Beginning in December 2002, Insider was proudly the first website to provide readers the Cozumel News in English.
Articles are slected from local newspapers which we feel will be of interest to our diverse audience. These articles are then translated into English. We cannot always investigate the veracity of a particular article but offer these translations as a reflection of the Cozumel community news just as reporters write it for Por Esto, Diario de Quintana Roo, Novedades and El Seminario and many other sources.
We appreciate hearing from our readers and welcome your questions, suggestions and comments. Please send them to: questions@cozumelinsider.com
Note: All translated articles are the property of Cozumel Insider and cannot be used, displayed or reproduced without express written permission from Cozumel Insider.
11/01/2026 - Numbers go up again this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 27 ships registered to dock as we wish you a Happy Halloween and a beautiful Fall Season. This is 1 more ship than last week and 7 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 30 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 94,500 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 10.4 million dollars behind in the local economy.
High season for cruise ship arrivals typically runs from November 15 - April 15 each year with the remaining 7 months of the year considered "low season." This week Puerta Maya pier will be host to 10 ships docking there, 10 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 7 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 4 ships will dock, 4 ships will dock on Tuesday, 3 ships on Wednesday, 5 ships on Thursday, 5 ships on Friday, 4 ships on Saturday and Sunday will see 2 ships in port. To see a complete list of this week's ship arrivals, please visit Insider's Weekly Cruise Ship Schedule
CFE Confirms 4.4 billion Peso Solar Wind Operation For Quintana Roo
CFE has announced that solar-wind project Vientos del Caribe will be developed in Othón P. Blanco. The development makes the state of Quintana Roo one of the first to participate in Mexico. Emilia Esther Calleja Alor, the General Director of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), presented the project earlier this week. She reported that Vientos del Caribe will be constructed in the municipality of Othón P. Blanco for an approximate investment of 4.4 billion pesos.
Since her announcement, Governor Mara Lezama confirmed that Quintana Roo is part of the first national call to promote solar and wind energy projects in different states of the country. “This represents further steps toward an energy transition with cleaner sources and a more sustainable future for the state,” the Governor said. The energy it generates will be equivalent to the consumption of more than 200,000 homes, according to CFE reports. The project aims to contribute to energy security and open development opportunities for southern Quintana Roo. “It is a strategic project to strengthen energy security and generate new opportunities for well-being and shared prosperity in southern Quintana Roo,” Mara Lezama stated.
The Othón P. Blanco project is part of 38 being constructed across the country by the CFE (Comisión Federal de Electricidad). President Sheinbaum says there are currently 55 energy projects underway across Mexico October 7, 2026. On October 7, 2026, President Claudia Sheinbaum said in terms of energy transition, 55 projects with a capacity of 10,883 megawatts are underway, broken down into 42 photovoltaic plants, as well as 13 wind farms with a 70 percent participation by the CFE.
Travelers Recognize Six Mexican Beaches As Best In The Americas
Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism says six of the country’s beaches have been recognized in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards of Condé Nast Traveller. Of those listed, three are in the state of Quintana Roo.
The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, announced that six Mexican beaches were recognized among the 20 best in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards of Condé Nast Traveller, one of the most recognized travel publications in the world. Rodríguez Zamora noted that Tulum, Playa Balandra, Playa del Carmen, Playa de Akumal, Puerto Vallarta and Playa del Amor in Islas Marietas made the list. In this same list, Holbox ranked among the three best islands in North America, while five Mexican resorts ranked among the best in Mexico in the Americas region. Rodríguez Zamora said the awards reflect the attractiveness and quality of Mexican destinations and strengthen Mexico’s position as a trendy country among international travelers “The fact that six Mexican beaches are among the 20 best in the Americas fills us with pride and confirms the great appeal of our sun and beach destinations. “Mexico is in vogue and these accolades show us that our landscapes, our natural wealth, and the experience we offer our visitors continue to captivate travelers from all over the world,” she said.
