For such a small, sleepy place, there’s all kinds of issues to do in Isla Mujeres — an island positioned off the coast of Cancun in Mexico.
Translated from Spanish, Isla Mujeres means the “Island of Ladies”, named after the Mayan Goddess Ixchel, the Goddess of fertility and happiness.
There are quite a few unimaginable locations to go to in Mexico, however ensure you add Isla Mujeres to the checklist!
A fast, 20-minute ferry journey from Cancun will whisk you away to an island paradise of heat turquoise waters, swaying palm bushes and white silky sand seashores.
Isla Mujeres is ideal for a day journey however we suggest staying longer, particularly if you wish to escape the celebration scene and all the loopy issues to do in Cancun. That is the place to return to get pleasure from a soothing island break.
On this submit, I’ll checklist the 21 finest issues to do in Isla Mujeres you don’t wish to miss, however first…
Getting To & From Isla Mujeres
You’ve got completely different choices to get to Isla Mujeres from the Cancun Airport — both by bus, taxis on the airport, or personal transportation booked previous to your arrival.
Many individuals choose to take personal transportation to Isla Mujeres booked with Cancun Airport Transportation. The automobile offered is a van, and the journey is personal — should you guide it, you get the automobile to your self.
You can too share with a bunch of individuals to cut back the associated fee. The vans embrace a bilingual driver, air-con, and insurance coverage.
To get from the Cancun airport to Isla Mujeres, the price of the entire van can be $45 one-way, or $75 spherical journey. Click on right here to be taught extra.
1. Laze On The Pristine Playa Norte Seashore
A ten-minute stroll from the Ferry Pier is the favored seashore of Playa Norte or North Seashore. That is the primary seashore on Isla Mujeres and has been named one of many finest seashores within the Caribbean!
The water right here is calm, and shallow, making it an important spot for households or for only a chilled-out day of floating round.
2. Examine Out Punta Sur
Punta Sur is positioned on the southern tip of Isla Mujeres. Right here you possibly can go to the Pre-Colombian Mayan Ruins of Ixchel, or just admire the beautiful rocky views. It is a beautiful place to return and benefit from the surroundings.
When you’re searching for an important place to calm down, snorkel and have a drink in Punta Sur, take a look at Garaffon de Castilla.
For 100 pesos ($5), you may have entry to lounge chairs, showers, change rooms and snorkel gear as effectively. It is a good, mellow spot to calm down in the course of the afternoon.
When you’d fairly simply admire the superb pure views after which sit all the way down to get pleasure from some Mexican meals, don’t miss Capricho Ranch which serves up tasty tacos! Get instructions right here.
Observe: Whereas we suggest visiting the southern a part of Isla Mujeres, we don’t assist Garrafon Park which can also be positioned right here. This is because of the truth that captive dolphins are stored right here. Be a accountable traveller and contemplate the place you need your tourism {dollars} to go.
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3. Hire A Golf Cart (One of many Finest Issues to do in Isla Mujeres)
To have the ability to expertise all of the issues to do in Isla Mujeres we suggest that you simply hire a golf cart for the day. That is utterly regular and is a well-liked factor to do!
There are various golf cart rental businesses obtainable across the ferry port and you may anticipate to pay round $65 per day for a 2-seater. This firm is likely one of the many choices obtainable, store round while you arrive.
When you want to rent a golf buggy for per week you possibly can anticipate to pay round $420. The longer the rental, the cheaper the speed can be. You will have a legitimate driver’s licence so as to hire a golf cart.
When you simply wish to head out for a day to get pleasure from some bars, you possibly can be part of this hilarious golf cart pub crawl! With a driver, you gained’t have to fret about ingesting and driving. Many drinks and many snacks are included within the enjoyable tour. Click on right here to be taught extra.
When you’re into {golfing}, and never simply driving golf carts, ensure to go to Manzanillo, Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta, which have some glorious {golfing} alternatives.
4. Be a part of a Yoga Class
The Treehouse overlooks Playa Norte and it’s a paradise for yoga lovers. Take pleasure in an early morning dawn yoga class or a night sundown class.
When you’re trying to get some train throughout your journey, training yoga is likely one of the prime issues to do in Isla Mujeres. Costs begin at $20 for 90 minutes and there are lessons to swimsuit all ranges. For the newest timings, and lessons take a look at their Fb web page.
