Isla Mujeres is synonymous with warm beaches, enchanting water parks, an incomparable marine fauna and delicious seafood. Know fully the wonderful island of Quintana Roo with this complete guide to this Magic Town.
1. Where is Isla Mujeres located?
Isla Mujeres is an insular territory of the Mexican Caribbean, in the state of Quintana Roo, which integrates the municipality of Isla Mujeres together with a sector of continental Mexico located in front. The clear waters in which a rich marine fauna lives have made Isla Mujeres a sought-after ecotourism destination that many national and international visitors share with their trip to Cancun, the great world tourist center located only 13 km away. The regular means of transportation to the island are the ferry that departs from Puerto Juárez, Cancun, in a 15-minute journey and the ferry that makes the route from Punta Sam in 45 minutes.
2. What is your story?
The first lighthouse used by sailors who crossed the arm of the sea that separates Isla Mujeres from the mainland was erected by the Mayans in the post-classic period. During pre-Hispanic times, the island belonged to the Mayapán League and later came under the control of the Mayan chiefdom of Ekab. When the Spanish arrived in 1517, the island was highly frequented by pilgrims who were going to pay tribute to the goddess Ixchel. The Spanish called it Isla Mujeres precisely because of the large number of female figures representative of Ixchel and other Mayan deities that they found when they arrived. The first stable population on the island was founded in 1850 with the name of Dolores and later the population was called interchangeably as the same island.
3. How is the climate of Isla Mujeres?
Like all Mexican territories in the Caribbean Sea, the island has a warm climate, with an average annual temperature of the order of 25 ° C. In the winter months it cools a little, up to 22 or 23 ° C, while in summer the heat shoots up to 27 or 28 ° C. Extreme temperatures tend to approach 33 ° C in the hottest moments and 18 ° C in the coolest periods. The rains are moderate, with a pattern of precipitation evenly distributed throughout the year, although in September and October it rains a little more than in the rest of the year.
4. What are the main things to see and do in Isla Mujeres?
Isla de Mujeres is a beach destination par excellence and there are countless places to bathe, swim, practice sports, observe nature, rest and eat exquisitely. A minimal list has to include Playa Norte, Playa Lancheros and Garrafón, a charming natural park where the temple of Ixchel, the main female deity of Mayan mythology, is also located. Other wonderful natural spaces are the Isla Contoy National Park, Cabo Catoche with its history and its lighthouse, the Santa Paula Mangroves, La Tortugranja, the Parque de los Sueños and El Farito. Two experiences that you cannot miss on Isla Mujeres are swimming with dolphins and whale sharks. Art and knowledge harmoniously integrated into the environment are also present on the island with the Underwater Museum of Art, the Punta Sur Sculpture Park and the Capitán Dulché Museum. Outside the beach areas, in the municipal seat the boardwalk, the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Hacienda Mundaca are distinguished.
5. What is Playa Norte like?
The most striking thing about this beach located at the northernmost point of Isla Mujeres is its tranquility. The beach practically lacks waves, making it ideal for the little ones to fully enjoy it. It has a reef that tempers the sea and is a refuge for multicolored fish. The crystalline waters and the little fish allow you to enjoy an entertaining day of snorkeling. The beach is wide, with a pleasant temperature and offers spectacular views at sunset.
6. How is Playa Lancheros?
This charming beach with crystal clear turquoise blue waters is one of the most popular on the island. Its sand is white and of semi-fine grain, and near the sand there are palm trees that provide a pleasant shade to take shelter for a while from the burning Caribbean sun. It has gentle waves, so it is appropriate for the enjoyment of children and the elderly of the family. On the beach there is a picturesque open-air restaurant serving the fresh seafood opposite. We particularly recommend the Tikin Xic fish, one of the greatest culinary traditions of Isla Mujeres. Other charming beaches on Isla Mujeres are Na Balam and El Caracol.
