COZUMEL, Q. Roo — Chen Río is the secret place Cozumel residents enjoying going to due to its natural swimming pools of warm and crystalline water. Not a lot of tourists decide to venture themselves into exploring this beach as it is, practically, an unknown place in the island.
It is common for local residents of touristic destinations to hold the secret about what are their favorite places to go to pass the time. This is the case of Chen Río (“Chen River”), a beach that is located to the east of Cozumel in which small pools of clear and lukewarm water are naturally formed. For this reason, every Sunday, dozens of families living in Cozumel as well as a few travelers who dare to tour the island, place their tents along the beach of Chen Río while watching the children swim safely in the natural pools. On the other hand, while some decide to take advantage of the sun by lying on the whitish sand, there are others who sit by the beach bars to enjoy seafood and drinks.
Crystalline waters from Río Chen in Cozumel
Photo: México Desconocido
Surprisingly, arriving to Río Chen is not complicated at all. If you are staying in an all-inclusive hotel in Cozumel, just request a taxi and ask the driver to take you to this mini-paradise the island offers. Nonetheless, if you do not have an all-inclusive package, once you are in a hotel, you can ask for a taxi or better yet, rent a Jeep for $500 pesos a day, which is an excellent option.
Regarding its name, it got it from an ancient river that passed through this area of the island, which years later disappeared from the mangrove. However, thanks to Hurricane Wilma, it made its comeback; the authorities did the right thing not to try to close it down and decided to preserve it.
Along the way to Río Chen is something that will be forever in one’s mind. You go through mangroves, historical sites, sea turtle reserves, villages, restaurants hidden in the jungle, and striking cliffs. Do not miss the opportunity to get to the other side of the island, an unexplored place but well worth-visiting.
SOURCE: México Desconocido
