The beautiful Isla Mujeres provides a lovely vacation getaway or an escape from touristy Cancun.  Just a 25-minute ferry ride from Cancun, Isla Mujeres (Island of Women) offers the perfect combination of activity and relaxation.  The sparkling turquoise water surrounding the island and the tropical climate sets the mood for an unforgettable getaway.  Whether you stay to the north near the restaurants and nightlife on Hildalgo Street or the hotels and bungalows to the south, Isla Mujeres is a relaxing getaway that should be added to everyone’s bucket list.

Where is Isla Mujeres?

Isla Mujeres (pronounced ees-lah moo-HEH-res) or referred to as Isla in the area, is a small island located 8 miles/13 kilometers off the coast of Cancun.

The Island is approximately 4 miles/7 kilometers long by .5 miles/.8 kilometers wide.  It lies with the Caribbean Sea to its east and Cancun to the west.  The island is a combination of rocky coastline and a few white sand beaches such as Playa Norte (North Beach).

Weather

The temperatures on Isla Mujeres are a warm weather lovers paradise with average temperatures ranging from the mid-70s/23C to low 90s/33C.  The highest temperatures are in August peaking around 91F/33C and January is the coolest month with temperatures ranging from  80F/27C to 64F/18C.

With its tropical climate, it does rain on Isla Mujeres.  Rain increases from May to October.  September is the wettest month with approximately 14 days of rain.  March is the driest month with approximately 3 days of rain.  Don’t let the chance of rain deter you as most tropical climates experience scattered showers for a couple of hours before passing.

What Languages are Spoken on Isla Mujeres?

The main languages spoken on Isla Mujeres are Spanish and English.

What Currency is Accepted?

Pesos are the currency of Mexico although USD is accepted at many restaurants on the island.  There is a currency exchange booth across the street from the ferry terminal if you’d like to exchange for pesos. We found that most restaurants accepted credit cards although it is always good to have pesos for smaller establishments and vendors.

How Do I Get to Isla Mujeres?

Most visitors will arrive by flying into Cancun International Airport and then access Isla Mujeres by ferry.  Day-trippers can take a ferry from several different locations within the Cancun hotel zone.  Those going directly to Isla Mujeres from the airport will take the ferry from  Puerto Juarez.

Visitors flying into Cancun International Airport can reach Puerto Juarez by the ADO bus, shuttle or private car/van.

Bus

For around $5 USD/94 pesos an ADO bus ticket will get you to downtown Cancun and then for an additional $5 USD/94 pesos, you can get a taxi to the ferry.

Shared Shuttle

Shared shuttles can be more economical than booking a private transfer but take longer as the van waits for all guests to arrive and stops at various drop off locations. The cost to Puerto Juarez is around $20 USD/375 pesos.

Private Car/Van

Private cars or vans are efficient although a slightly more expensive way to get to the port.  These generally range from $30-40/565-755 pesos one way.

We booked a private transfer with Happy Shuttle Cancun and felt they were very dependable and had excellent customer service.

Taxi

Taxis are also available but can be more costly than a pre-booked car or shuttle because it takes about 30 minutes from the airport to Puerto Juarez.

Ferry

Most visitors will catch the ferry at Puerto Juarez located 30 minutes from downtown Cancun.  The ferry leaves every half hour from 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and is a 25-minute ride to Isla Mujeres.  A roundtrip ticket costs approximately $17 USD/320 pesos and can be purchased at the ticket booth at Puerto Juarez.

Where Should I Stay?

Your options for lodging are varied both in style and price.  Isla Mujeres offers inexpensive hostels, vacation rentals, AirBnBs, hotels, and 5-star resorts. The island is divided into different areas: Downtown (El Centro), North Beach, mid-island and the south end.

North Beach

I would suggest selecting where to stay based on what you want to do and how long you will be there.  If you are interested in the array of restaurants and nightlife on Hildalgo Street or are on the island for only a day or two then it will be most convenient to stay on the north end of the island where everything you want is within walking distance.