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5. Stroll Round Centro & Admire The Sea Wall Murals
We’re all for the preservation of our world’s oceans and we have been delighted to see the ‘Sea Wall Murals‘ of Isla Mujeres.
These murals have been created by varied prime avenue artists from around the globe to boost consciousness of marine species threatened by extinction within the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
You’ll be able to examine them out your self, or be part of this tour to go out with a pleasant native information who will clarify the murals, the artists, and the historical past. It additionally features a little bit of sightseeing across the island.
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6. Day Journey to Isla Contoy
Isla Contoy is positioned 30 km north of Isla Mujeres. This pure wildlife reserve and fowl sanctuary is 9 km lengthy and 20 metres broad and was declared a Nationwide Park in 1998.
This tour normally picks up visitors from Cancun and heads over to Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy, however you possibly can request a pickup from different locations like Tulum or hop on after they cease at Isla Mujeres. Contact them for extra particulars.
Isla Contoy is likely one of the most necessary areas in Mexico for nesting sea birds and sea turtles. There’s a most of 200 vacationers allowed to go to every day. A day tour begins from $75 per individual click on right here for extra data.
Isla Contoy Tackle: Ed. Capitanía Regional de Puerto Juárez, Región 86, Manzana 2, 77520 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico. Click on right here for instructions.
7. MUSA (Underwater Museum of Artwork in Isla Mujeres)
One of the vital in style actions in Isla Mujeres is to go to MUSA, (Museo Subacuático de Arte). You’ll be able to tour the underwater museum by glass-bottom boat and luxuriate in over 500 sculptures by the creator Jason deCaires Taylor.
For a greater expertise, and to get nearer to the sculptures, head on a snorkelling tour or go scuba diving. MUSA was created to encourage guests to go to an alternate space round Isla Mujeres taking the stress off the close by reef.
Underwater sculpture parks are created as vacationer sights, however they’re additionally used as synthetic reefs to assist promote the expansion of coral and the return of extra marine life. A go to to underwater sculptures (by the identical artist) can also be one of many prime issues to do in Grenada, and the Bahamas.
The positioning in Isla Mujeres is split into two galleries with 3 salons:
- Salon Nizuc – at a depth of 4 metres and appropriate for snorkelling, the Jungle Tour and the Glass Backside Boat Tour
- Salon Punta Sam – appropriate for snorkelling
- Salone Machones – at a depth of 8 metres and appropriate for each snorkellers and scuba divers
For extra data on reserving click on right here.
8. Go Fishing
The turquoise blue waters of Isla Mujeres are excellent for deep-sea fishing, inshore fishing, and spearfishing. The perfect months for sailfish and marlin are from mid-December via to July. When you desire tuna fishing the perfect months are between April and August.
Relying on what sort of fishing you get pleasure from essentially the most, there are lots of constitution operators that may cater to your wants, starting from constitution boats to non-public yacht excursions.
This operator stays nearer to shore so is ideal for households or anybody who would possibly get a bit of seasick, whereas this one is an superior full-day deepsea fishing journey for these anglers who actually wish to hook right into a monster.
- Click on Right here to be taught extra concerning the family-friendly inshore fishing day journey
- Click on Right here to be taught extra concerning the deep-sea fishing journey
We’ve finished a whole lot of deep-sea fishing journeys in Mexico and around the globe and it’s all the time a good time with family and friends.
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9. Swim With Whale Sharks
One other in style water exercise in Isla Mujeres is to swim with Whale Sharks (it’s additionally one of many prime issues to do in Cabo San Lucas). The finest time to go to Mexico if you wish to see these stunning creatures is in the course of the summer season months of June to September.
Whale Sharks can attain a size of 14 metres and they’re actually simply mild giants weighing in at round 15 tonnes.
Official regulating our bodies have put a cap on excursions at round $145 per individual. The tour consists of swimming with the whale sharks, breakfast, lunch, gentle drinks, snorkel tools and normally a while to snorkel the reefs.
It’s unlawful to the touch the sharks and you will need to maintain a distance of two metres. It’s necessary that you simply do your analysis and go along with a good, eco-conscious tour firm that regulates and respects the foundations. Take a look at this highly-rated tour with EcoColors Mexico.
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10. Drink Some Craft Beer
Mexico is house to many various kinds of lagers – you’ve most likely sampled Corona, Dos Equis, or Pacifico – however don’t miss out on the unimaginable craft beers!
