ildlife refuge. Inside the park is the ancient Mayan lighthouse, El Caracol, which was built as an early hurricane warning system. At the southernmost tip is Celarain Point Lighthouse , a historic lighthouse that has been transformed into a navigational museum.
Paradise Beach is the first beach just outside of the park's entrance. Close to Chen Rio Beach are two smaller Mayan ruins, El Mirador and El Trono. The best beaches for swimming are found at the crescent shaped Chiqueros Point cove and at San Martin Beach . If you are on this beach during the full moon in May or June, you may see giant sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Further north is Morena Point , which is popular with surfers and boogie boarders because of its pounding surf.
Punta Este has a blustery beach, perfect for beachcombing, and is the final stop before the paved highway turns west and becomes Avenida Benito Juarez, leading back into San Miguel. An unpaved road continues north, leading to some of the most unspoiled beaches: Ixpal Barco, Los Cocos, Hanan Reef, Ixlapak and Playa Bonita are all what you would expect from a Caribbean beach. Along the way is the Mayan ruin of Castillo Real . The roads end at Mola Point Lighthouse , the island's most northern point. A tour is recommended to explore this extremely rugged area.
Ixchel's Ceremonial Center
Located in the lush sub-tropical forest, the serene San Gervasio ruins were once a ceremonial center where Ixchel, the Maya goddess of fertility and childbirth, was worshipped. Believed to have been occupied from 300 to 1500 CE, San Gervaiso has many excellent examples of Classic and Post-Classic Mayan architecture. Guides are available at the site, but you can also buy an excellent guidebook at the museum in town.
Mainland
Cozumel is 11.5 miles (18 km) from the mainland and Carmen Beach , one of the largest cities along the Riviera Maya coastline, is
