Conch shells whistle in the wind and mangrove jungles creep lazily from the island interior to the shore at the Punta Sur Ecological Park (Parque Punta Sur).
The 100-hectare Punta Sur Ecological Park in the southwest of Cozumel Island is home to a thriving natural landscape with thick mangroves, sand dunes, tranquil wetlands and ancient Mayan ruins. Hundreds of species of birds, crocodiles, iguanas and turtles live in the coastal forests, watched over by a centuries-old lighthouse. It’s not just tourists who flock here. Every year from May to October, a pilgrimage of turtles arrives at the Colombia Lagoon in the park to nest and lay eggs, under the careful eye of the local Marine Turtle Salvation Program.
The park shines a light on the island’s history, too. Local seafarers left their traces at the Punta Celerain Lighthouse at the southernmost tip of Cozumel, where there is a fascinating museum displaying photographs and artefacts from generations of lighthouse keepers.
At the nearby ancient Mayan ruins of Tumba del Caracol, there’s an unusual and intriguing type of lighthouse far predating the Punta Celerain. In the domed walls of this temple-cum-lighthouse, conch shells are layered into the stone so that they buzz when the wind blows. The more intense the wind, the louder the sound, and in this way, it is believed that local villages would be warned of coming hurricanes. Fact or fairytale – decide for yourself when you visit.
After exploring the ruins and museum, the calm tropical waters on the west side of the park are the perfect place to cool off. Head underwater with a snorkel and see the life beneath the waves, or seek shade under one of the thatched palapas on the beach. Gazing into the blue sky from a hammock, it’s hard to imagine a more enticing day out.