7. What is the interest of the Garrafón Park?
The Garrafón Arrecifes Natural Park, off the coast of Isla Mujeres, is a space already famous in the world for its beauty and for being a paradise for practicing aquatic entertainment, such as kayaking, snorkeling, diving, swimming with dolphins and excursions by cliffs. In addition, you can travel by zip lines and ride bicycles. If you want to rest, you can stay in the panoramic pool or lie down in a hammock or on a deck chair to appreciate the beautiful landscapes. It is located on the southern tip of the island, offers several packages for you to select the one that suits you best and is open from Sunday to Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.
8. What is in the Temple of Ixchel?
Ixchel was the Mayan goddess of love, fertility, pregnancy, and medicine. She was also the protector of water and textile works. Their main places of worship were Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, where the vestiges of one of their sanctuaries are. The archaeological and worship site of Ixchel is located in Garrafón, preserving the ruins of a platform that is believed to have been used as a lighthouse to guide Mayan navigators through the dangerous waters populated by reefs. Access to the Temple of Ixchel is between 8 AM and 5 PM, every day.
9. Where is the Isla Contoy National Park located?
Contoy is an island in the municipality of Isla Mujeres, located 30 km. from the head, which is also called the Island of the Birds, as it is a sanctuary for tropical birds, such as pelicans, frigates, cormorants, terns and cafes. To the south of the island is the Ixlaché reef, which is the beginning of the barrier reef in the Mexican Caribbean, the second largest in the world. The park is frequented by biodiversity observers and to protect the sensitive ecosystem, tourist visits are regulated to no more than 200 people per day, so if you want to go to see Isla Contoy and the extraordinary Ixlaché reef, you must take due precautions. .
10. What can I do in the Park of Dreams?
This water park located in the Turquesa subdivision of the Garrafón highway, is another place with all the entertainment and services to spend an unforgettable family day in Isla Mujeres. It has a beach, kayaks, zip lines, snorkeling, rowing boats and climbing walls; in addition to swimming pools and slides. The most comfortable can lie on a lounger or lie down in a hammock. The day pass allows unlimited access to all facilities. The Park of Dreams opens at 8 AM.
11. Is it dangerous to swim with the whale shark?
This whale-sized shark is the largest fish that exists, reaching up to 12 meters in length and weighing more than 40 tons. Despite being a shark, it does not pose any danger to humans, being rather friendly and playful. Tours depart from Isla Mujeres to the small island of Holbox, located in the extreme north of Quintana Roo, which is the main place of concentration of the so-called «gentle giant». If you don't dare to swim in the company of the whale shark, you can observe from the boat to this wonderful species that was already walking through the seas of the planet 60 million years ago.
12. What is the importance of Cabo Catoche?
This Mexican tip located in the municipality of Isla Mujeres, 53 km. Cancun has two unique attributes, one geographical and the other historical. It is the northernmost end of the Yucatan Peninsula, being the point where the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico meet. Its historical importance lies in the fact that it was the first landing place for the Spaniards on the Mexican mainland, in March 1517. The expedition members of Francisco Hernández de Córdoba met some friendly Mayan Indians who told them «in ca wotoch"(" This is my house "), so they christened the site" Catoche. " So visiting Cabo Catoche, in addition to admiring its beauty, you can feel in a unique place.
13. What is the Cabo Catoche Lighthouse like?
In 1939 a lighthouse was installed in Cabo Catoche that served for a few years until it was abandoned and ruined. This lighthouse was of strategic importance for navigation through the end of the Yucatan Peninsula, both for large tourist cruises and merchant ships, as well as for small boats, particularly those of the inhabitants and visitors of Holbox Island. In 2015 a modern lighthouse was put into service instead of the previous one, powered by batteries and solar panels. The white structure of the lighthouse and its annexed building stand out in the Yucatecan landscape.
14. What do the Santa Paula Mangroves offer?
These mangroves are located between Cabo Catoche and Holbox Island and are a convenient stop on the same trip that takes you swimming with whale sharks. Mangrove trees grow lush, without giving too much importance to the high concentration of salts in the environment, which serves as a refuge and feeder for several species of seabirds that find easy prey in the shady waters of the coastal forest. To get to know the ecosystem up close, it is best to explore it in a small boat or kayak.
