Beaches Near Cozumel Cruise Port: Playa Stingray, Chankanaab and Clubs

Quick answer: From the International Pier or Puerta Maya, the closest free beach is Playa Stingray, about 20 minutes' walk north along the coast-road pavement. Chankanaab park is about 5 minutes by taxi and costs US$29 per adult (2026), with snorkelling from the shore. Beach clubs such as Paradise Beach and Mr Sanchos are a short taxi ride south. Taxis charge a posted fixed fare per cab for up to four people. Be on your way back from Chankanaab 65 minutes before all-aboard.

Which pier you dock at

Cozumel has three cruise piers, and your pier decides your beach day.

• ·Punta Langosta is in downtown San Miguel. Lines include Disney, MSC and NCL, among others. The beaches below are south of town, so you need a taxi.
• ·International Pier (SSA Mexico) is about 4 km south of town, about 10 minutes by taxi. Mainly Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.
• ·Puerta Maya is just south of the International Pier, mainly Carnival Corporation lines. You cannot walk between Puerta Maya and the International Pier inside the port areas.

The two southern piers are close to Chankanaab and the beach clubs. Ships normally dock. When the piers are full, some ships anchor and tender passengers to Punta Langosta, downtown. Check your daily programme: allocations change on busy days.

Taxis: how the fares work

Fares are set by the island's taxi union and shown on a board at each pier's taxi stand. They are in US dollars, per taxi, for one to four passengers; five to eight passengers pay a higher rate. Photograph the board. Drivers must show the official rate card on request.

Pay cash. Cards are not accepted. Dollars and pesos both work, but paying in dollars gives a worse exchange rate. Share a cab with others going the same way, because the price is per car, not per person. At the International Pier, if the taxi queue is long, walk out and turn left towards the El Cid La Ceiba hotel, where taxis from town drop off.

Playa Stingray

• ·How to get there: walk north from the International Pier or Puerta Maya along the coast-road pavement, about 1.6 km. Look for the sign and the steps down.
• ·Time: about 20 minutes on foot.
• ·Cost: free.
• ·What it's like: a small beach reached by steps, with no facilities to speak of.

This is the only beach on the list you can reach without a taxi. Bring water, shade and everything you need, because there is nothing to buy. It works for a short swim on a short call.

Chankanaab park

• ·How to get there: taxi from the southern piers.
• ·Time: about 5 minutes. From San Miguel, about 15 minutes.
• ·Cost: US$29 adult, US$20 child aged 4–12 (2026), plus the taxi.
• ·What it's like: more snorkelling than sunbathing. Reef snorkelling from the shore, a natural lagoon, a botanical garden and a beach. The shore is rocky in places.

Entry includes loungers, hammocks and showers. You can rent snorkel gear inside or bring your own. Cash, Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Dolphin and sea-lion programmes cost extra. The park asks for biodegradable, chemical-free sunscreen, so buy it before you get in the water. Chankanaab is busiest from mid-morning, so arrive early if you can.

Paradise Beach and Mr Sanchos

• ·How to get there: taxi south from the piers.
• ·Time: a short taxi ride.
• ·Cost: check each club's own site for day-pass prices.
• ·What it's like: beach clubs with day passes, pools, loungers, food and drink.

Mr Sanchos sells passes direct rather than through cruise lines. Before you pay, confirm what the pass includes and whether drinks are extra. These clubs are the most comfortable option on the list, but you pay for that, and our checked guide has no confirmed prices for either.

Punta Sur eco-park

• ·How to get there: taxi to the eco-park at the southern tip of the island.
• ·Time: a longer taxi ride than Chankanaab.
• ·Cost: US$22 adult, US$14 child aged 4–12, cash only (2026), plus the taxi.
• ·What it's like: quiet beaches inside the park, with a lighthouse and a lagoon on the undeveloped southern tip.

Allow 3–4 hours with transport. It is further from the piers than Chankanaab, so budget more taxi time and more money. On a short call, pick Chankanaab instead.

Cozumel beaches compared

When to head back

The guide rules: leave Chankanaab 65 minutes before all-aboard (a 5-minute taxi), and leave San Miguel 75 minutes before (a 10-minute taxi to a southern pier). Taxi queues build in the afternoon when several ships leave at once, and the walk from the port gate to the ship can be long, especially at Puerta Maya.

For Playa Stingray and the beach clubs we use the 75-minute rule. The walk back from Playa Stingray is 20 minutes, and you may wait for a taxi at a club. For Punta Sur there is no checked ride time, so we use a cautious 2 hours. If your ship docked or tendered at Punta Langosta, the ride back from these beaches is longer, because they are south of town: allow at least 10 minutes more, plus the tender queue if you tendered.

The ship will not wait for independent travellers. If you are going to be late, call the port agent number in your daily programme. To fit this around your own ship, plan your day with your own all-aboard time.

Common mistakes

• ·Assuming you can walk to town or most beaches from Puerta Maya or the International Pier. Town is 4–5 km away. Only Playa Stingray is a realistic walk.
• ·Agreeing a taxi price per person. Fares are posted per cab for up to four people. Photograph the board and ask to see the rate card if a quote differs.
• ·Bringing a card for the taxi or Punta Sur. Taxis take cash only, and so does Punta Sur.
• ·Using ordinary sunscreen on the reef. Parks ask for biodegradable, chemical-free sunscreen.
• ·Paying everything in US dollars. You get a worse rate and change in pesos. Carry some pesos or small dollar bills.
• ·Swimming on the east coast. Strong currents run there. Swim only where it is marked as safe.

FAQs

What is the closest beach to the Cozumel cruise port?

From the International Pier or Puerta Maya, Playa Stingray, about 1.6 km north, roughly 20 minutes on foot. It is free but has no facilities. Chankanaab is about 5 minutes away by taxi.

Can you walk to a beach from the Cozumel cruise port?

From the southern piers, yes: Playa Stingray is about 20 minutes north along the coast-road pavement. From Punta Langosta downtown, the beaches on this page need a taxi.

How much is Chankanaab from the cruise port?

US$29 per adult and US$20 per child aged 4–12 (2026), plus the fixed taxi fare per cab. The ride is about 5 minutes from the southern piers.

How much is a taxi to the beach in Cozumel?

Fares are fixed by the taxi union and posted on a board at each pier, in US dollars, per cab for up to four people. Pay cash; cards are not accepted.

Is Chankanaab good for swimming or snorkelling?

Snorkelling. The reef is right off the shore, and there is a lagoon. The shore is rocky in places, so it is less suited to lying on sand.

Do Cozumel beach clubs sell day passes direct?

Yes. Mr Sanchos sells direct rather than through cruise lines. Check each club's own site for prices, and confirm whether drinks are included.

For San Miguel, San Gervasio and the Playa del Carmen ferry, see the full Cozumel port guide.

Sources

• ·Cozumel Parks – FAQs (Chankanaab and Punta Sur fees)
• ·Cozumel Parks – Park information and prices
• ·Everything Cozumel – Taxis and city buses
• ·Cruzely – Complete list of Cozumel taxi rates from the cruise port
• ·Cruzely – Complete guide to visiting Cozumel on a cruise (2026)
• ·What's in Port – Cozumel
• ·Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks – Cozumel port