El Cielo, Cozumel
Overview
El Cielo, "the sky" in Spanish, is a shallow sandbar off the south-west coast of Cozumel, inside the Cozumel Reefs National Park. It is not a beach that can be reached on foot: there is no road, pier or shore entry, and visitors arrive by boat, usually as one stop on a snorkelling trip that also visits the reefs of Palancar and Colombia.
The water over the sandbar is typically between one and two metres deep, clear and calm, over a white sand bottom with patches of seagrass. Its fame comes from the cushion sea stars that rest on the sand, which are a protected species.
Our current condition score for this beach is .
Photo summary of last month
Each photograph is published unedited and in date order, and is replaced as newer submissions arrive, so what appears here is the most recent view of the beach rather than a promotional photograph.
El Cielo lies on the sheltered west side of Cozumel, so its photographs are a useful comparison with the beaches of the exposed east coast on the same day.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
Sargassum reaching Cozumel arrives mainly on the island's exposed east coast, which faces the prevailing easterly wind. El Cielo lies on the sheltered west side, inside the reef, so arrivals here are generally light. Our map point marks the shoreline opposite the sandbar, since the sandbar itself cannot be reached from land.
The sargassum season
The regional season runs from roughly May to August, with the heaviest arrivals usually in June and July, and the coast is generally quieter from late autumn into spring. The wider picture is set out in our Riviera Maya sargassum season guide.
Rules of the marine park
Touching, lifting or removing the sea stars is prohibited, and the national park authority has linked a decline in their numbers to handling by visitors. Only reef-safe sunscreen may be used, and boat operators need a park permit to bring visitors to the site. Guides and park rangers enforce these rules, and visitors who ignore them can be removed from the site.
Swimming conditions and safety
The sandbar is shallow enough to stand in, with little wave action, which makes it one of the easiest sites in Cozumel for children and inexperienced swimmers. On days when many cruise ships are in port, a large number of boats can be at the site at the same time, and early-morning trips are usually quieter.
Access and getting there
El Cielo is reached only by boat, on tours or private charters departing from the marinas and piers along the west coast of Cozumel. The trip south takes roughly twenty to thirty minutes, depending on the starting point and the boat. Visitors should check that the operator holds a marine park permit before booking.
Check live conditions before you go
On the live map we track El Cielo with dated photographs and a current condition score, which makes it easy to compare with the other beaches of Cozumel on the same morning.
See live conditions, photos & cams →