LOOKING FOR THE BEST COZUMEL TOUR
Join us on our highly recommended Cozumel tour that infuses a mix of the culture, beach and spectacular scenery of the eastern coast of Cozumel Island.
If you enjoy culture, this Cozumel tour is a must. The San Gervasio Ruins played a key role as a unique pilgrimage destination for Mayan Civilization from all over the Mayan territory (Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico). Then to cool off, you can plunge into the Caribbean Sea, have a drink and get lots of photo opportunities against a backdrop of turquoise waters.
During the Mayan Classic Period, San Gervasio was already inhabited, as well as the rest of the island. Cozumel was a witness of key events happening in the Mayan history such as when the city of Caracol (Belize) defeated Tikal (Guatemala) in 562 BC, or when Teotihuacan started to decline.
At the time San Gervasio was being created, Mayan artists started to use more representations of the female figure in the historic monuments. The famous painter Aj Maxam created in Naranjo (Guatemala) magnificent works of art using multiple styles. It’s the beginning of the Mayan muralists that made the paintings of Cacaxtla (Tlaxcala, México) and Bonampak (Chiapas, México), Chichén Itzá dominates the Yucatan peninsula, the Toltec civilization expands their trade routes from the South of the North American territory to Yucatán, and the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan is founded.
For centuries San Gervasio preserved its importance as an oracular shrine honoring the Moon goddess in its different manifestations, by being one of the only three oracular shrines in the whole Mayan world together with Chichén Itzá and Izamal. It used to attract massive and frequent pilgrimage from mainland where thousands of devotees came to visit Ixchel with prayers and offerings.
Ixchelbel Yax, Chak Chel, Ixtab are manifestations of the goddess as an old warrior, midwife, patroness of suicide, or mother of the gods. The Mayan artists also depict this deity as a beautiful or old female that pours the benefic rain or the horrible floods, embraces rabbits or elderly people.
Cozumel, although hardly comparable to the monumental Dzibanche, the popular Kohunlich, the mysterious Ich kabaal, the old Chacchoben or the exotic Tulum; is the only house of this goddess in the whole Mayan world.
San Gervasio preserves a humble character that still today inspires respect regardless of the many onslaughts throughout history ranging from the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, the pirates that used the island to supply and repair their ships, or the consequences of a growing population.
Pricing: Adults: $95 USD / Children 12 and under: $75 USD
Purchase Option:
$95.00 USD – Single Adult – Pay in Full (Must be at least 7 days in Advance)
$75.00 USD – Single Child – Pay in Full (Must be at least 7 days in Advance)
Meeting Point and Itinerary:
Your guide will meet you at the Cozumel ferry pier in downtown Cozumel at 10am under the swallows sculpture to walk you to the vehicle that will take us to the S. Gervasio Mayan site in less than 30 minutes.
The guided visit to the ruins will take about 1 hour after which you’ll have a good understanding of this site in the fascinating Mayan history. Our guide will teach you facts and tales
of the ancient Mayan, the ritualistic and everyday function of the different buildings, and the relationship of each architectural motif with the Mayan cosmogony.
After the visit our driver will take us to the East coast of the island to discover the beauty of the coastal flora, the almost deserted white fine sandy beaches and the turquoise Caribbean Sea.
After some stops for photo opportunities we’ll enjoy one hour at a restaurant-bar on the beach where you can try some delicious Mexican dishes, drinks or go for a swim. Finally, we’ll continue touring around the island to be back at the meeting point at about 2 – 2:30pm.
Included:
- Round trip in a new air-conditioned vehicle
- Admission and guided tour at the ruins
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Bottled water
- Punctuality
Not Included:
- Food or alcoholic drinks
Schedule: 10am till 2 – 2:30pm. (Please, be at the meeting point by 9:45 am). If you have a group or a different schedule please, contact us we’ll try to customize the tour to meet your needs.
Duration: 4 to 4.5 hours
Pricing: Adults: $95 USD / Children 12 and under: $75 USD
Deposit:
A 20% deposit per person is required at the moment of booking to confirm spaces for this excursion. Balance payment will be required ONLY in cash (Pesos or US Dollars) at check-in. Your deposit is fully refundable if you cancel your Cozumel tour at least 7 days prior to your tour date or for any reason your cruise ship does not call port in Cozumel.
Restrictions:
- During rainy season (May to September) San Gervasio may be unsuitable for wheelchairs or guests with mobility issues. Please, check with us if you have any doubt.
- Child rate applies for children under 13 years old.
- There is a fee of $4 USD (NOT included in the tour price) for the use of video cameras at the ruins. Tripods are not allowed. This fee is paid directly at the entrance of the site.
- We require a minimum of 4 people to operate this tour. We usually make groups with other people who might be interested in the same tour on the same date. If you book this tour with us and we do not get the minimum of participants required, we will inform you at least one week in advance and will offer you our best possible alternative.
- The local time in Cozumel may be one/two hours earlier than the ship time. Please, check boarding time before leaving your ship. If you’re not sure which time to select, please contact us.
- This tour does not operate on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
Recommendations:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Drinking water, a hat, sun block lotion and mosquito repellent would also be a good idea. During rainy season (May to September) light raincoats are recommended. You will also need swimming clothes and a towel if you want to swim in the sea.
Important notice:
The meeting point for all our Cozumel tours is under the swallows sculpture at the San Miguel Ferry pier on Rafael Melgar Avenue, across from Las Palmeras restaurant and next to the big Mexican flag.
Once you confirm your booking we will email you a voucher with practical information such as emergency contact phone numbers, map and photo of the meeting point, and directions about how to find us.
You will have the opportunity to enter the date/time you wish to book your tour on the checkout page, Thank you.