In the Best Beaches in the Americas category, Tulum ranked second with a traveler score of 96.2, Balandra Beach in Baja California Sur ranked fifth with 94.8, Playa del Carmen ranked 11 with 90.5, Akumal Beach ranked 13 place with 88.2, Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco ranked fifteenth with 85.7, and Playa del Amor of the Marietas Islands in the state of Nayarit ranked 16 with a traveler score of 84.9 percent. Rodríguez Zamora added that Holbox ranked third among the best islands in North America with a score of 94.2 which represents another recognition of the diversity of experiences offered by Mexican destinations and their ability to attract travelers from different markets. “Mexico has an extraordinary and diverse tourism offering where each destination has something unique to offer. These recognitions motivate us to continue strengthening our destinations and our hospitality, so that more travelers want to visit Mexico, return, and discover all that our country has to share,” she stated.
3.6 Billion Peso Electrical Submarine Cable Project For Cozumel Set To Begin
The state government says 3.6 billion pesos has been earmarked for a new underwater electrical line for the island of Cozumel. The mega-project will include the installation of approximately 20 kilometers of new cable which began in October. Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama made the announcement after confirmation that the project had been awarded to a bidding company.
The island of Cozumel is currently powered by a 40-year-old submarine electrical system. She said the project to modernize the submarine cable that supplies electricity to Cozumel has been awarded and construction began in October with an investment of approximately 3.6 billion pesos. Lezama said the project represents a response to a historical need of the island, following the efforts made before President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and the coordination with the head of the Ministry of Energy, Luz Elena González Escobar, and General Director of the CFE, Emilia Esther Calleja Alor, to unblock the federal bidding process. She explained that initially, the project had not been awarded because, according to specialists, it required modifications to comprehensively address Cozumel’s current and future energy needs. “It’s worth managing, it’s worth knocking on doors,” Mara Lezama stated, highlighting that the tender decision was finally issued on September 15, making the project a reality. Cozumel Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez thanked the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, and the Governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama Espinosa, for their support in advancing the construction of the new submarine power cable for Cozumel.
After the bidding process was confirmed, Chacón Méndez emphasized that the project represents a response to a fundamental need of Cozumel families and will allow for energy infrastructure with greater capacity to support the growth and development of Cozumel in the coming years. “This is great news for Cozumel. We are talking about a strategic project that our island needs and that has been in the demand of Cozumel residents for many years. “Today we see that, thanks to the support of our President Claudia Sheinbaum and the ongoing work of our Governor Mara Lezama, this project is moving forward and will soon begin to become a reality,” he said. The project was to have been started October 5, 2026, and is contracted to be completed in February of 2028. The project includes the installation of approximately 20 kilometers of underwater submarine cable and underground transmission line between the mainland and Cozumel, as well as the necessary infrastructure to strengthen the island’s current 40-year-old electricity supply capacity at a cost of 3.6 billion pesos. Lezama said the new infrastructure will strengthen and modernize Cozumel’s electricity supply, providing a capacity that meets the island’s current conditions and projected needs for the coming years.
New submarine lines will run from a CFE substation in Playa del Carmen to the island of Cozumel. The submarine cable project is expected to take approximately a year and a half to complete. The winning company contract states that they have until February of 2028 to finish the project.
Need a LEGAL U.S. Notary Service? THIS is your solution!
It has happened to ALL of us U.S. Citizens who spend significant amounts of time living / working in Cozumel: reading the dreaded words on a document from back home: "Notarized Signature Required." It's such a simple thing and no one wants the added expense of travelling back to the U.S. just to have their signature notarized but there are many legal processes in the U.S.A. where nothing BUT a notarized signature will be accepted.
Some common documents that U.S. Citizens need notarized while living abroad are: Real Estate Deeds or Mortgages, executing Wills, Powers of Attorney, requests for Birth / Marriage / Death Certificates, Permission for a parent to get a minor’s US Passport, banking / insurance / bonding documents, permission for a minor to travel without parents or application for duplicate or replacement vehicle titles just to name a few.
In the past, the most common solution was for a U.S. Citizen to make their way to the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy where notaries are always available but the fees involved can be quite expensive. In addition there is the cost of actually travelling to the Consulate and who knows if appointments will even be available especially if the notarized signature is needed urgently. Plus from Cozumel that Consulate visit includes the cost of a ferry round trip to get to Playa del Carmen and then the travel to Merida if the Playa office is closed. All of these complicating factors just create more of a headache for something that is supposed to be relatively easy and inexpensive.
