Snorkeling at Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres is a small island off the coast of Cancun and is known for it's amazing snorkeling. A lot of people hop over to the island on the ferry for a day trip from Cancun, but we chose to spend a few days there so we could get a richer experience.

How we got there

After spending the morning at Chichen Itza (see earlier post), we hopped back in the car and took the 180D back to Cancun, stopping for lunch in Valladolid, which is an adorable and very up-and-coming town. We had ate at a cute restaurant right on the main square and wandered through the central park and some of the shops before getting back on the highway headed toward Cancun.

Our challenge with getting to the island was going to be that we needed to ditch the car but also not have to hoof it a half mile with all of our luggage in the 90 degree sun to a ferry. I'm pretty proud of the solution we came up with for this. We dropped the car at the Hertz location at Blvd. Kukulcan in the hotel zone. It just so happens that this location is about 75 Meters away from the Ultramar ferry terminal. I’d advise getting your ferry tickets online before you get there because I’ve heard some stories of pricing being “flexible” to people without tickets purchased in advance.

The ferry was about 30 minutes late but it was a smooth and pleasant fifteen minute ride to Isla Mujeres. We sat on the rooftop seats. It seemed like most locals rode below, probably to get out of the sun (don’t forget sunscreen). There is a lady that sells drinks if you get thirsty. 

Transportation on the island

There are limited cars on the island and a lot of people get around on motorbikes or ATVs. It’s a complete zoo when you first get off the ferry at the main terminal. We walked to our hotel, Na Balaam which was about a 15 minute walk from the terminal. That was probably a mistake because the kids were pretty tired and grouchy when we arrived at our hotel after carrying all our gear. I’d recommend taking a taxi, of which there are plenty at the ferry terminal.

Snorkeling off the beach

Some of the best snorkeling in Mexico is right off Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres. With its crystal blue waters and sugary white sand, Playa Norte is a wonderful place to spend the day. You can access the beach by walking north on Zazhil-ha  to the bridge to the Mia Reef Isla Mujeres hotel. Grab a spot to stash your stuff on the beach and head into the water.

You can see lots of tropical fish in this area and along the bridge pictured above

You can see beautiful fish along the bridge on either side or you can swim out to the buoys off the right side (facing the bridge) to see schools of smaller fish. We also enjoyed watching this small sting ray gliding over the sand near the shore. Again, we like things a little quieter and crowd free so we usually aimed to get to the beach by 9 AM as it can get quite busy. I also preferred sitting on the right/eastern side of the bridge- they call this the Playa para Ninos.

Shopping, Eating and Staying on the Island

Avenida Miguel Hildago, lined with shops, restaurants, and bars is the beating heart of the island. You can find handmade crafts and art (and cheap imports) and you can throw back a cool one at a streetside cafe.  Starting at Playa El Cocal, walk past Hotel Ixchel and continue south east for two blocks until you reach the pedestrian zone. Plenty of folks will try to sell you weed; so, be ready for that. We had a lovely stay at Na Balam which is only a block or so away from the beach. The room was comfortable and spacious and the hotel had a nice central courtyard with a relaxing pool and hot tub. They offer beachside breakfast at their sister hotel across the street.