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Isla Mujeres
Hotels
Isla Mujeres
is a casual,
laid-back refuge
located a short
ferry ride from
Cancun on the
mainland. Isla Mujeres
hotels are
available in all
price ranges
Isla Mujeres Hotels |
Tours and
Attractions
Tours to
Isla Mujeres,
departing from
Cancun and the
Riviera Maya,
and tours to
area attractions
departing from
Cancun
if you are
staying on
Isla Mujeres.
Tours
and Attractions
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Airport
Transportation
Airport
Transfers can be
reserved one-way
or round-trip
from the airport
to a ferry dock
or your hotel.
Shared shuttle
van service and
private taxis
are available.
Airport Transfers
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Introduction
to Isla Mujeres
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 Isla
Mujeres (Island of Women) is a casual,
laid-back refuge from the conspicuously
commercialized action of Cancún,
visible across a narrow channel.
Just 8km (5 miles) long and 4km
(2 1/2 miles) wide, it's known as
the best value in the Caribbean,
assuming that you favor an easy-going
vacation pace and prefer simplicity
to pretense.
This is an island of white-sand
beaches and turquoise waters, complemented
by a town filled with Caribbean-colored
clapboard houses and rustic, open-air
restaurants. Hotels are clean and
comfortable, but if you're looking
for lots of action or opulence,
you'll be happier in Cancún. A few
recent additions provide more luxurious
lodging, but they still maintain
a decidedly casual atmosphere.
At
midday, suntanned visitors hang
out in open-air cafes and stroll
streets lined with frantic souvenir
vendors. Calling attention to their
bargain-priced wares, they give
a carnival atmosphere to the hours
when tour-boat traffic is at its
peak. Befitting the size of the
island, most of the traffic consists
of golf carts, motos (mopeds), and
bicycles. Once the tour boats leave,
however, Isla Mujeres reverts to
its more typical, tranquil way of
life.
 Days in "Isla" -- as the locals
call it -- can alternate between
adventurous activity and absolute
repose.
There
are many beautiful beaches on Isla
Mujeres, the most popular being
North Beach, which is walking distance
from downtown.
In the evening, most people find
the slow, casual pace one of the
island's biggest draws. The cool
night breeze is a perfect accompaniment
to casual open-air dining and drinking
in small street-side restaurants.
Many people pack it in as early
as 9 or 10pm, when most of the businesses
close. Those in search of a party,
however, will find kindred souls
at the bars on Playa Norte that
stay open late.
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Attractions
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 Caribbean
Carnaval
►Rates & Reservations◄
On board of the Caribbean Carnaval you
will be part of an unforgettable and
100% Caribbean evening. Enjoying our
party atmosphere liven up by our amusing
staff and spectacular variety of drinks,
such as our famous Margaritas, Piña
Coladas and Tequila Sunrise, we’ll arrive
to our private dock “El Pescador” at
Isla Mujeres (Women Island) where under
the stars we’ll welcome you to this
unforgettable night. |
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 Pirate
Assault
►Rates & Reservations◄
Live an authentic pirate adventure at
the Caribbean Sea. On the Caribbean
Cabaret boat you’ll sail the Caribbean
crystal waters to a mysterious Pirate
Village in Isla Mujeres.
There some funny and friendly hosts
will welcome and invite you to enjoy
a succulent dinner buffet style as well
as an open bar during all night. Recreating
a legendary pirate celebration you can
admire an incredible Caribbean Show. |
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Garrafon National Park
Garrafón Park is named for an
incredible reef formation, part
of the longest reef in the hemisphere.
The shallow waters of Garrafón make
swimming and snorkeling child's
play, so gentle are the currents.
There are gift shops, restaurant
and snack bars, bathrooms with showers
and dive shops. The entrance fee
gives you full use of the facilities
(pool, sea platforms, deck chairs
and palapas) as well as life vests,
inner tubes, kayaks and binoculars.
Lockers, towels and snorkel gear
are additional charges. The park
also offers guided tours to Punta
Sur and the "Blue Eye Cave". A great
way to spend the day and well worth
the entrance fee! Garrafón Park
is located on the south end of the
island facing Cancun. |
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Turtle Sanctuary
This
reserve, dedicated to preserving
Caribbean sea turtles and to educating
the public about them, makes a worthwhile
outing. Six species of sea turtles nest
on Isla Mujeres. An adult green
turtle, the most abundant species,
measures 1 to 1.5m (4-5 ft.) in
length and can weigh as much as
450 pounds. At the center, visitors
walk through the indoor and outdoor
turtle pool areas, where the creatures
paddle around. The turtles are separated
by age, from newly hatched up to
1 year. Besides protecting the turtles
that nest on Isla Mujeres of their
own accord, the program also captures
turtles at sea, brings them to enclosed
compounds to mate, and later frees
them to nest on Isla Mujeres after
they have been tagged. People who
come here usually end up staying
at least an hour, especially if
they opt for the guided tour, which
I recommend. They also have a small
gift shop and snack bar. The sanctuary
is on a piece of land separated
from the island by Bahía de Mujeres
and Laguna Makax, at Carr. Sac Bajo
#5; you'll need a taxi to get there.