Another option frequently used has been that of a U.S. Notary operating outside of their country and jurisdiction. While this option is usually easy and cheap (often free or for a donation), it is one of those situations where "you get what you pay for" because technically these U.S. Notaries are operating ILLEGALLY as they are outside the legal jurisdiction for which they are authorized to notarize documents. In theory an illegal notarization could be attacked and challenged in the future and nullified causing legal issues with the documents signed. A fraud challenge to a Notary operating outside of the USA, simply involves a court asking the Notary to present their passport to the judge. Immigration stamps inside the passport will prove the Notary's whereabouts when documents were signed and if this was done inside the Notary's legal jurisdiction or illegally outside their authorized jurisdiction.
So do yourself a favor and avoid any future Signature Notary problems by utilizing an ON-LINE NOTARY SERVICE. Thanks to remote online notarization (RON), you can notarize a document from anywhere in the world, using your computer or mobile device and the internet. It takes only 10 minutes and is quite an easy process right from the comfort of your own home or office any hour of the day or night.
All you need to do is click this link 24/7 Online Notary Service To use this service, the fee is $25 USD and you must have a device with audio- visual capabilities (like a smart phone, tablet or PC) and proof of identity (a valid US Government-issued photo ID such as a Driver’s License or Passport). You can then access and meet with a licensed Notary Public who will notarize your papers in a matter of minutes. The process is easy, quick, efficient and AVAILABLE 24/7 online!! So WHY take a chance doing it any other way?!
If You Are Reading This .....
Then FOR SURE you will want to sign up for our Cozumel Travel Talk Bulletin!
With monthly or bi-monthly publication to a voluntary "opt in" mailing list already exceeding 10,000 subscribing Cozumel travelers, we never share your information and promise not to flood your mailbox! Just great stories and good information for Cozumel travelers who want to get the most out of their vacation time on the island! So scroll up to the menu bar at the top of this page and enter your email address to SUBSCRIBE and start receiving our Cozumel Travel Talk Bulletin!
May 29, 2026 (Most Recent) Comprehensive Mexico Travel Warning
Because we are continually asked about travel safety in Mexico and more specifically Cozumel, INSIDER always maintains a condensed version of the U.S. State Department Mexico Travel Warning relating to Cozumel HERE BELOW on our website for traveler convenience.
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico Issued May 29, 2026 shows the Mexican State of Quintana Roo (includes Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, and Tulum) to be a LEVEL 2 Advisory - Exercise Increased Caution (Level 4 Advisory is Highest Risk):
There are "NO RESTRICTIONS" on U.S. government employees for travel to "ANY PARTS" of Quintana Roo state, which includes tourist areas such as: Cozumel, Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Tulum. However, U.S. government employees are advised to exercise increased situational awareness and caution after dark in the areas of Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen, and to remain in well-lit pedestrian streets and tourist zones.
U.S. citizens should as always exercise increased caution and be aware that according to Government of Mexico statistics, criminal activities and violence, including homicide, remain a concern throughout the State. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations and turf battles between criminal groups that have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Bystanders injuries, while rare, have occurred. While not directed at tourists, shootings between rival gangs have killed or injured innocent bystanders. Additionally, U.S. citizens have been the victims of both non-violent and violent crimes in tourist and non-tourist areas.
The Mexico Travel Warning dated May 29, 2026 from the Department of State can also be viewed in its entirety on the Department of State website.
Copyright 2000 - 2027 Sherri Davis, All Rights Reserved. All photos, branding, and website content are protected. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution is strictly prohibited. Contributors retain the copyright to their work. Please do not take art or written content without permission. Other graphics and reference materials are used and attributed as per the Fair Use Provision of The Copyright Act and individual terms of use.
11/01/2026 - Numbers go up again this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 27 ships registered to dock as we wish you a Happy Halloween and a beautiful Fall Season. This is 1 more ship than last week and 7 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 30 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 94,500 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 10.4 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
