Playa Corona — Restaurant in Quintana Roo

We spent a full day here during our port call at Cozumel on the Disney Magic. We came here purely based on reviews from trip advisor which recommended it for those looking for a more chill atmosphere and good snorkeling from the beach.

It delivers in those areas. It is a small "resort" but it was not crowded on the day we went even though there were 7 cruise ships docked that day. It's a distance from the cruise terminal and you have to either rent a car or get a cab, which if you do you should realize that there is no meter in the cab and you should probably agree on a price before you get in to avoid getting mildly to moderately ripped off like we did. Seems like $20 USD is a fair price (and they seem to prefer USD to pesos). Only some cabs accept credit cards/mobile payment.

Snorkeling is great here. There is no sandy beach but there is sand in the area where the tables are where kids can play a bit. The water in April was very comfortable for us and we could snorkel right from the entrance area but it was easier if you went a little further. Lots of fish to see although obviously it doesn't compare to the better reefs in Cozumel that generally are accessed via boat. The tables are fine although the plastic chairs are rather flimsy (for which they double stack them). The food and drinks are decent if not great. Bathroom was clean enough and no changing area apart from there. There is an outdoor shower spout to rinse off after taking a dip. If you get bored here you can walk next door to Sky Reef although that seems mostly the same only larger and maybe some upgraded amenities. The place was empty for most of the morning until a few others started to show up in the afternoon. By the time we left around 16:00 it was only about 1/3 capacity.

Now for the negatives. 1.) They only accept cash! Yeah, bring cash (USD or pesos) or probably you'll need to take a cab to town to get some from an ATM. You don't want to do that. They seem to neglect to tell you this when you enter. 2.) There are no lockers. Be prepared to leave your stuff unattended or have a waterproof pouch if you don't feel comfortable with that. 3.) Food/drinks are a bit pricey for the quality/quantity. We did like the mango juice and guac. The entrance fee was about $16/person to just use the facilities, or $20/person if you want to include food which the $20/person will go towards. 4.) Service was not particularly friendly or welcoming.

Overall, we really enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and lack of people and noise at Playa Corona. Some drawbacks but if you are aware of them beforehand it should be okay. I would return although next year we'll probably try out a...

#1 spot in Cozumel for cold beer $3.50 ea, good food, snorkeling, no fee beach scene to enjoy, Zouveck is a very, very cool owner at 73 years young and has owned and operated this place for 37 years.

I bought a clunker bike for $1,000 pesos for the 5 months I’ll be here as transportation around the island, as it’s only a 63 mile loop and is part of their IronMan event here each year and is beginner strength level and flat, so makes for a nice chilled, relaxing day, just slow pedaling along this beautiful Caribbean scene. It’s only a 50 minute bike ride from central Cozumel and a ton of places to snorkel along the way. Go onto FaceBook and find yourself a used Bike for $75 or and buy a mask and snorkel that fit and bring or rent some short fins and you are set for a gr8 adventure. If here short term, easy cheap cab ride, they rent all what you need right there for like $12 for the day and do some of the best snorkeling right out front of you beach chair, they will even give you the goods on where to check out the best spots. Makes a really memorable day, you won’t want to leave. Walk back and stop at the Money Bar for cold ones and a sunset...

Just a side note about Mexican beaches and Beach clubs in general. They all seem to think that all guests want earsplitting, thumping music playing constantly. But Zouveck believes the most beautiful thing about his place is that the music here is silence, guests talking to one another and the sound of the warm sea lapping against the shore...... and he is...

Snorkelling is 'ok'... nothing to rave about. I guess most people visiting have never experienced great snorkelling. The food was decent and the atmosphere is fine. What ruined it for me was the way the staff go about things. When we arrived, the man put a rope across the door. I asked if they were closed and he replied no and waived a card in my face. It read that I needed to pay $10 per person to access or buy $15 worth of food each (usd). We decided to purchase food service. Food was decent, but a bit over priced for what we got. But what wrecked it for us was the state of the washrooms and then the demand for a tip. That rubs me the wrong way. I tip generously when it is warranted and service is good. I do not like to tip if someone is demanding one, especially when service wasn't all that great and I feel I'm being ripped off a bit. Lastly, tacking on 5% to use credit card without prior warning on the menu is petty at best. Don't waste your time at Corona... instead go down to Punta Sur (make a day out of it)... or just enjoy one of the public access beaches. Snorkelling will be just as good there (and...