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View of Isla Mujeres, Mexico from the water.
halfofmoon / shutterstock.com

Guides & Tips • Mexico

Day Trip Guide to Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Jazzy Williams January 22, 2021
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This is a day trip guide to Isla Mujeres, a small caribbean island located off the coast of Cancun, Mexico.

The island was first discovered by the Mayans, and soon became a sanctuary devoted to the Mayan goddess of the moon, fertility, healing and feminine forces, Ixchel. Because of the many female statues on the island, the Spaniards later named the island Isla Mujeres, meaning the Island of Women.

Getting to Isla Mujeres from Cancun

To get to Isla Mujeres we recommend you take the UltraMar Ferry, as it is quick, comfortable, safe and reliable. Depending on where you are staying, you can catch the ferry from 4 different locations in Cancun.

1. From Downtown Cancun:

The ferry leaving from Puerto Juarez is the cheapest off all the UltraMar Terminals as it is located outside the tourist areas. To get to the ferry terminal you can either take the R-1 bus towards Puerto Juarez for $9.50 pesos, or the shuttle vans that leave from “El Cruecero” for $7 pesos, both will leave you directly in front of the UltraMar port.

Round trip fare cost: $146 pesos

Ferry Schedule: From 5am-8:30pm the ferry runs every 30mins after that it runs every hour until 11:30pm. The last ferry from Isla Mujeres leaves at 12am.

Time to get to Isla Mujeres: 18 mins

2. From the Hotel Zone:

Conveniently enough, UltraMar has three ports in the hotel zone: El Embarcadero, Playa Tortugas and Playa Caracol. Any bus going to the Hotel Zone will take you directly to one of these ports for $9.50 pesos.

Round trip fare cost: $19 USD

Ferry Schedule: Ferry schedule differs for each locations, however the first ferry going to Isla Mujeres leaves at 9am and the last ferry from Isla Mujeres departs around 5pm.

Time to get to Isla Mujeres: 22-25mins

Inside Tip: We recommend that you find a spot on the top deck to enjoy the gorgeous view of the clear turquoise water. Sometimes during the evening hours, they even have live music, which makes the ride even more enjoyable.

Once you get to Isla Mujeres, the ferry will leave you in the heart of downtown and just a few kilometers walk from Playa Norte (North Beach). We recommend you do not go there first because once you set your eyes on this piece of heaven, it will be hard for you to leave and explore the rest of the island.

Tropical sea and coastline on famous Playa del Norte beach in Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Eddy Galeotti / shutterstock.com

Getting Around on Isla Mujeres

Getting around the island is fairly easy as it is only 5 miles long and ½ mile wide. Though the island is walkable we recommend against it as it gets really hot and can be very exhausting.

The most popular mode of transportation on the island are the Golf Carts which can be rented in the downtown area. The average price is around $50 USD for an entire day. If you only want to rent a Golf Cart for a few hours the price ranges from $14-$16 USD per hour.

A more budget friendlier way of getting around is by renting a Bicycle or Scooter. Both can be rented by the hour or for the entire day. Renting a bike for the entire day is around $120 pesos and a scooter is around $250 pesos. We went with the bike option and rented two bikes for $200 pesos (got a deal here). However, we later realized that we should have gone with the scooter instead as it would have been pretty much the same price, and would have required less effort from us.

The last options are taxis. Taxis can be rented for the day, and will take you from sight to sight for a negotiated price.

Best Things to Do on Isla Mujeres

Turtle Farm (Tortugranja) was created to help preserve and protect the endangered sea turtles in Mexico. In Tortugranja, you can see turtles in all the different stages in their lives, touch different sea animals as well as see some sharks. The admission fee per person is $30 pesos (~$3USD)

Turtle Farm (Tortugranja) on Isla Mujeres, Mexico
“What are you looking at?”, said the turtle

Punta Sur was one of our most favorite places to visit on the island, second only to Playa Norte of course! The breathtaking natural attraction such as the panoramic cliff view and what we would call the “Iguana Resort” (we call it that because there are so many iguana’s around) is a must see. Punta Sur is at the southernmost tip of the island where you can find a sculpture garden, a light house and the ruins of a temple dedicated to the Goddess, Ixchel.

Rocky coastline of south end "Punta Sur" of the mexican Island "Isla Mujeres" next to Cancun / Southernmost point of the Island "Isla Mujeres" in Mexico / Rocky caribbeans
marako85 / shutterstock.com

Playa Norte is located at the northern tip of the island and just a few minutes walk from the Ultramar Ferry terminal. The beach is very popular and is enjoyed by both locals and tourists alike. The water is calm, clear, and is simply amazing. You might even get the chance to see some fishes. This beach is the perfect spot to watch the sunset on the island. We promise it’s one you will never forget.

Playa del Norte beach in Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Eddy Galeotti / shutterstock.com

Garrafon National Reef Park is located on the south end of the island. The entrance fee gives you full access to all their facilities as well as life vests, inner tubes and kayaks. The park offers many activities such as zip-lining, snorkeling, kayaking and many more.

Underwater Museum has over 400 different underwater sculptures of life-size figures by Jason de Caires Taylor. The Museum is said to be a must see, and shouldn’t be missed. For a comprehensive guide about the underwater museum click here.

Underwater Museum in Cancun Mexico
Humpback_Whale / shutterstock.com

Dolphin Discovery provides you with the opportunity to swim with dolphins that perform a variety of different water activities.

