circle Cozumel. If you arrive to the eastern shore via the Island Crossroad, turn right when you hit the ocean and you will run right into Punta Morena.

Punta Morena Restaurant

Punta Morena offers an excellent beach, a good restaurant (fish, shrimp, burgers and so on) a good bar and palapas to relax under right on the beach. There is also some shopping for Mexican souvenirs.

The Punta Morena Restaurant Sign

Surfers take note: there is a peak here with a rideable left and mushy right. It is never crowded (except on excellent swells on the weekends) and is sometimes worth the trek out here. Everyone at Punta Morena is friendly and there are not many cruise ship passengers that make it out here.

The View From Coconut's Restaurant and Bar

Coconut’s
Coconut’s is not really a beach, but a GREAT restaurant that sits on a hillside overlooking great beaches. While I did not eat here, some in our group did and said it was simply wonderful. They offer a complete menu of seafood and other items and you can sit at a palapa table right on the bluff and take in the incredible views.

Coconut's Restaurant

Coconut's Bar

The trail leading to Coconuts is cut right out of solid rock, so be sure to take some sandals or tennis shoes.

A Happy Group of Coconuts Patrons

Chen Rio

The Beach and Palapas at Chen Rio

This is the spot you are looking for! First of all, Chen Rio offers the finest beach on Cozumel. Its powdery fine while sand is a pleasure to sink your feet into. The water is crystal clear and the beach is huge. Even if the Chen Rio Restaurant/Bar were not there, it would be my favorite beach. But, the restaurant and bar are just as excellent as the beach itself. They offer a full range of seafood and ice-cold cervezas and plenty of comfortable places to eat and drink. Our driver told us that his family comes to Chen Rio on the weekends because they can bring their own cooler full of liquid refreshments and the owners do not mind.

The Grounds at Chen Rio

If you are looking for the ultimate authentic Mexican palapa restaurant beach experience without hoards of cruise ship people, then Chen Rio is where you want to go.

San Martin's Beautiful Beach

San Martin

San Martin is about halfway across the eastern coast of Cozumel and offers a huge beach that seems to go on forever. However, this stretch of coastline is riddled with offshore reefs that deposit a good amount of coral on the shore and while Chen Rio’s sand is powdery fine, the sand in this area contains a good amount of small chunks of ocean worn coral making it a little more uncomfortable to walk on and enjoy.

San Martin's Shopping

Also the ocean isn’t quite as user-friendly here and would be of concern to those wanting calm and friendly swimming conditions. There is a restaurant and bar, as well as a small shopping area directly across the street. I am not sure that I would stop here, as Chen Rio is not much further. However, San Martin would be an excellent beach for beachcombing to collect coral and other items that may have washed up onto the beach.

The Beach From Playa Bonita Restaurant

Playa Bonita
Of course, bonita means beautiful in Spanish. and that describes Playa Bonita to a tee. Playa Bonita offers a great restaurant and bar, a high quality beach and excellent swimming and snorkeling.

Playa Bonita Restaurant and Bar

Playa Bonita's Chef Busy at Work

I would say this is the number two beach on the eastern shore (right behind Chen Rio) This would be a great choice for someone combining a west coast beach club with an east coast beach visit in the same day as it is the first quality beach when visiting the eastern shoreline from the southern side of the western shore.

The View from El Miradore

El Miradore
El Miradore is really more of a tourist stop than a beach. However there are some interesting rock formations along the beach area if you are looking for potential tide pools to explore. There is a stone structure (El Miradore) that offers a view of the oceanfront from an elevated angle. There are also some vendors selling stuff at El Miradore, as well. I think if you just look at these pictures, you will get the idea and won’t need to waste time stopping here. This is on the ship’s itinerary and all tours and activities make this stop. When we were there, no less than 50 dune buggies pulled in with the leader shouting instructions to everyone.

Paradise Beach

Paradise Cafe from the Beach

Paradise Café
Right at the southernmost end of the eastern coast of Cozumel, the Paradise Café and Rasta’s Restaurant reside. Paradise Café would be a great spot to come if you only wanted a taste of Cozumel’s eastern coastline, as it is still reasonably close via taxi and offers much of the same thing.

Paradise Cafe's Bar

Swimming isn’t good here, but there is a nice beach for sunning and a funky palapa restaurant serving seafood and drinks.
 

Rasta's Restaurant Across from Paradise Cafe

I have not eaten at Rasta’s (across the street) but it appeared to be another great restaurant with tons of character. There were a number of people enjoying the food and views from Rasta’s second floor.

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