Punta Sur marks the southern point of

Cozumel Cozumel (; ) is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel and is close to the Yucatán Channel. The ...

and is part of the Parque Punta Sur, a ecological park that covers the

reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral, or similar relatively stable material lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic component, abiotic (non-living) processes such as deposition (geol ...

s, beaches,

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...

s, and low forest of the surrounding area. The reef system is also part of the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park. The Celarain

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

(''Faro de Celarain'') sits on the Punta Sur promontory (''Punta Celarain'') and is part of a nautical museum. Just northeast of it is the Caracol (''Tumba del Caracol''), a

Maya Maya may refer to: Ethnic groups * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (East Africa), a p ...

building erected during the post-classic period. There is a persistent myth, often repeated by tour guides, that the building functioned as a weather alarm, producing a whistle that would precede the arrival of a hurricane, but that is only a legend. The idea that the building somehow functioned as a lighthouse or beacon used to send signals to the mainland is another legend, but also incorrect; it was a temple and nothing more. Some of the sandy beaches are protected to allow hatching for

sea turtles Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerh ...

. Observation towers have been erected at the Columbia lagoon to watch wildlife. Off Punta Sur is the Devil's Throat

scuba diving Scuba diving is a Diving mode, mode of underwater diving whereby divers use Scuba set, breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The word ''scub ...

area, while in the closer reef visitors can snorkel. The dirt road area is accessible to

off-road vehicle An off-road vehicle (ORV), also known as an off-highway vehicle (OHV), overland vehicle or adventure vehicle, is a type of transportation specifically engineered to navigate unpaved roads and surfaces. These include trails, forest roads, and ...

s and allows some tours to access the area as part of a guided excursion. At the end of the dirt road you will find 2 beach clubs
Papito's Beach Club Restaurant and Bar
as well as th
Punta Sur Beach Club
Included in the entrance fee to Punta Sur Park is also a guided boat ride on the Colombia Lagoon for bird watching, sightseeing, crocodile observation and more. Cozumel Punta Sur View-27527

References

External links

Punta Sur Photo Essay

External links

INAH

About Cozumel Mexico

Parks in Mexico Maya sites in Quintana Roo Sur, Punta Cozumel Protected areas of Quintana Roo Landforms of Quintana Roo {{mexico-archaeology-stub

See also

References

External links

External links