15. What is the Tortugranja?
The beaches of Isla Mujeres are used by several species of Caribbean turtles to spawn. As turtle eggs are highly sought after as a culinary delicacy, species are at risk of extinction due to breaking the natural cycle of perpetuation. To this must be added that turtles are also hunted for their meat and for their shells, which have aesthetic uses and manufacture of utensils. In an admirable ecological work, La Tortugranja is an institution that collects and cares for the eggs until the hatchlings hatch, which are released when they reach the appropriate size. The site has an aquarium with turtles of different ages.
16. Who can I go swimming with dolphins with?
Dolphin Discovery is promoted as the world's leading company in the ecotourism management of dolphins, with parks in Cancun-Isla Mujeres, Garrafón, Playa del Carmen and other sites in both the Caribbean and the Mexican Pacific. They operate in 9 countries with highly trained personnel in these friendly and intelligent cetaceans. In Cancun-Isla Mujeres, they work in a habitat of 10,000 square meters of sea, providing the dolphins with their natural environment. In addition to its fun swimming programs with the playful dolphins, at Dolphin Discovery you can also interact with manatees and sea lions.
17. What can I do in El Farito?
El Farito is an excellent place to snorkel because of the intense aquatic life that develops around its corals. There are fish of many species and colors, including brown barracudas, and another of its attractions is a submerged image of the Virgen del Carmen, placed in the 1960s, popularly called the "Virgen del Farito." As a curious fact, the image of the virgin that is currently submerged was put as a replacement for the original, which was stolen. In this area of El Farito, you must pay full attention to the guide's instructions, since the sea currents are strong. Other attractions of El Farito are a stranded ship and a small cave.
18. What is the Underwater Museum of Art like?
The MUSA, located under the sea between Cancun and Isla Mujeres, is the only underwater art museum in the world. It has two galleries or "salons": Manchones and Nizuc. Manchones is the deepest, reaching 10 meters deep and you can admire it near the surface with snorkel and further down by diving. It consists of more than 400 pieces of marine concrete covered with adherent life forms and that give shelter to urchins, lobsters, angelfish, turtles and other species. The works of art are human figures, houses and many other sculptures, including a Volkswagen Beetle.
19. What's in the Punta Sur Sculpture Park?
The sculptures in this open-air museum are arranged on an esplanade located at the southern end of the island, with the Caribbean Sea as a murmuring spectator on both sides. It is about 23 pieces of abstract art made of metals, works made by Mexican, European, North American, Central American, South American and African artists. The sculptures reach up to 3 meters in height and some are painted in bright colors. The pieces are frequented by seabirds and to facilitate their better integration into the park, at the foot of each sculpture there are vessels with water and food.
20. What is exhibited at the Capitán Dulché Museum?
It is a beach club located at km. 4 of Carrera Garrafón, 10 minutes from the center of Isla Mujeres, which is located in the middle of splendid gardens and green areas. It has a magnificent sandy area with a crystalline beach and umbrellas and deck chairs to spend a wonderful day. The club has a small museum dedicated to Captain Dulché, the prominent 20th century Mexican oceanographer Ramón Bravo Prieto, and the famous explorer and researcher of the sea, Jacques Cousteau. Pieces of marine environment are exhibited, such as boats and anchors, as well as sculptures. Open daily from 10 AM to 6:30 PM.
21. What is the town of Isla Mujeres like?
The town of Isla Mujeres combines the architecture of Caribbean lines with more modern construction styles, all mixed in residential buildings, shops and other establishments. The cozy zócalo of Isla Mujeres, with its kiosk and with the Municipal Palace in front of it, constitutes the main public space in the town. The cobbled streets in the center of town are lined with handicraft shops, beach clothing stores and restaurants. A group of cultural promoters from the town has launched the project "Walls of the Oceans", with interesting murals painted on the walls of houses and buildings.
22. What can I do on the boardwalk?
If you are fond of hiking or jogging, the boardwalk is the best place in Isla Mujeres for these sports activities. It stretches in front of the sea between the streets Mateos and Allende, and has a wide esplanade bathed by the sea breeze. First thing in the morning and in the afternoon there are always people who do not like to park their exercise routine even while on vacation. The most sedentary lovers have the option of touring it in a golf cart. The sea in front of the boardwalk is very beautiful, with its turquoise blue tones, but it is not recommended for bathing.
