Hotels & Trave

Isla Mujeres Isla Mujeres

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Isla Mujeres can be described as a quaint little island with a population of around 13,000 people just north of Cancun. Historically, the Mayan women would visit the island while pregnant and give birth, as the island is dedicated to Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility. Its history also explains the name; Isla Mujeres means Women’s Island. When conquistador Hernan Cortez came across the island in the early 1500’s, he saw the Mayan sculptures of Ixcel and other goddesses, and appropriately christened the island.

Getting There

There are public and private ferries that run several times per day from Puerto Juarez, just north of Cancun, to Isla Mujeres. The ferry ride shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes.

Layout & Getting Around

At some parts, you can walk from one end of the island to another. It is only 4.3 miles long by .4 miles wide. The downtown is laid out in a grid and it is easy to walk around. Reasonably priced moped and golf cart rentals abound.

Activities

The swimming beaches are located on the side of the island that faces mainland Mexico, as obviously the side of the island that faces the Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea is too rocky and the ocean too tumultuous for swimming.

The main reason to visit Isla Mujeres is to snorkel and scuba dive. The island is located on a coral reef, which means there are lots of fish to see. Sport fishing and sailing expeditions can be chartered through myriad agencies on the island. Another water related entertainment options is swimming with the dolphins.

For landlubbers, you can visit the turtle farm, the Mayan ruin lighthouse which was heavily damaged in a 1988 hurricane, or Casa Mundaca – the former home of a local pirate.

Downtown there is an HSBC bank branch along with tourist shopping stalls, jewelry stores, and restaurants. The shop keepers were quite annoying with their catcalls, and insulting with their ridiculous asking prices. You can get something for a fair price if you bargain hard, but most of the goods can be bought on the mainland for less money and hassle.

Lodging

Many of the low-rise hotels dotting the island looked rundown, were drably colored, and fortified with barbed wire perimeters. Some hotels on the Gulf of Mexico side must have been battered during a recent hurricane as they had been gutted and the reconstruction looked halted. The one nice hotel I saw was the new Isla Mujeres Palace, part of the Palace Resorts chain. This hotel had a small beach with kayaks, a tank where you can swim and hold a nurse shark, a pool, a hammock garden, an upscale spa, and a tasty buffet restaurant.

Overall Thoughts

If you know what you are getting into, i.e., snorkeling, scuba diving, or sport fishing, Isla Mujeres might be a good destination for you. Otherwise, it is a little too undeveloped for the average tourist to enjoy.

Recommended with reservations.

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Cancun Resort:

Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort

Mayan Riviera Resort:

Grand Palladium White Sand Resort & Spa

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Tags: , Destinations, Hotels & Travel, Isla Mujeres