A go to to Isla Brewing Firm is likely one of the finest issues to do in Isla Mujeres for beer lovers, particularly when it’s raining on the island. These domestically brewed craft beers are a must-try.
As a bonus, should you purchase bottles of beer to remove, you’ll get 10 pesos again while you return them. This an effective way to recycle, and get a reduction in your subsequent beer buy!
Isla Brewing Firm Tackle: Jesús Martínez Ross 62, Meteorológico, 77400 Isla Mujeres, Q.R., Mexico. Click on right here to search out it on the map.
11. Get Underwater Whereas Scuba Diving
Isla Mujeres has a few of the finest scuba diving within the Caribbean. Right here you possibly can get pleasure from some unimaginable caves, and an abundance of sea life — eels, groupers, snappers, turtles, parrotfish and quite a few corals.
When you’re new to scuba diving and have by no means tried it, Mujeres is the place. This tour will take you out into shallow water with a licensed diving teacher who will swim alongside you when you get pleasure from the great thing about the coral reefs right here.
When you’re skilled, then this dive store is very rated and you may guide dives on-line.
A novel expertise is diving on the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks the place a big group of reef, bull, and nurse sharks might be seen sleeping on the underside of the ocean. At a depth of 20-30 meters, this dive web site is advisable for superior divers.
Different in style websites embrace the Machones Reef (800m in size), Tavos Reef, Media Luna, Punta Sur and the location of the Navy Boat Shipwreck (at a depth of 21m).
We went scuba diving on Isla Mujeres with Squalo Adventures and have been very pleased with their security protocols, service, and boats.
Click on Right here to be taught extra about scuba diving round Isla Mujeres for first-timers.
Click on Right here to guide a two-tank dive with our favourite dive store on Mujeres.
12. Chill Out at a Seashore Membership
There are a couple of seashore golf equipment on the island, however Amazona is an effective possibility. For $40, you get entry to seashore chairs, a buffet lunch, and drinks. After all, they aren’t going to be premium drinks, however hey, for all you possibly can drink at $40, that’s a fairly whole lot.
If seashore beds and chairs aren’t your factor, laze in one of many hammocks suspended within the sea! With music, solar and sand, you actually can’t go flawed. Chillin’ out on the seashore membership is likely one of the finest issues to do in Isla Mujeres for {couples}, or associates.
Tackle: Amazona Seashore Membership – Perimetral Pte. 080, 77400 Isla Mujeres, Q.R., Mexico. Get instructions right here.
13. Snorkelling in Isla Mujeres
In case you are a newbie and haven’t finished a lot snorkelling previously, the perfect place to snorkel is El Farito. El Farito, to the north of the island, is shallow and ideal for newcomers to see colleges of vibrant fish.
Higher but, contemplate becoming a member of a tour like this one that features a boat to take you out to the perfect spots and a pleasant native information to point out you the superb sea life round Mujeres.
Los Machones is extra suited to advance snorkellers with a depth of 35 – 40 toes. Different superb snorkel websites embrace MUSA, Garrafon Pure Reef Park and Isla Contoy. For extra snorkelling and diving, don’t miss Mexico’s hottest island and all the unimaginable issues to do in Cozumel!
Click on right here to be taught extra about the perfect snorkel tour in Isla Mujeres.
14. Volunteer Strolling Canines
When you love canine, you’ll wish to ensure to drop in at Isla Animals.
The group right here is all the time searching for volunteers who’re in a position to assist out with strolling canine, giving pet cuddles, and should you’re , bathing, grooming, and aiding on the spay/neutering clinic.
Isla Animals accepts volunteers on daily basis from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, no appointment is important. Be at liberty to drop in and say hello and assist out. Volunteering actually is likely one of the most memorable and significant issues you are able to do in Isla Mujeres.
Isla Animals Tackle: Parque, Isla Mujeres , Hacienda Mundaca, Q.R., Mexico. Click on right here for instructions.
15. Go to Mercado Municipal
A go to to Mercado Municipal in Centro is a should in your checklist of issues to do in Isla Mujeres. Not solely are you able to absorb the native environment, however the genuine meals is affordable and scrumptious.
For as little as a couple of {dollars}, you possibly can get pleasure from the perfect fish tacos and empanadas on the island. It does shut early afternoon so ensure you arrive round lunchtime.
Mercado Municipal Tackle: Centro – Supmza. 001, 77400 Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Click on right here for instructions.
