About

Why Discover Cozumel, Mexico?

Forget everything that you think you know about being a tourist on the island of Cozumel, Mexico. You only know what the cruise directors, tour guides, travel agents, and local merchants want you to know.

Prepare to take a journey of discovery and explore the island, learning from someone who has come by land, by sea, by ferry, and explored this island of fantasy by bicycle.

You’ll discover an island of resilient residents; they’ve survived hurricanes, rode out the worst of storms, rebuilt time and time again, and rebuilt something that is beautiful and inspiring.

What About Me?

I’m Tom Seest, and I’m the creator of Top Cozumel News.

I’m a teller of stories, an adventurer who has traveled over 24,000 miles by bicycle and has gone from an oversized 600 pounds down to 260 and back to 380. I’ve made the most of my days with my lovely wife and family, but why should you listen to me?

I’ve traveled by plane, by ferry, by ship, by foot, by bicycle, and even by a walker. I have enjoyed the pace and constant discovery and stories each of these differently-paced experiences brings to me.

Why Listen to Me, My Stories, and My Experiences On Cozumel?

I first visited Cozumel in April 2003 while on a cruise on the NCL Sun. Growing up on the plains of Illinois in the land of Lincoln, I was used to flat land and viewed Cozumel as a nicer, more tropical version of my home state.

I remember sailing into Cozumel on the NCL Sun again immediately after Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and viewing the devastation to the island. Over time, after many cruises, I fell in love with the island and the people of Mexico.

We have enjoyed being on the island after the cruise ships have left for the day, which led to completely different, wonderful, joyful experiences with the people who make Cozumel their home.

Why Do I Keep Coming to Cozumel?

When I had heart problems in 2017, we chose to travel to Cozumel to visit a cardiologist and take advantage of medical tourism. We have spent many weeks here as a family, in sickness, and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and have been revitalized.  The island is easy to navigate for people like me who occasionally have mobility issues and have gone from moving freely to struggling from time to time.

Where Do I Live Now?

Now, I live on the top of a small mountain in Tennessee, in a wonderful paradise known as Shadowlands, where we dwell in paradise, waiting in heaven’s waiting room, enjoying each passing day. They run around our property and the property of our neighbors most of the day and then find their way home at night. It’s a lot like Cozumel, Mexico, only different. The mountains are bigger here than on the island of Cozumel, but we have smaller lighthouses.

The people who make their homes in both places are wonderful humans, the best that humanity has to offer. Neighbors know their neighbors and breathe a collective sigh of relief when the business of the day is done.

Why Did I Build Top Cozumel News?

As I spent time with the residents of the island, I noticed their struggles. I have lived among them, and they have treated me like family. Like one of their own. The local hospitality providers like Dennis at Villa Deja Blue, Sylvia at La Cocina De Silvia, and Tom at COZ Coffee Roasting Company have all bent over backward to accommodate me in my various states of health on my trips.

I’m building this site as I try to document the places I’ve visited, the things I’ve seen, and the wonderful experiences.

Why Should You Visit Cozumel?

Cozumel is where I first rode my bicycle with both pedals underwater during the rain. Cozumel is where I first bicycled by a dead armadillo and learned that they float to the other side. Cozumel is full of mystery and intrigue.

In any case, I hope you enjoy my public collection of online news, research, and investigation into the lovely island and the people of Cozumel.

I hope it inspires you to come to visit the land that I dream of, long for, and love.

Thank you for visiting Top Cozumel News. 😊