The second type of beach you'll encounter on Cozumel island is the rocky, limestone variety sometimes referred to as "iron shore." Although not as aesthetically pleasing to some as white sand--and certainly not as easy on the feet (consider bringing surf booties if you are a serious snorkeler) the rule of thumb is: "If you don't see ironshore, the snorkeling will be no good."

See our article on Cozumel Snorkeling for recommendations on the best spots for enjoying this fun activity.

The third type of beach you'll encounter on Cozumel is the man-made hybrid. Chankannab National Park (pictured in aerial shot above) has a man-made beach. As do the majority of oceanfront condos, villas, resorts and hotels.

When we say manmade we mean they've brought in sand and made beaches above the rocky limestone outcroppings that were already there naturally. .

With man-made beaches like Chankannab (See aerial photo above left) and many others, you get the beach scene with the sand, shaded palapas, lounge chairs, etc. But you can also usually hop into water and actually see some fish. Because, remember, the natural sand beaches that slope gently into the water with no rocky formations are NOT good for snorkeling.