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Last Updated on December 30, 2023 by Natalie

Knowing I was heading to Cozumel, I wondered: Are there ruins in Cozumel, Mexico? Yes! The Mayan ruins, Cozumel, called San Gervasio, are located in the northern third of the island in the state Quintana Roo. Though some of the lesser visited ruins in the Yucatan peninsula,  the San Gervasio Mayan ruins are an absolutely fascinating piece of Maya history and definitely worth a visit! I definitely recommend checking out the ruins. Read on to see how easy it is to do it!

Quick Guide to San Gervasio Mayan Ruins in Cozumel Island, Mexico

I had the pleasure of visiting San Gervasio Mayan Ruins on Cozumel Island on my birthday. In this guide, I’ll tell you what we did right and what we did wrong, so that  your visit will go as smoothly as possible!

I’m a huge fan of Mayan ruins. If you are interested in other Mayan ruins near Cozumel, check out my guide to Chichen Itza (especially if you plan to travel there on your own). Additionally, you can read a comparison of the big three, which are all close to the Riviera Maya and Cozumel: Coba Ruins, the Mayan Ruins of Tulum, and Chichen Itza and all would make for a wonderful day trip from Cozumel.

Disclaimer

Blissmersion is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Posts on this site might contain affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. I paid for this excursion.

To take a tour or not?

I couldn’t find much information online, other than available tours. I present to you the way we made this trip happen.

Before we get into it, it’s pretty easy to schedule a tour to see San Gervasio from your hotel/resort, cruise ship, or at the cruise ship port.  I don’t have experience with the latter two things. However, you can still do this trip on your own if you know your arrival and departure times.

Some of the reasons I opted against a tour leaving from our resort was because many took several hours and included visiting an animal attraction. Other than snorkeling or scuba diving in the open sea, I do not recommend supporting any animal attractions. In Cozumel, the accounts I read about the animal attractions are pretty dismal.

For the way we travel currently, with children who are 6 and 7, a six-plus hour tour isn’t always going to be our best option. Sometimes, tours are easier. From a cruise ship, I would certainly consider a several hour tour just to see as much of Cozumel as possible. However, we were staying on a resort with a fantastic beach and I didn’t want to spend a huge much time away from that, since it was making everyone happy.

We decided at the last minute to take a taxi to the San Gervasio ruins Cozumel. That cab ride cost us $50 USD for four people from our resort to the ruins and back. Our driver also waited for us. We planned for one hour. This was mistake #1. We absolutely should have planned for at least 2 hours.

Entering San Gervasio

San Gervasio has two payment areas. The first one is your admission. They require that you pay a second fee (this is the same at Chichen Itza, too). The second payment area is where you can also buy the rights to take video of the site. You do not need this to take photos.

Even though San Gervasio isn’t as busy as Chichen Itza or even the Mayan Ruins of Tulum, but there are visitors. We didn’t have to wait in line to pay, which was great! However, by the time we wove around the throngs of tourists, paid at both booths, used the restrooms, and found a tour guide, at least 10 minutes had already passed.

We decided on a tour guide and told him that we only had one hour. Since we were in a hurry, we opted to prance right through the entrance without buying mosquito repellent. We’ll be fine, we thought.

Wear mosquito repellent. I cannot stress this enough. If you are staying on the island, it might be worthwhile to buy some in advance of your trip. Inside the site, they charge $1 per person to put it on. We declined. After all, we’d been to Coba ruins, which are in the middle of the jungle on the mainland and we didn’t need mosquito repellent. Absolutely, you will need it while visiting the ruins of San Gervasio. They were even bothering our tour guide, who was wearing long pants and long sleeves.

I recommend wearing long pants and long sleeves and using mosquito repellent at this site.

Inside San Gervasio

I suggest using the restrooms at the entrance. Those are the only restrooms at the site. It’s also much bigger than I expected. If you are going on your own, allow yourself more than our measly one hour. I’m guessing 2 hours or more, depending on your interest level, will be a lot better. There is quite a bit of uneven walking, too. I wished I’d worn my running shoes, instead of sandals. My kids and husband all wore sneakers and walked just fine.

