Egypt

Extraordinary Fauna
On Cozumel, a number of mammals live, which are miniature versions of their full-grown mainland relatives, such as the Cozumel Island Coati and the Cozumel (pygmy) raccoon. The fauna of Cozumel are being threatened by the ever increasing numbers of boa constrictors. In 1971, about six of these snakes were used in the filming of “El Jardin de Tia Isabel” and afterwards released into the wild. The snakes are a serious problem for the local fauna as well as the local herd farmers. In the south of the island is a large nature reserve, Chankanaab National Park, complete with Mayan temple.

Cousteau’s Top 5
All of the dive spots are situated on the western side of the island. On the eastern side the sea is considerably rougher due to the raging trade winds. Cozumel was on the list of Jacques Cousteau’s personal Top 5 dive spots. The old master knew what he was talking about. The visibility is good, the reefs are beautiful and still in good condition. The currents around the island are strong. Typical Cozumel: drift diving, tunnels and passages. Since Jacques Cousteau dived here, the underwater traffic has increased significantly. In some of the most popular dive spots “traffic jams” are not uncommon.