So, you’re looking for the best beach clubs in Cozumel? You’ve come to the right place. This guide outlines just seven of the finest coastal venues on the island. They’re the ones we’d have at the top of our list if you’re keen on kicking it with a tequila sunrise and listening to the Caribbean waves lap the shore.
It’s not been easy to whittle it down. There are hundreds of beach-bar choices on Cozumel. But, then again, this island has cut its teeth as an R&R chillout spot for folks tired of the buzz of the nearby Riviera Maya.
The good news is that means there’s a nice array of best beach clubs in Cozumel. You can go for stylish lounges that serve high ball drinks to the sunset. Or you can pick rowdy reggae bars that basically never close. Enjoy…
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The Money Bar Beach Club
The Money Bar Beach Club is an all-day option that opens early enough for breakfast and closes post-sunset. You’ll find it spilling into the Caribbean Sea roughly midway down the island’s west coast, some 15 minutes’ drive from the Centro area of San Miguel de Cozumel, wedged between a row of breeze-swayed palm trees and a series of inviting swimming coves.
The style here is part chic beach club a la Bali, part casual Caribbean diner. Thatched roofs arch overhead, covering a bar that channels something of the Art Deco with its metal work and lighting. Up above, there are murals of dolphins and turtles swimming through coral reefs, while the reefs themselves sit just off the shore – a couple of steps help those who fancy a pre-drink swim straight into the water.
Talking of drinks…the menu here covers the whole shebang, from bombitas to margaritas to mimosas. They also have a nice array of non-alcoholic fruit juice mixers to get you through the early hours. Match those with a tasty breakfast spread of spicy Mexican eggs or wait for the lunch menu to kick in for hearty pasta options and breaded shrimps.
Islands Beach Club
You don’t have to stray far from either the ferry port, the cruise terminal, or the airport to make it to the chilled Islands Beach Club. The venue sits on the northwestern tip of the island, along the ever-popular Hotel Zone Norte strip that also hosts some of the bigger hotel chains in the region. It can be hard to spot, though, since it’s tucked behind a pocket of guava trees with just a single, unassuming sign declaring the name.
Duck in and you’ll enter a private cove that’s lapped by see-through waters. True to the establishment’s name, the bar is right there on the beach. Seriously, you’ll feel the sand between your toes as you sip those high balls and pina coladas. Alternatively, grab a seat by the central pool and you can slide into freshwater to cool off whenever you please.
There’s food and drinks on offer. The chow choice begins with a series of Mexican tapas in the form of guacamole dips and chicken fingers, ending with big platters of shrimp tacos and green ceviche salads. The drinks card takes care of the mainstays: Tequila sunrises, rum punches, slammers, sangria…
Barracuda Beach Club
Another option on the hotel-dotted northwestern side of Cozumel, the Barracuda Beach Club is perhaps most famous for its in-house speedboat tour. In fact, most guests who come here are winding down from an adrenaline-pumping boat trip through the shallows of the surrounding reefs. It’s the perfect place to do just that, too…
Yep, this joint is R&R through and through. A couple of sun-kissed palapas surround a circular pool at its center. One side of the joint slips away into pure blue coves of Caribbean water. The other side hides away under a palm-thatched bar area that’s strewn with hammocks and dotted with casual seating areas.
You can score zingy homemade margaritas and cold local beers aplenty. There’s also a pop-up guacamole buffet bar which bursts with chilaquiles, nachos, and cheese, salsas of varying colors, and refried bean sides to boot.
Rastas & Freedom Bar
Most of the locals refer to the Rastas & Freedom Bar as, simply, Rastas. Say that to any cab driver and they’ll know exactly where you want to go. That’s because it’s a pretty unique spot, not least of all because of the location, which transports you all the way to the far southeastern tip of Cozumel, just about as far as it’s possible to go from the main town before dropping into the Caribbean Sea.
It’s a suiting setting because the joint is all about escaping the tos and fros of the Rat Race. Rickety and ramshackle, it’s emblazoned with the reds, greens, and yellows of the Rastafari. The Jamaican flag flies proudly up above in the trade winds, while a statue of Bob Marley himself marks the entrance – just in case you were in any doubt that this is, indeed, the Rasta bar you’ve been looking for!
The cooks here serve filling and fun Mexican-Caribbean foods. That means nachos and conch ceviche, it means fajitas and quesadillas, whole fried fish and coconut shrimp. Cocktails also flow from midday onwards. The homemade concoctions are sure to catch the eye – coconut margaritas, Rasta punch, and Miami vice especially.
Bar Miami
Bar Miami is the second of our best beach clubs in Cozumel to sit on the wind-blown, and less-trodden eastern coast. It’s very much a bar for chilling. Hammocks and roughly made palette chairs spread out on a sandy plinth just before the wavy Caribbean Sea, while a few ad hoc gazebos woven from palm fronds provide the much-needed shade.
A sign above the main bar proclaims the “best mojito ever.” We’ll let you be the judge but suffice to say that they are zingy, refreshing, and packed with fresh lime. The mixers here also offer a dedicated array of coconut-infused cocktails, not to mention others with a whisky, tequila, or mezcal base.
There are a couple of completely deserted swimming spots to the north and south of Bar Miami if you fancy a dip. Careful, though, the full hit of the ocean swells collide with this side of the island, so the rips and waves can take you by surprise – especially after a tequila or 10!
Mr Sanchos Beach Club
It’s back to the busy west coast of Cozumel for Mr Sanchos Beach Club, a tried-and-tested favorite that’s got a reputation for fantastic customer service. We think the location is enough to get it on this list alone, though – it’s fringed by a wisp of white sand and a shallow swimming shelf that’s always teal blue. It’s one of the top spots of all the best beach clubs in Cozumel for sure.
You’ve got a real variety of seating options. Go for a hammock to bag yourself a spot in the shade. Opt for the beach loungers to be literally steps from the lapping waves. Or pick one of the VIP palapas, which offer all-day sun coverage for two.
The best way to go about this one is to plump for the all-day pass. It’s a full session of all you can eat and all you can drink for $60 per person (18+). That means unlimited access to the imbibing menu of cocktails and beers, along with endless shrimp ceviche and as many homecooked fish tacos as you can handle between opening at 9am and closing at 5pm.
Playa Mia Grand Beach Park
The Playa Mia Grand Beach Park is more of a fully fledged coastal park than just a beach bar. It takes care of all ages with its offering of water sports, entertainment, swimming, and sunbathing, not to mention tempting local foods and drinks. Again, it’s along the main western coast road that runs south from San Miguel, about 20 minutes’ drive from the airport and the town.
Tickets start at around $30 per person but that gets you a whole load of included activities, from the underwater Mayan City dive site to the Twin Twister water slides. You also get access to the site’s rental kayaks for that, use of the Oasis hydro massage tub, and free plays on the floating waterpark and volleyball courts.
The food mixes both Mexican and international dishes. You can devour plates of quesadillas and tacos while the little ones enjoy some more familiar flavors. Drinks wise, adults get cocktails and beers while the kids have oodles of mocktails and juices to keep them fueled up.
The best beach clubs in Cozumel – our conclusion
Most of the best beach clubs in Cozumel are strung along the ever-popular western coast of the island, usually within about 30 minutes’ drive of the main town and the cruise port. They are the chicer choices, often with swimming pools and curated cocktail menus. For something a little more different and characterful, we’d recommend pushing further around the coast to the eastern shore, where reggae bars and Rasta eateries combine.