Where to Eat on Isla Mujeres

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from in the downtown area. If you want to eat authentic Mexican seafood we recommend you walk on Rueda Medina, the street that runs alongside the beach where you will find a number of good restaurants with decent prices. There are also a few American, Chinese, and Italian restaurants in the heart of downtown. However, we don’t suggest going there unless you want to pay almost double the price for your food.

If you rather eat with the locals you can walk a little bit outside of the touristy areas and find random street food vendors with tacos, empanadas, tamales, and more.

Insider Tip: There is an awesome seafood restaurant called “Club Nautico” in Puerto Juarez, just a 5 minute walk north from the Terminal. We went there before heading to Isla Mujeres and ordered a kilo worth of fresh fish (enough for 3-4 people) that came with rice, salad and tortillas for $150 pesos (~$12 USD). We had enough fish to take home and eat for lunch the day after.

Isla Mujeres is an interesting day trip, and if you are ever in Cancun with some free time you should definitely go and explore the island for yourself.

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Comments

  1. Bailey K. says

    September 17, 2014 at 10:54 pm

    I’ve never been. Those turtles are beautiful! I’d go there just to see them!

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 20, 2014 at 7:12 pm

      They are, aren’t they? You would probably love Akumal even more because there, you can actually swim with the turtles.They are only a stone throw away from the beach and don’t mind the occasional human (lol) taking a swim with them.

      Reply
  2. Anne Sutherland-Smith says

    September 18, 2014 at 5:07 am

    That looks like a great place to visit from Cancun. i can’t get over how clear and blue the water looks!

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 20, 2014 at 7:14 pm

      Yes the water is absolutely stunning and looks even better in person.

      Reply
  3. samiya says

    September 18, 2014 at 10:34 am

    Pictures look amazing! But prices do seem steep for lot of the activities. Useful tip on the seafood restaurant you mentioned. Would love to visit someday :-)

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 20, 2014 at 7:16 pm

      If you ever get a chance you should definitely head to the restaurant. Best fish we have ever had.

      Reply
  4. Sam @ Travelling King says

    September 19, 2014 at 9:39 am

    Oh wow!
    I really want to visit Cancun!
    The water is amazingly clear!!!!! And i would love to see a sea turtle up close

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 20, 2014 at 7:17 pm

      You should definitely come down here one day. Preferably during low season where you don’t have the spring breakers all over the city.

      Reply
  5. Carmen (CarmensTravelTips) says

    September 20, 2014 at 8:14 am

    The snorkeling is great in Isla Mujeres. The water is crystal clear. Looks like you really enjoyed your stay.

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 20, 2014 at 7:20 pm

      We actually bought snorkeling gear just for the island and it was totally worth it.

      Reply
  6. Milosz Zak says

    September 20, 2014 at 6:43 pm

    Look at those beautiful turtles! I had the privilege of seeing a female turtle lay eggs in the sand on the Mayan Riviera – it was a very special experience.

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 20, 2014 at 7:23 pm

      That sounds awesome. A moment you will definitely never forget.

      Reply
  7. Lisa Goodmurphy says

    September 21, 2014 at 12:47 pm

    I would love to visit the turtle farm with my kids and that sunset is gorgeous!!

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 21, 2014 at 6:12 pm

      It was a nice, and I am pretty sure the kids will love it.

      Reply
  8. Cancun says

    September 23, 2014 at 2:51 pm

    We highly recommend dining at the Playa Lancheros Restaurante when on Isla Mujeres. Their Mayan-style Tikkin-Xic (BBQ fish), and Sopa de Lima (lime soup) are two that we cannot find made better anywhere!

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      May 4, 2015 at 11:08 am

      Next time we are there, we will definitely try them. The Mayan-Style Tikkin-Xic sound delicious.

      Reply
  9. HotMamaTravel says

    September 24, 2014 at 10:23 pm

    Looks like a lovely place. The turtle farm and underwater museum is definitely something I’d love to check out and thanks for tip on yummy seafood. I’ll have to try Club Nautico!

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 28, 2014 at 12:32 pm

      Hey Hot Mama, the seafood was so good that we had to go back two more times before we left. Also, if you enjoy scuba diving and don’t get seasick when you are on a boat then yes you would love the underwater museum.

      Reply
  10. Betsy says

    September 26, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    I absolutely love Isla. It is so beautiful but definitely best for a relaxing non- touristy vaca!

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      September 28, 2014 at 12:38 pm

      I agree Betsy, we mostly enjoyed Isla Mujeres because of the atmosphere and the beauty of the island itself. Plus who doesn’t like a clean, turquoise water, white sand beach (not us, Cancun has spoiled us).

      Reply
  11. Tami says

    June 10, 2015 at 4:12 pm

    Incredible picture of the turtles!

    Reply
    • Ben says

      June 10, 2015 at 5:33 pm

      Thanks Tami. We are doing our best with the Samsung Galaxy S2 that we have :D

      Reply
  12. Anny says

    July 14, 2015 at 10:38 am

    Hi,
    Do you know where in Akumal I can swim with the turtles?

    Reply
    • Jazzy says

      July 17, 2015 at 12:01 pm

      Anywhere on the beach. Just rent some snorkeling gear and you are good to go.

      Reply
  13. Analise says

    October 7, 2016 at 10:23 am

    OMG your page is so helpful!!!!! I’m planning a trip and I can’t tell you how grateful I was to come across your DETAILED page! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Ben says

      October 8, 2016 at 8:40 am

      Thank you so much Analise, we really appreciate it. Enjoy Isla Mujeres!!

      Reply
  14. Chris says

    January 10, 2020 at 10:11 am

    Hello, we are visiting Cancun the first week in February. Just curious if there is a day of the week better to visit Isla Mujeres?

    Reply

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