ISLA MUJERES

Picturesque Isla Mujeres offers a relaxing change of pace from the glitter of the Hotel Zone. The “Isle of Women,” located about six miles northeast of Cancun, was first visited by the Spanish in 1517 and owes its name to the stone figures of Ix-chel, the Mayan goddess of fertility, which the explorers found scattered throughout the island. 

Isla Mujeres was a pilgrimage site for the Maya and, during the 17th, 18th, and 19th, centuries a pirate hideout. Today the island’s people gain their livelihood from fishing and tourism.  Several cruises depart from Cancun, offering a variety of meal and entertainment packages. Public ferries leave from Puerto Juarez, a small town just north of Cancun City with its own charm; once the only settlement in the area, it has changed very little in spite of Cancun’s recent explosive growth. A car-and-passenger ferry departs from Punta Sam, several miles north of Puerto Juarez, every day except Monday. 

Ferries put in at the village on the north end of the island, where most of Isla Mujeres’ shops and restaurants are located. Aside from its tranquil beaches and the fabulous snorkeling at El Garrafon, the island’s most interesting attraction is Casa de Mundaca, the ruins of a mansion once owned by the pirate Fermin Mundaca, located near Playa Lancheros toward the southern end of the island. Mundaca, a infamous slave trader, fell in love with a local girl and built a palatial home for her; when she ran away with another lover, he abandoned the estate. Beyond the ruin, at the extreme southern tip of the island, you’ll see the Isla Mujeres Lighthouse.   

The perimeter of the Hotel Zone is all beach – 14 miles of powdery white sand and clear blue water. The east west stretch of the island fronts the placid Bahia de Mujeres and offers the best swimming; the undertow on the Caribbean side (the north-south stretch) can be dangerous. Much of the island’s beach fronts hotel properties; however, because the Mexican seashore is government property, these beaches are open to the public. 

The beaches of tranquil Isla Mujeres are every bit as lovely as those on Cancun. North Beach, also called Coco Beach for its large grove of coconut palms, spans the northern tip of the island on the bay; this beach offers the best swimming on Isla Mujeres and allows topless sunbathing. 

Pancholo Beach, also at the north end of the island but on the Caribbean side, is a good spot for sunning and beachcombing; however, the strong waves and undertow make it unsuitable for swimming. 

Playa Lancheros, on the west coast toward the southern end of the island, is a good place for beginning snorkelers to practice; this beach also has a large turtle pen. 

At the southern tip of the island is Playa El Garrafon, whose underwater park attracts many divers and snorkelers facilities include showers, equipment rentals, bars and souvenir shops. 

Playa del Rey, the only other non-hotel beach on the Caribbean side, is located near the southern tip of the island.

You can reach Isla Mujeres via the public ferries departing from Puerto Juarez and Punta Sam or on several cruises departing from Cancun. When you visit the beaches don’t forget to take a good sunblock along. 

The Mexican Caribbean is a diver’s paradise, and the warm, clear waters and spectacular reefs around Cancun are perfect for exploring the fascinating world under the sea. In addition to diving and snorkelling, you can find almost every water sport imaginable on and around Cancun, as well as land sports such as golf and tennis. 

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