There are several lodging options that look out over North Beach and many others in the downtown area.  Here are some of the North Beach highlights.

• Mia Reef Isla Mujeres  If you are looking for an all-inclusive option then this may be your place.  It is slightly removed from the downtown area but is still, just a quick walk to downtown.
• Na Balam Beach Hotel and Villas  This is a cute 20 room, beachfront boutique hotel looking out over North Beach.
• Ixchel Beach Hotel  This 100 room hotel is located just steps from the beautiful beach.
• Hotel Privileges Aluxes Isla Mujeres  This 124 room, an adult-only resort, has a private beach club and a lot to offer its guests.  They also provide a free breakfast buffet which has a wide array of options and free wifi for guests.

To the South

If you are interested in getting away from the day-trippers and people flocking to North Beach then mid-island or the south end will make for a nice escape.  Those who stay outside of the downtown area still have the option to make their way into town at night either by golf cart or taxi.

• Isla Mujeres Palace Couples Only All-Inclusive Resort  This 62 room, adults-only resort is only accessible by boat and makes for a romantic getaway.  The resort is located on a long sandy beach that will be enjoyed by everyone.
• Casa de Los Suenos This is an all-suite, family hotel with a wide array of amenities for the whole family including ziplining, a rock climbing wall, ocean slides, kayaks, paddleboards, and a beautiful snorkeling area.
• Zoetry Villa Rolandi  This luxurious, all-inclusive, family-friendly resort is located on a quiet beach with plenty of activities to meet everyone’s taste.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Privileges Aluxes located across the street from North Beach.  The best part of this hotel is the location with the beautiful Playa Norte out front and with the downtown and the ferry within walking distance.  Their beautiful beach area has an array of chairs, umbrellas, and a beachfront restaurant so you can spend the day relaxing and enjoying the magnificent view with food and beverages.

If you are looking for a quieter getaway, I would head south and consider Casa de Los Suenos.  We walked through the hotel when visiting their restaurant.  The view and service were amazing.

Food

There are plenty of places to eat on Isla Mujeres.  Although most restaurants are located in town, you will find plenty of places to eat throughout the island.  There is a wide range of food choices including seafood, American, Mexican, Italian, Asian and more.  Dining is a laid back on Isla and is not an experience to be rushed.  Unlike some countries, the bill will not be brought out until requested as to not rush your dining experience.

Our Favorites

In the downtown area, we really enjoyed Xantollo on Hildalgo Street and Fish and Gin also located in the downtown area. We also really enjoyed the food at Kin Ha at Casa de Los Suenos towards the southern part of the island.

Getting Around/Transportation

You will find getting around Isla Mujeres is easy by either taxi, golf cart or moped.  There are multiple places to rent golf carts or mopeds in town.  Golf cart rentals are approximately $50 USD/940 pesos a day.

What Should I Do While on Isla Mujeres?

Shop Around

On the north end of the island, the downtown area is the heart of the island.  Hildalgo Street is the main dining and entertainment area on the island.  Here you can stop in for coffee, lunch, dinner or browse through the many shops for souvenirs and crafts.

At night the streets of Hildalgo fill up with visitors looking for the perfect dinner spot or to get together with friends.

Hildalgo Street at night should not be missed.  The streets are filled with colorful lights, the chatter of people strolling through the area, and stories and laughter from those who’ve found their spot for the evening.  You will also find street vendors with offerings of delicious tacos, churros and other items that are hard to pass up.

Rent a Golf Cart

I highly recommend renting a golf cart and exploring the island at your own pace.  It is very simple to get around and by far our favorite day on the island.  To drive the whole island without stopping takes less than an hour, although there is plenty to fill a day of exploring.  Throughout the island, you will find small areas that can be explored as well as multiple small beaches around the island where you can pull over, take photos, relax, or go swimming.  Friends beware, the combination of a speedy golf cart and coastal breeze can catch a hat in a moment and send it flying. 

