After a 5 day stay in Isla Mujeres, it has quickly become one of my favorite places in the world. From the clear blue water color to the friendly locals, to the DELICIOUS food & many fun things to do and explore, this is a spot you don’t want to miss out on.
The travel was fairly easy to get to the island considering that you can’t fly directly to it. We flew from Atlanta to Cancun and then took a coordinated shuttle to the ferry where a boat picked us up and dropped us right off at our dock on the island!
Throughout the trip we visited the beautiful beaches, went on various excursions, explored the shops, and enjoyed some of the food cooked how the locals like it! I’m already wanting to plan my next trip back!
I hope you enjoy reading about the MANY reasons why I fell in love with Isla Mujeres and I hope I convince you to add this magical island to your bucket list! Now let’s dive into the reasons!
10 REASONS TO VISIT ISLA MUJERES
1. THE OCEAN COLOR & VIEWS. I have never seen a water as blue as it was in Isla Mujeres. In fact, there were many different shades of blue! It was a light turquoise color closer to the shore and a deep royal blue farther into the ocean. The water itself is cool, refreshing, and extra salty lol. Another sole reason to visit the island is the views. The sunrises & sunsets were out of this world. Our house view overlooked the ocean, so we got to experience the sun rising and setting in the distance over the horizon.
2. THE FOOD. Wow oh wow was the food here was to die for. We had a personal chef come in and cook us breakfast and dinner every night at the house we rented (def recommend doing this!). For dinner we had grouper, steaks, mahi mahi, tacos, and more… all served with fresh guacamole and red snapper ceviche. For lunches, we stopped at some restaurants along Playa Norte (I wish I remembered the names!) and got a few appetizers and drinks!
3. ONE OF THE PRETTIEST BEACHES IN THE WORLD. Playa Norte is known to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. From the clear blue water, fun and lively beach bars, to lounge chairs that cover the beach, you will not get bored visiting here! If you’re like me and want to fit in a relaxing day into your vacation instead of constant excursions, this is the place to do it.
4. THE SHOPPING. We walked the shops around the north end of the island one day and it was so fun (but really hot, so I recommend going earlier than later)! This is a great way to immerse yourself in some of the culture and get to talk to some of the locals. There were many different pop up shops filled with fun souvenirs. The people were so friendly and I found that most were willing to negotiate on the price if you have cash. I got a maraca and an ornament that says Isla Mujeres, and my fiance got a nice long sleeve shirt!
5. PADDLE BOARDING AND KAYAKING (+ A POOL SIDE BAR). Okay this place is a hidden gem and I’m giving y’all the scoop. Kin Ha is an Isla Mujeres restaurant and pool bar that is right near the house we stayed in! They offer pool side drinks and food, FREE kayaking and paddle-boarding (they just ask for tips), a volleyball court, a fun swing that leads into the ocean, a water-slide, and live music on the weekends!! The service is amazing and the drinks are delicious! Seriously a fun-filled spot to spend the afternoon!
6. INCREDIBLE DEEP SEA FISHING SPOTS. A few of us from our group went on a 6 hour deep sea fishing excursion one morning and came back with 25 fish!!! They caught mahi-mahi, sail fish, trigger fish, red snapper, and more! I highly recommend this experience if you love boating and the outdoors, but make sure to bring some Dramamine just in case!
7. COOL SNORKELING AREAS. While some of the group fished, the other half (me!) headed to Garrafon Natural Park and went snorkeling (you don’t have to make a reservation and can just show up and pay there)! It was such a cool experience, and the package we bought offered zip lining, free drinks (hello frozen margs!), free buffet, and use of their infinity pool that overlooked the ocean. Another day, our group rented out a boat and went snorkeling again to a few different reefs. Both are great options for snorkeling! I know in the May and June months they offer snorkeling with whale sharks too!
8. IT IS SAFE. Safety is a number one concern for me when traveling to another country, and I felt so safe on this island. For one, tourism is a huge percentage of Mexico’s income so crime is pretty low here. Second, the island is pretty secluded in that the party is mainly in Cancun. The locals on Isla Mujeres are super friendly and the overall vibe is really laid back. We even asked our house owner about locking the doors and he looked puzzled and was like “oh yeah you can if you want” haha!
9. GOLF CART EXPLORATION. One of the coolest parts about the island is the majority of the people commute through golf carts or mopeds! There are some cars/taxis but they are all pretty small in size. Renting a golf cart is one of the best things you can do when staying on the island because it makes it easy and fun to explore wherever you want!
10. MOST PEOPLE DON’T STAY ON THE ISLAND. Which is exactly why you should! Most tourists stay in Cancun and ferry over for the beaches for the day. I don’t think you can soak up all of the beauty that this island has to offer without staying on it a few nights. We stayed in a house with the most incredible views, and I would highly recommend finding a house or hotel to stay in!
That concludes the 10 reasons why you should plan your next trip to visit the beautiful Isla Mujeres!! Let me know which reason convinced you most to go in the comments below!
ALL THE ABOVE…. I’m READY TO GO BACK!!!! 🇲🇽🏝
Me too! Best vacation ever!