Isla Mujeres is a small island just off the coast of Cancun and is a great destination to visit for the day or a longer stay. Here are some tips for visiting the island and why you need to visit Isla Mujeres.
How to Get to Isla Mujeres
Visitors can stay on the island for their whole trip or visit from Cancun. Once you’ve reached Cancun, a ferry ride is required to reach the island. There are few locations to take the ferry from and all can be reached easily by bus from the hotel zone. The ferry ride itself is under an hour and is a fun way to appreciate the ocean, making it part of the experience. I would recommend staying in Cancun and visiting the island because after a long flight you would still need to haul your luggage in a vehicle and then on the ferry before reaching your accommodations. This can also limit the flights that you can take to and from Cancun as you will need to make sure your flight times correspond with the ferry schedule. However, many people do stay on the island for the entirety of their vacation and day trip to Cancun so this is just a personal preference.
How to Get Around Isla Mujeres
Once across, you may be surprised by the small streets which are dominated by golf carts. Since the island is small, renting a golf cart is a great way to see the island. You can rent the carts while you’re waiting to catch the ferry or after you arrive on the island. We rented one for the whole day and had a great time cruising around and enjoying the views.
Isla Mujeres. Photo by Torie Wotton
Things to Do at Isla Mujeres
Punta Sur Park
My favorite place to stop on the island is the walking path at Punta Sur Park. There’s a small fee to access the park but it is absolutely worth it. The main path features statues that highlight the history and culture of Mexico but the best part is a little more elusive. Some paths branch to the side and lead down to the ocean. Here, you are standing on the side of the island and level with the crashing waves of the ocean. The path wraps around the island and leads you to the most eastern point of Mexico. Being so close to the powerful ocean was an unreal experience, making this one of the coolest walks I’ve ever done.
View from the path at Punta Sur Park. Photo by Torie Wotton
Golf Cart Cruising
Just driving around the island is an attraction in and of itself. You’ll be treated to beautiful ocean views, the warm wind in your hair and the sights of the island. We also enjoyed checking out all the fancy water front houses as we cruised past. This was also a good way to find snacks. The fresh fruit that we bought from a roadside stand was probably the best snack I ate on the whole trip!
View from lookout at Isla Mujeres. Photo by Torie Wotton.
The Ice Bar
The ice bar was widely advertised on the island so we decided we better check it out. While it was cool to see the ice sculptures, this is a bit of a tourist trap that I recommend skipping. The bar was essentially located in a giant freezer and we decided we got enough of the cold at home.
Zama Beach and Lounge
The island is also home to many restaurants. We chose to eat at Zama. My favorite part of this location was that they had pools where you could swim while you waited for your food. After we ate, we moved down to the lounge chairs on the beach to enjoy the view. We originally thought we would swim here but it turned out the bottom was very rocky compared to the smooth sandy bottom we were used to at our beach in Cancun. However, we were entertained by a man who brought his fishing catch for the day up to the beach. We saw the octopus he had caught and watched him pull seafood out of some shells.
At the Zama Beach and Lounge.
On My Bucket List
There are many locations on the island that are great for snorkelling. There is a reef just off the island as well as an underwater museum full of statues. This is something I would love to try if I ever go back!
