Isla Mujeres

  Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Thursday, December 6, 2007

24-Isla Mujeres - north beach

we went to Isla Mujeres which is just about 30 minute boat ride from Cancun. It's the most picturesque place you can imagine but also a very diverse place. the northern side of the island is very touristic with all types of small shops, restaurants, bars. while the southern side of the island is were local people live and is poorer than the northern side. As you might know back in 2005 this island was badly hit by the hurricane wilma which destroyed lots of houses and this is why many people are still living in shelters.

Isla Mujeres - north beach

but lets start from the beginning.
from the Cancun's Hotel Zone you have to take bus R1 that goes to the Cancun's downtown but you have to make sure that it goes to Puerto Juarez (not every R1 bus goes there) as this is where you can take a very cheap but very fast boat ride to Isla Mujeres for only 35 pesos one way.

Isla Mujeres - north beach

There is also another place within the Hotel Zone that you can take a ferry to isla Mujeres but it costs about 15 dollars, which makes it much more expensive. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to get to Puerto Juarez. and then you have this 30 minutes boat ride with wonderful views of the coast and this amazing turquoise water.

Isla Mujeres - snorkeling

When you get there, there are usually lots of people waiting trying to sell you lots of different types of activities or tours available on the island. We went on the snorkeling tour for about 3-4 hours for 20 dollars a head with only 5 of us on the boat and two guides. We were first snorkeling on the coral reef and after about an hour moved to another location on the western side of the island.

Isla Mujeres - restaurant on the west coast

after snorkeling we headed to a very nice caribbean style restaurant - kind of like an open space place as there were almost no walls on the ground floor, with this huge grill outside where they prepared us fresh fish and rice. the food was well yummy and we could eat as much as we wanted to. we only paid for our drinks but that was something like 20 pesos for a coke.

Isla Mujeres - swimming with sharks

only two steps away was this place where you could swim with sharks. You only pay as much as you think is fair for it, so basically a donation. two steps in other direction was this small turtle farm for 20 pesos each.

Isla Mujeres - turtle farm

Worth seeing as turtles are hard to spot anywhere else. They actually created that farm to protect them as people are still hunting and killing them (illegal but some just don't care).

Isla Mujeres - north beach

after spending some time there we then headed up the coast to the northern beach and that was the end of the tour.
But northern part of the island is actually a place where everything takes place so you can choose from shopping to dining or just spend some time on the beach.

Isla Mujeres - north beach

Northern beach is the most beautiful beach in this part of the world. those shallow turquoise waters and this blue blue sky... and white sand... and palm trees... everything was perfect... Was actually that perfect that we came back in few days time just to spend some relaxing time on the beach...

Isla Mujeres - Caribbean Queen, beach bar

and let me tell you about those beach bars that have happy hours almost the whole day where you can get two pinacoladas for only 40 pesos (comparing to the one that I paid 11 euros for on Costa Brava in Spain 3 years ago this is what I call the best deal ever).

Isla Mujeres - shopping

We did go through all those funky small shops also trying to get the best deal on anything that we bought. I think that Mexican people like it that way when you try to bargain with them, it's all like a one big game to them I think...

Isla Mujeres - souvenir shops

So anyway, I managed to get this fabulous large beach bag for 100 pesos and Luk got 3 T's for 90 pesos which was the cheapest ever (and despite wearing them quite a few times they still fine and didn't washed out). There is also a small local food supermarket opposite the church.

Isla Mujeres - southern end

Our last afternoon on the island we hired a golf cart for only 2 hours as it was already 3pm (sunsets in December are just after 5pm). WE paid around 300 pesos for this but it was money well spent (the whole day is for only 550 pesos). Not only you get to see the whole island (which is only 1km wide and 8 km long) but driving this golf cart on those narrow streets on the south side of the island can be a good fun as well.

Isla Mujeres - southern end

Also, while talking about those golf carts, there is a possibility to hire a bicycle or scooter, but we saw many people struggling on bicycles in this hot weather, so I would still recommend those golf carts, more expensive but better fun...

Isla Mujeres - southern end

There is a small lighthouse (that you can go on the top for free) on the south end of the island with a sculpture park that you pay (not too much) to get in. We didn't have the time to see it, but my friends did on their last trip to Mexico and have some fantastic photos from the very end of the island where you can actually go down from the cliffs and it's the very first point in Mexico where the sun rises every day. How cool is that? I have to do it next time.

Isla Mujeres - east beach

Driving back to the northern end of the island it's cool to take that eastern road which goes by the seaside and you can stop on one of those rocky beaches and collect some huge shells (but think about your luggage restrictions before you collect too many). And if you still have some time left you can drive through those small, tiny houses that local people live in and see the real everyday life of those islanders.

Oh, and after the whole day on the island and after enjoying many types of different activities, do not forget to stop for 10 minutes and watch one of the most beautiful sunsets on the north-west beach...