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2,000 years ago the first Maya settled in Cozumel. However, during this time, life in the Maya world was rich in religious
ceremonies, and Cozumel, the jewel on the Caribbean, became somewhat of a sanctuary in the Yucatan region. Cozumel derived its name from the Mayan words Cuzam (swallow) and Lumil (land of). Together you have Cuzamil (land of the swallows) Over time and with the influence of the Spanish, the name became Cozumel. Like many tourists do today, the Mayans of long ago considered Cozumel to be a sacred shrine.

Tourists beware, especially all of you honeymooners! Cozumel in its early days was the destination of many religious
pilgrimages, especially by women who were either pregnant or wanted to get pregnant. As our tour guides explain during
their stops at San Gervacio, this was a sanctuary for the Goddess Ixchel, the fertility goddess, or deity of the moon, pregnancy, and childbirth.

In 1518 the Spanish Explorer Juan De Grijalva arrived in Cozumel and proclaimed the land "Isla de la Santa Cruz" and property
of the King and Queen of Spain. The arrival of the Spanish was at first peaceful, with the Spanish trading gold and goods
with the locals. On May 6th of that year the first Catholic ceremony was held in Mexico.

One year later Hernan Cortes arrived with his army, and here began the starting point for the conquest of Mexico. Though, there was no organized resistance, it was here in Cozumel where the domination of the Yucatan Peninsula began. From Cortes's arrival  in 1519 and 1524 the conqueror destroyed many of the Mayan temples. As the conquest culminated, and by the time Cortes left Cozumel, the ancient Mayan civilization lie in ruins.

At the same time, an outbreak of smallpox killed thousands. Talk about dark days for the Mayans! Unfortunately it got worse. Cozumel was once a vibrant trade port, but following the Spanish exploration of the Gulf of Mexico, Cozumel no longer was needed as a stop over point prior to reaching the mainland. Trade dwindled, and the inhabitants of the island became dependent on agriculture for their survival. From 1519 to 1570 the island's population dropped from 40,000 to 30. By 1700 it was finally uninhabited.

Folklore and fact will tell you that many pirates used Cozumel as a base of operations in the 17th Century, including the infamous Henry Morgan and Jean Lafitte. The island was not resettled until 1848, when Indian refugees of war and the slave trade settled at El Cedral. From the mid 19th century Cozumel was reborn with an economic boom as it once again became an important port for trade. Though the depression of the 30's negatively affected the island economically, Cozumel once again bounced back, and was really put on the map when the U.S built an air base during World War 2 for planes hunting U-boats in the Mid Atlantic. With the addition of this new airport Cozumel was now accessible by air. Because of the Crystal Clear waters, that thousands of divers enjoy every year here today, Frogmen came to train here in Cozumel and stories of Cozumel's world class reefs and  abundant sea life began to spread.

With testimonials from experts such as Jacques Cousteau, during his early explorations, underwater enthusiasts became aware of Cozumel's existence. As a result, tourism was born, and by 1970 the population of Cozumel grew to 10,000. Today the island boasts a population of more that 75,000.

Like its early days, Cozumel is still a very peaceful island. The development of Cozumel continues to be gradual, and with over 2,000,000 visitors arriving by air and sea annually, today's Cozumel is one of the most important tourist destinations in Mexico.