South of town and just beyond Playa San Francisco [1], a paved turnoff leads to El Cedral (8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, free), the oldest Maya structure on Cozumel [2], located in its namesake village. Once the hub of Maya life on the island, it is the first Maya site that the Spaniards stumbled upon in 1518; allegedly, the first Catholic mass in Mexico was held here.
Today the site is small and underwhelming though it still bears a few traces of the original paint and stucco. (It’s amazing that these remnants are left, despite the passage of time—and its use as a jail in the 1800s.) Tour operators, including horseback riding guides, often bring visitors here to wander about and buy handicrafts.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/cancun-the-yucatan/cancun-cozumel-and-the-riviera-maya/isla-cozumel/sights/beaches-and-beach-clubs/western-cozumel-
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/cancun-the-yucatan/cancun-cozumel-and-the-riviera-maya/isla-cozumel