The shelter
is open daily from 9am to 5pm. For
more information, call tel. 998/877-0595. |
Mayan Ruins
Just beyond
the lighthouse, at the southern
end of the island, are the strikingly
beautiful remains of a small Maya
temple, believed to have been built
to pay homage to the moon and fertility
goddess, Ixchel. The location, on
a lofty bluff overlooking the sea,
is worth seeing and makes a great
place for photos. It is believed
that Maya women traveled here on
annual pilgrimages to seek Ixchel's
blessings of fertility. If you're
at El Garrafón park and want to
walk, it's not too far. Turn right
from El Garrafón. When you see the
lighthouse, turn toward it down
the rocky path. |
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A Pirate's Fortress
The Fortress of Mundaca is about
4km (2 1/2 miles) in the same direction
as El Garrafón, about a half-mile
to the left. A slave trader who
claimed to have been the pirate
Mundaca Marecheaga built the fortress.
In the early 19th century, he arrived
at Isla Mujeres and set up a blissful
paradise, while making money selling
slaves to Cuba and Belize. According
to island lore, he decided to settle
down and build this hacienda after
being captivated by the charms of
an island girl. However, she reputedly
spurned his affections and married
another islander, leaving him heartbroken
and alone on Isla Mujeres. Admission
is $2; the fortress is open daily
from 10am to 6pm. |
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A Visit to Isla Contoy
If possible, plan to visit this
pristine uninhabited island, 30km
(19 miles) by boat from Isla Mujeres,
that became a national wildlife
reserve in 1981. Lush vegetation
covers the oddly shaped island,
which is 6km (3 3/4 miles) long
and harbors 70 species of birds
as well as a host of marine and
animal life. Bird species that nest
on the island include pelicans,
brown boobies, frigates, egrets,
terns, and cormorants. Flocks of
flamingos arrive in April. June,
July, and August are good months
to spot turtles burying their eggs
in the sand at night. |
 Contoy
Island Asterix Tours
►Rates & Reservations◄
This
unspoiled island, which measures barely
5.2 miles long and only 70 ft. at its
narrowest point, is located about 45
minutes north of Isla Mujeres, on one
end of the second largest coral reef
in the world. Its shallow, clear and
calm beaches, with an abundance of underwater
life that will thrill any snorkeler,
make of Isla Contoy a spot no nature
lovers should miss. |
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 Contoy
Island Kolumbus Tours
►Rates & Reservations◄
Enjoy
the numerous species of birds and beautiful
white sand beaches and visit the new
museum of nature. Enter the magical
underwater world with the help of your
snorkeling equipment and see the amazing
fauna in the sea depths; also, watch
and learn about the diverse birds in
their natural habitat. This wonderful
trip is done onboard the “Corsario”
or the “Pinta”, both replicas of famous
discovery vessels |
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Getting to Isla
Mujeres
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 CANCUN
AIRPORT TRANSFERS
►Rates
& Reservations◄
We offer 2 types of Cancun airport
transfers with comfort and security
from the Cancun International
airport to any hotel in Cancun
and the Mayan Riviera, including
Playa del Carmen and to the
ferry docks for Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Isla Holbox. We
also provide VIP service to
Chetumal, Chichen Itza, and
other areas in the Yucatan Peninsula. Our shuttles are late model
air-conditioned vans carrying
up to 10 passengers comfortably. |
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Puerto
Juarez Ferries: There are now
two ferry services. One is the new
Gran Puerto, which is almost next
door to the older Magana ferries.
The Gran Puerto ferry is much nicer,
a little faster, and it runs later
in the evening. The Ferry Service
operates from 5:30 AM to Midnight
daily and uses power
catamarans that reach Isla Mujeres in 12 minutes. To get to
the ferry terminals, an R-1 bus
with "Puerto Juarez" on the front
window will get you there, or take
a taxi from downtown Cancun (around
US$2.00). Check
www.granpuerto.com.mx/itinerarios.htm
for schedules and prices.
Punta
Sam (car ferry) to Isla Mujeres:
The car ferry leaves
from Punta Sam, a few kilometers
north of Puerto Juárez. There are
five departures daily between 8am
and 8.15pm, returning from Isla
Mujeres between 6.30am and 7.15pm.
However, it isn't really worth taking
a car over to the island, which
is small enough to cycle around
and has plenty of bicycles and mopeds
for rent. Click
here for ferry schedules
and prices.
Cancun Hotel Zone
Ferries to Isla Mujeres:
Ferries to Isla Mujeres also
depart from Playa Linda, known as the Embarcadero pier in Cancún, but they're
less frequent and more expensive than those from Puerto Juárez. There are 4 to 6
scheduled departures per day to Isla Mujeres, depending upon the season.
A Water Taxi (tel.
998/886-4270 or -4847; asterix@cablered.net.mx) to Isla Mujeres operates from
Playa Caracol, between the Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Hotel and the Xcaret
terminal on the island; prices are about the same as those from Playa Linda. |
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Getting Around
on Isla Mujeres
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 In
town you can get everywhere by foot,
but if you want to venture out of
town to visit the Mayan ruins or
enjoy the breathtaking view of the
southern tip of Isla Mujeres, you
will be needing a vehicle for greater
comfort. There are many bicycle,
motor scooters and golf cart rentals
on the island that offer good service
and reasonable prices. There are
no car rentals on Isla Mujeres to
conserve its tranquility.
Motor
scooters and golf carts are for
rent by the hour or day. Golf carts
are comfortable and can accommodate
up to four adults. The golf carts
are only for use on Isla Mujeres,
have a roof to protect you from
the sun and are open on the sides
to enable you to admire the turquoise
sea and white beaches of Isla Mujeres.
You will be needing a valid drivers
license to rent and operate these
carts.
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