Hiring a guide, which cost $20 USD or $400 pesos, was a sound investment. I wished we’d allocated more time and been able to have a longer tour. The history of San Gervasio is fascinating.

Cozumel, the Island of Fertility

For the Mayans, Cozumel was the island of fertility. The people were peaceful and humans were not sacrificed here. San Gervasio is the Spanish name and the original, or pre-Hispanic name was either Tantum Cuzamil or Tantun Cuzamil. In Mayan, it means “Flat rock in the place of the Swallows”. Cozumel was the place for worshiping the goddess Ixchel.

It was nearly destroyed by Hernán Cortéz in 1519 – he and his men destroyed many of the buildings looking for gold (so the guide told us). Cortéz was also struggling for control of the peninsula between the Spanish and Mayas. After he left Cozumel, a smallpox epidemic broke out. The population of Cozumel was less than 300 people in 1570. The island was completely abandoned by 1600.

Additionally, our guide told us it was the birthplace of chocolate. When prepared, Mayans would use their blood in the recipe. It would be served to the leaders. It was a way to be a part of them and part of the gods. Our guide told us that chocolate was stolen by Cortéz from them and taken back to Europe to the countries we now think about whenever we are looking for the best chocolates: Belgium, Switzerland, and so on. I was unable to confirm these last two items with online research. Cortéz did bring chocolate to Europe from Cozumel, but whether it was stolen or a gift is unclear. Though given the struggles between peoples, it seems likely that the former is closer to the truth.

Tips for Exploring San Gervasio

Here are some general tips for exploring the Cozumel ruins.

• Wear or buy mosquito repellent
• Bring or buy water (try this reusable, filtered bottle)
• Wear sunscreen or sunblock and a wide-brimmed hat
• Dress comfortably, long sleeves might help protect from mosquitoes
• Wear sturdy footwear, the paths at San Gervasio aren’t well-preserved
• A camera
• Use the bathrooms near the entrance – they are the only bathrooms
• Plan for at least two hours

How far are the Mayan Ruins from Cozumel?

San Gervasio is 11.7 miles (18.9 km) from the Cruise ship port and will take approximately 30 minutes. From our resort, Allegro Cozumel, it was 19 miles (30.7 km) and took around 38 minutes. Our taxi ride was $50 USD roundtrip and our driver waited for us. This was the least expensive way for us to get to and from the ruins. Our guide, found at the site, cost $20 USD.

If going alone isn’t your thing, you can try a Cozumel ruins tour. You can book through your hotel or cruise. Currently, I can’t find any tours online that I’m comfortable recommending.

Are these the best Mayan ruins in Cozumel?

The San Gervasio ruins are the only accessible ruins on Cozumel Island. They have an intriguing history and have many differences from the other popular sites on the main land. I do recommend seeing them. Also, I recommend hiring a guide, because they have so much to share about the Maya culture.

Can I babywear at the San Gervasio Ruins?

If you are wearing sturdy footwear and are careful, babywearing should be possible at the ruins. The parts I saw were flat and easy walking. However, it may get muddy and slippery during and after rain. As always, use your best judgement for the situation you encounter. Remember, during the wetter seasons, there are a LOT of mosquitoes. There is a lot of walking through the jungle, so the mosquitoes thrive. Make sure you have a way to cover your baby to keep the mosquitoes from them.

Going to the Mayan Ruins Cozumel without a tour is easy

If you want to see the Cozumel ruins, there are options. There are tours, of course. Or you can grab a cab to the ruins, like we did. The entrance and restrooms are clearing marked. The guides are eager to be hired and most will speak English and Spanish. Our guide was studying German at university and learning Mayan from his friends. Nearly everywhere in Cozumel quoted their prices to me in US dollars. Of course, Mexican pesos will also be accepted.

If you enjoy history and archeological sites, it’s an interesting place. While there aren’t places to climb, like at some other sites, our kids did enjoy being outside in the jungle.

Do you feedback on visiting the Mayan Ruins Cozumel? The best feedback comes from my readers. Please leave a comment. Thank you!

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