16. Expertise The Zocalo
Each Mexican city has a central sq. referred to as a Zocalo (it’s among the best issues to do in Mexico Metropolis as effectively). I like to recommend visiting the Zocalo on Isla Mujeres within the night, as you’ll discover meals distributors promoting tasty native Mexican avenue meals. Plus, there’s music, leisure and dancing.
Zocalo Tackle:
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17. Go On a Procuring Spree
Purchasing for genuine souvenirs and clothes is likely one of the prime issues to do in Mexico as an entire. You’ll discover the standard Mexican memento outlets in Isla Mujeres, however should you’re after Tequila or Mezcal, folks artwork, silver jewelry, hammocks, and Mexican ceramics there are specific outlets that you must take a look at.
Among the finest buying might be discovered alongside Avenida Rueda Medina, however don’t miss:
- Galeria de Arte Mexicano – for silver jewellery. Av Guerrero 3.
- Ladies’s Beading Cooperative – handmade jewellery with income going on to the feminine artisans. Tackle: C. P.º de los Peces 160-L5, La Gloria, 77400 Isla Mujeres, Q.R., Mexico. Get instructions right here.
18. Sundown Cruise on a Catamaran
An ideal solution to finish the day is to get pleasure from a cocktail or two while crusing at sundown round Isla Mujeres. This tremendous enjoyable, 4-hour boat journey consists of swimming, drinks and meals, and naturally, the gorgeous sundown.
Don’t miss the extremely rated Isla Mujeres exercise! This tour leaves from Cancun, however contact them a couple of pick-up in Isla Mujeres. For extra data and to guide click on right here.
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19. Eat Tasty Meals
You’re in Mexico, so it comes as no shock that the meals in Isla Mujeres is superb! To not point out, that is an island so you possibly can anticipate some scrumptious seafood choices. Listed here are a couple of eating places you don’t wish to miss:
When you’re backpacking Mexico on a funds, you’ll undoubtedly wish to take a look at the Mercado Municipal for reasonable eats.
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20. Hire a Yacht
When you’re touring to Isla Mujeres with a bunch, otherwise you’ve obtained $600 to spend for your self, or for you and your associate, then a day on this personal yacht would possibly simply be one of many coolest luxurious experiences you possibly can have in Isla Mujeres.
This 46-foot magnificence can match as much as 15 visitors and might take you anyplace you wish to go. You may get picked up in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or on Isla Mujeres and you may spend the day stress-free in quiet coves or simply cruise alongside the coast.
The price is fairly honest if in case you have a big group. With 15 individuals the overall value is lower than $40 per individual, which is fairly unimaginable on a luxurious vessel like this.
Click on right here to be taught extra about this superb yacht and to contact the homeowners for reservations and reserving.
21. Be a part of a Biking Journey
Isla Mujeres is the right place to go biking. Throughout this enjoyable expertise, you’ll cycle round the entire island — which is simply 14 kilometres in whole — with a information who is definitely from Isla Mujeres.
Be taught concerning the island, go to some neighbourhoods, benefit from the sea views, and cease for drinks and meals alongside the way in which. The tour technically begins in Cancun, so should you’re within the huge metropolis it’s an important day journey to the island, but it surely’s additionally attainable to only meet the information on Mujeres to start out the journey. Click on right here to be taught extra about this extremely rated, distinctive exercise in Isla Mujeres.
Now You Know What To Do in Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres now shares the title with over 80 different cities and cities all through Mexico. The island has a particular appeal to it, making it a spot you’ll want to return to many times.
In 2001, SECTUR (Mexican Board of Tourism) put collectively a Pueblo Magico program to recognise Mexican cities which have a particular enchantment or magic about them in 3 classes — pure magnificence, historical past, and tradition.
It shares the limelight with the charming cobblestoned village of Tepoztlan and its magical pyramid, San Miguel de Allende, San Cristobal de las Casas, Tulum and Taxco, to call a couple of.
Isla Mujeres is an ideal trip vacation spot for households, {couples}, solo travellers and backpackers. It’s a kind of locations that pulls you again yr after yr and has a lot to supply guests.
Who couldn’t love its heat azure waters, excellent temperatures all yr spherical, enjoyable actions and beautiful sunrises and sunsets? Hopefully, this checklist gave you some nice concepts for issues to do in Isla Mujeres in your subsequent vacation.
