Just a hop and a skip away from Cancun is the beautiful island of Isla Mujeres (which translates to “island of women”). This island, with its pristine waters, stunning beaches, and a never-ending list of things to do, makes for a great day trip or overnight stay if you’re planning a vacation to Cancun. Isla Mujeres will feel worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Cancun.
If you’re looking for an island that offers a mix of relaxation, adventure, and an all-around good time, look no further than Isla Mujeres.
Despite the island being relatively small, there are certainly enough restaurants, bars, shops, and activities to keep any traveler busy and entertained. Whether you are heading to the island for a day trip or spending a couple nights like we did!
Isla Mujeres is known for its relaxed atmosphere, beautiful white-sand beaches, calm crystal clear turquoise waters, small-town feel, mom-and-pop businesses owned by the friendliest locals, and majestic whale sharks in the summertime.
There’s the famous Playa Norte, a stretch of beach that’s often listed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The water was so so so blue! And yes, how could I forget, it’s also known for the many, many golf carts you’ll see around town! Isla Mujeres will feel worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Cancun.
HOW TO GET TO ISLA MUJERES, MEXICO
The best option to get to the island is the ferry that leaves from Puerto Juarez. If you are staying in the city of Cancun, this will be the easiest and quickest way.
From Puerto Jaurez, take the ferry to get to and from Isla Mujeres. The great thing about this ferry is that it runs very frequently throughout the day, approximately every 30 minutes.
The ferry ride itself is approximately 30 minutes and it’s a pretty pleasant one at that. Sit back and relax while soaking in the views of the turquoise waters around you!
You can buy tickets there at the terminal when you get there (no need to buy in advance) and it’s super easy to catch a ferry every half hour from 6:00AM – 9:00PM. From Puerto Juarez, it costs $300 MXN ($15 USD) roundtrip per person.
Tip: Buy your return tickets when you buy your departure ticket so you don’t have to stand in line again on your return home.
HOW TO GET AROUND ISLA MUJERES, MEXICO
Once on the island, I’d recommend renting a golf cart so you can see all of the spots below on your own time (instead of spending your money cabbing around).
WHERE TO STAY IN ISLA MUJERES
We spent 2 nights in Isla Mujeres at Ixchel Beach Hotel and I could not recommend it enough. It is right on the beach, they even offer free beach chairs and umbrellas for hotel guests. Their rooms are massive. We had a 2 bedroom suite with a massive balcony that looked over the beach. The location is also perfect. It is right downtown one block away from the main street with a bunch of restaurants, bars, and shops!
WHAT TO DO IN ISLA MUJERES
SWIM WITH WHALE SHARKS
The #1 reason why we went to Isla Mujeres was to swim with whale sharks. Between the summer months (June through September), whale sharks hang out and feed around the warm waters near Isla Mujeres. We researched
This has been on my mom’s bucket list for over 30 years, and we were SO excited to finally do it. Spoiler alert: we didn’t see any whale sharks. It was extremely disappointing, but you have to remember these are wild animals and the ocean is very very vast. We spent 7 hours trying to find them.
But it wasn’t a total wash! We did see about 35 dolphins, swam with massive sea turtles, a HUGE manta ray and snorkeled a beautiful coral reef. It was still a lovely day, but we were super bummed that we didn’t get to see any. Our guide told us July/August are the best times to come see them.
And if you’re concerned about the dangers of swimming with “sharks”, don’t let their name scare you, whale sharks are completely harmless.
BEACH AT PLAYA NORTE
The beaches on Isla Mujeres alone are worth a visit to the island. Playa Norte is literally one of the most beautiful stretches of sand and beach on the island. Luckily, our hotel was right on the beach, and they offered free umbrellas and beach chairs. But it is a public beach so even if you are not staying at one of the hotels you can still enjoy. There are tons of beach bars and restaurants as well.
SEE PUNTA SUR
Put your golf cart to use and head to Punta Sur. Breathtaking scenery awaits you at every turn on the short walking trails here. There is also a cute lighthouse that sits on a bluff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. If you don’t want to picnic, there is a charming restaurant that sits inside the park as well.
Tip: If you happen to be staying the night in Isla Mujeres, may I recommend heading to Punta Sur during sunrise? This is one of the best sunrise points on the island.
EXPLORE AVENIDA MIGUEL HIDALGO / DOWNTOWN
Avenida Miguel Hidalgo is a pedestrian-only street that comprises the “downtown” of Isla Mujeres. You’ll know you’re here when you walk into a bustling area filled with vibrant colors, artisanal shops, and many various restaurants/bars.
It’s the perfect place to go souvenir shopping or grab some lunch, enjoy a few cocktails, and soak up the ambiance.
VISIT THE UNDERWATER MUSEUM
One of the most popular activities in Isla Mujeres is to visit MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte), the underwater museum. The museum has a total of 500 sculptures, most by the British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, with three different galleries submerged between 10-20 feet below water. It’s truly a unique creation and quite a sight to see.
Our timing didn’t work out for this, and we were super bummed, BUT if I am ever back, I will be sure to fit this in!
You can tour the underwater museum by glass-bottom boat or you can snorkel/dive. I would rather get in the water to experience this than just by boat.
WHERE TO EAT IN ISLA MUJERES
There are a million and one restaurants and bars along Avenida Miguel Hidalgo. Anything from traditional Mexican, to Asian, to Italian. If you want something to eat you can most likely find something along this strip.
We ate twice on Avenida Miguel Hidalgo. Once for lunch at Stingray – which is your typical Mexican beach vibes bar. It was a little overpriced, but the vibes here at night looked so fun if you are looking for some nightlife!
On our last night of vacation we were craving something other than Mexican and had Italian at Sardinian Smile and Wine Bar. We had a delicious shrimp risotto with lemon and ginger and it was the carbs I needed before a long travel day.
BUTTTTT I highly recommend getting away from the main drag and explore other parts of the island for food. The best meal we had the whole trip in Mexico was at Fuego De Mar. It is an Argentinian seafood restaurant on the other side of the island. We always love eating fresh seafood on vacation and according to Trip Advisor this one was the best. We totally agreed. We had the freshest red snapper which was delightful!
Whether you are spending a day trip in Isla Mujeres or a week on the island, don’t miss out on all the things this island has to offer!
Leave a Reply