On west side of the island, where businesses and residences dominate the shore, access to the water can require some planning. There are plenty of spots where you can traverse some limestone to take a dip. But if you want a proper sandy beach, steps or ladder to make getting in easier, you will will probably end up in some sort of restaurant, bar, or beach club.

Obviously, if you are accessing the water through a business, there is an expectation that you will support it. This is where “consumo mínimo” (minimum consumption) comes into play.

I have encountered 3 types of consumo mínimo on Cozumel:

Implied Minimum Consumption

Most bars and restaurants along the shore just have an expectation that you will buy something if you use their water access. I usually announce my intent upon entering so they can be forewarned that I am not going to be a high earning table. I’ll say something like, “solo vamos a tomar una ronda de copas” (we’re just going to have a round of drinks). They will seat me out of the way and adjust their attention towards higher-dollar patrons, and it’s all good.

Negotiable Minimum Consumption

There are a lot of beach clubs where the minimum consumption is either not posted, or posted but negotiable. I usually encounter this where the entry is not formal — i.e. no front desk / receptionist. If the place is not packed and there’s a minimum consumption posted, sometimes I’ll just ask if they can be flexible because, again, “solo vamos a tomar una ronda de copas.” I have only had one place stick to their guns. Generally, the intent of the minimum consumption is to keep out freeloaders, so as long as you are buying something, the club will accommodate.

Strict Minimum Consumption

If the club has a front desk, you can forget about flexibility in the minimum consumption. The price is the price. This is the case with Buccanos, but in this case the price is totally worth it. The food and drinks are good and spending $20 a head is easy.