Cozumel is one of my earliest travel memories, back in the early 1970s when Cancun was still but a glimmer in the eyes of Mexico’s tourism planners, and Chankanaab Lagoon – a five minute cab ride from the island’s town, San Miguel –  was for a then aspiring marine biologist the hands-down highlight of a vacation on this island. It sent my sense of wonder into overdrive as I snorkeled through crystalline water above a section of the world-famous Palancar Reef, surrounded by a riot of colorful fish. I guess you could say I found Nemo three decades before the movie came out.

Fast-forward…and obviously, things are just, well, a wee bit different in 2012 than in 1972. More resorts on Cozumel (including the 306-room Iberostar Cozumel), a bigger airport, and perhaps most of all, routine cruise-ship calls are among the major factors that’ve led to some changes in the landscape and seascape at Chankanaab (Mayan for “small sea,” declared a national park in 1980, and since 1995 part of the larger Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park). Development since my first visit has added to the menu organized snorkel/scuba tours; Snuba (scuba diving but tethered to a raft; no training required); Seatrek (strolling across the seabed with an oxygenated helmet; also no experience needed); statues in an underwater sculpture garden such as a dramatic Christ (pictured above); kayaking; and Dolphin Discovery, which lets folks get in the water with dolphins, sea lions, and manatees. On land, meanwhile, there are a couple of restaurants and reproductions of a traditional Maya village and ruins to tour. So yes, it’s much pricier now – $21 per adult and $14 for kids – but a lot is included, and the magic’s still there, undah da sea…

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts offers 9 hotels in Mexico on Cancun’s and the Riviera Maya’s best Caribbean beaches.

Photo | Jason T. Fowler