23. What attractions does the Church of the Immaculate Conception have?
This simple and beautiful white temple is located on Avenida Morelos, in front of the Main Plaza of Isla Mujeres. The small and cozy church of the patron saint of the island is accessed by a 6-step staircase flanked by a double railing and the facade is presided over by a huge Christian cross and crowned by a large image of the Immaculate Conception on the roof of the edification. On the sides of the stairs there are landscaped areas and the temple is surrounded by coconut trees. Another building of interest in Isla Mujeres is the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is located in the La Gloria sector, almost in front of the place where the ferry arrives, distinguished by its three bells in a belfry.
24. What's in Hacienda Mundaca?
Fermín Antonio Mundaca was a 19th century Basque explorer, pirate and slave trader, who settled in Isla Mujeres fleeing justice, where he fell madly in love with an islander whom he called La Trigueña. Mundaca had a hacienda built for the woman he loved, with beautiful gardens, wells and arches, although it seems that he wasted time, since La Trigueña did not reciprocate and married another man. After years in ruins, the farm located in Carrera Garrafón, 300 meters from Playa Lancheros, was recovered and today it is a beautiful place of tourist interest. Still at the entrance the arch with the legend "The entrance of La Trigueña", ordered to be put by Mundaca, is preserved, although the beautiful native would never cross it.
25. How are the crafts and gastronomy of Isla Mujeres?
Island artisans are very skilled at converting the natural elements of their marine environment, such as shells, snails and corals, into beautiful ornaments. They also weave hammocks, embroider huipiles and work the vine and wood to make basketry and carvings. The Caribbean Sea offers an unimaginable variety of fresh fruits so that you can enjoy any marine dish that you fancy. One of the island's culinary symbols is Tikin Xic, a Yucatecan delicacy that is prepared by marinating a good fish in sour orange juice, roasting it with chilies, peppers and other ingredients, over banana leaves over a charcoal fire. But if you want to eat another inland delicacy, like cochinita pibil, you will also find it on Isla Mujeres.
26. What are the main festivals?
The Isla Mujeres carnival is not as famous as the Cozumel carnival, but it is very colorful and fun, with its floats, costumes, dances, music and traditions in which pre-Hispanic elements are mixed with other more modern ones. The discovery of the island is celebrated in March and the founding of the town in August, with events commemorating both events. In June it is the celebration of the National Navy Day and the patron saint festivities are on December 8, the Immaculate Conception Day, which includes the procession of the venerated image through the boardwalk and nearby streets, as well as all the fun events present in Mexican festivities.
27. Where do you recommend me to stay?
Isla Mujeres has a hotel offer at the height of the most demanding clients. On the main beaches there are establishments with all the comforts for you to settle in without having to walk far to the crystal clear waters. Na Balam Bach, Nautibeach Condos, Zoetry Villa Rolandi, Isla Mujeres Palace, Privilege Aluxes, Ixchel Beach, Casa de los Sueños, Mia Reef Isla Mujeres, Hotel Bahía Chac Chi and Bucaneros are among the establishments best rated by clients in terms of comfort , capacity of services and attention. But this list falls short and it would be necessary to include at least Hotel Secreto, Hotel Rocamar, Hotel Las Palmas and Hotel Xbulu-Ha. We would need a lot of space if we wanted to include them all.
28. What are the best restaurants?
If with hotels it is difficult to select one among so many excellent options, the same happens with restaurants. In the line of elegant restaurants, where of course the prices are higher, we must mention Lolo Lorena, specialized in seafood and French food; Limón, with a more Mexican seafood menu; Casa Rolandi, which offers Italian and sea food; and Le Metissage, a house of French gastronomy. If you don't want to punish your pocket so much, you can opt for a good pizza, which you will find at Rolandi’s, Capricci, Caffe Italia, Mamma Rosa, Angelo and Pepper, among the best known places. North American food has its place in places like Café Rooster, JAX Bar & Grill and Barlito.
We are sorry to have to end our virtual tour of Isla Mujeres. See you very soon to visit another spectacular Mexican tourist destination.