Playa Norte (North Beach)

Playa Norte, or North Beach, is one of Mexico’s most beautiful beaches.  The beautiful turquoise water and the long white sand beach is a beachgoers paradise.  The water is easy to wade in and out of and shallow enough to stand without concerns of waves knocking you over.  For day-trippers, Playa Norte is an easy 10-minute walk from the ferry.  You will find vendors and masseuses with their variety of goods and offerings throughout the beach.

Beach Club Hop

Whether visiting for the day or if you’re not staying on the north end of the island many people like to beach club hop along North Beach.  Most beach clubs offer chairs, umbrellas, food, and drinks for a small fee.  Green Demon, Mayan Beach Club, Tuturreque and Tarzan are all popular.

While exploring the island we stopped for lunch at Kin Ha located at Casa de Los Suenos.  We were drawn in by the view and stopped to enjoy a refreshing beverage and the view.  We had no idea that in addition to the amazing food that they also offered Parque de Los Suenos.  The amenities include a couple of pools, a locker room, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, a rope swing, ziplining and more. Had we known, we would have brought our swimsuits and stayed for the day as their food and the view cannot be beaten.

We didn’t pay an entrance fee because we went to the restaurant, but if you are there primarily for the park many visitors pay $24 USD/450 pesos for use of the amenities with $16 USD/300 pesos credited towards food.  This was one of our favorite places on the island.

Explore the Street Art

You will find plenty of opportunities to explore and take photos of the beautiful street art throughout the island.

Snorkeling/Scuba Diving

There are a few places recommended by locals for snorkeling off the beach.

Snorkeling South End

On the south end of the island, you’ll find Garrafon De Castillo Beach Club.  They charge a $2 USD/50 pesos entrance fee which is much less than the Garrafon Park next door and you are snorkeling on the same reef.  Also, across the street from the Fenix Beach Club on the northeast side of the island, there is a calm and shallow area that has a variety of fish to see.

Snorkeling North End

The water off of North Beach is clear and calm but there is no reef so the number of fish is limited, however, there is a shallow reef nearby.  If you take a right from the east end of North Beach you will find Playa Media Luna and the bridge to the Mia Reef hotel.  Just south of the bridge you’ll find a snorkeling reef with a nice variety of fish.

Scuba Diving

The diving around Isla Mujeres has been described as unforgettable.  The MUSA Underground Museum is a very popular spot for both snorkeling and diving. This manmade museum is filled with statues in a variety of poses and settings developed to create an artificial reef that would begin restoring marine life in the area.  It is located off the coast of the island and is only accessible by boat. Tours include multiple stops and costs around $85 USD/1600 pesos.

Punta Sur

The beautiful Punta Sur is the first place in Mexico that sees the sun every morning. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it down that early, but multiple people highly recommended heading down for the beautiful sunrise.  The breathtaking views and amazingly blue water are the highlights of Punta Sur.

Punta Sur is a must-see if you are traveling around the island.  It is accessible by taxi, car and golf cart and is about a 15-minute golf cart drive from the north end of the island.

Here you will find the ruins of the Goddess Ixchel as well as a path that takes you down along the water.  The steps are a little steep but you can take your time going down and up.  The path takes you along the water’s edge and back up to the bluff.

Along the path to bluff, you will also find many iguanas sunning themselves and enjoying the stunning view.

Fishing

Isla Mujeres fishing is amazing year-round. There are all types of fish to be caught including game fish such as marlin and sailfish as well as tuna, mackerel, grouper and so much more.

Guadalupe Chapel

Visit the beautiful Guadalupe Catholic Chapel with its amazing view of the ocean.  This little chapel can be found as you drive through the downtown area on the north end of the island.  This is beautiful chapel should not be missed.

Book Your Trip!

Isla Mujeres is the perfect combination of activity, relaxation, and beauty and is a perfect medium between Cancun and the small island of Holbox. The island is more accessible than Holbox but feels more touristy due to its easy access from Cancun.  If you are looking for a more remote escape check out Holbox, Everything You Need to Know About This Charming Island.  Despite its many visitors, you should add Isla Mujeres to your bucket list today!