Sips & Trips with Molly

If you ever go to Mexico, you should seriously consider going to Isla Mujeres. There are plenty of islands to visit off the coast of Mexico, and Isla Mujeres is a pretty gorgeous one.

Isla Mujeres, also known as Island of the Women, it is an island that the Mayans dedicated to the goddess Ixchel. The goddess of fertility, moon and happiness. On the island you can find white sand beaches, gorgeous landscapes and amazing local restaurants. Read more below to see how to make the most of the island.

How to Get to Isla Mujeres

The best way to get to Isla Mujeres is using the ferry from Cancun. If you are flying long-haul like I did, I recommend staying in Cancun for max 2 nights to get used to jet lag and settle into the heat.

Getting the Ultramar ferry is super easy and the dock is the cutest dock ever with restaurants and bars. There are 3 docks you can depart from, including Playa Tortugas, Playa Caracol and Puerto Puerto Juárez.

The ferry takes around 20-30 minutes to get there. It costs $270 pesos for a single ticket (£10 GBP) and $540 pesos for a return ticket (£21 GBP). The times vary but you can find them online, usually ferries run from 9am to 7pm ish depending on where you depart from. You can get drinks on board and there is a band singing traditional Mexican songs.

Where to Stay

Once you get off the ferry it can be a bit manic but you start to see an influx of people on buggies which is just iconic. If you turn to the left you can get a taxi for literally £5 – transport in Mexico from what we experienced was super cheap.

There are so many hotels to choose from that suit a range of budgets and styles. We stayed at Nautibeach Condos. We had a 2 bed suite with a balcony which overlooked the pool. The hotel was so so gorgeous with the most attentive staff. The price per night per person was between £50-£60 a night which to me was an absolute dream.

The best bit. The hotel was right on the beach which is just everything you dream of for an Island break. The island is really easy to get around by foot, taxi or my golf buggy. The hotel is extremely close to the main part of the island, we felt super safe when we stayed in Isla Mujeres due to proximity of where the hotel was.

On the side of the hotel was a beach restaurant called Mayan Beach Club. The drinks were lush, staff were great and food was tasty – no surprise as Mexican food is lush.

Beaches to Visit at Isla Mujeres

There are so many beaches you can visit in Isla Mujeres. In the south of the island, you have Sac Baco and in the North you have beaches including Playa Centro and Playa Norte.

The hotel area we stayed at was located on Playa Norte. It is the brightest sand and the bluest sea ever. Most sunbeds are allocated to the beach clubs or hotels so they do tend to charge you for them but it is cheap to rent for the day.

If you are looking for a beach club on Isla Mujeres, Green Demon is a fantastic one. Round sunbeds right on the beach – only a 10 second walk until you get in the crystal clear sea. The staff again couldn’t do enough, and they bought over some drinks and you can have food inside their restaurant. If you are looking for a beach day – go to Green Demon. You do need to book in advance because they get booked up quickly. The price is $500 pesos (£20) to secure the sunbed with an additional consumption charge of $500 pesos each for food and drink (£20 which is super reasonable).

One thing to note is that there is less wind in this part of the island so it is super super hot!!

Places to Eat

There are almost too many places to recommend because I can’t remember them all and we will be here for years. Here are some of my favourites:

• Olivia (Greek Restaurant – the best ever)
• Oh My Brunch
• Rustico
• Green Demon Beach Club
• Kin-Ha Resort (great salads)
• Mayan Beach Club
• Antal Cafe (more brunch vibes)
• North Garden

There are plenty of options to choose from whether you are choosing traditional Mexican or Greek food.

Things to Do

There are some really lovely places to visit in and things to do in Isla Mujeres. It’s not overwhelming which makes it perfect and not feel so clustered – everything you want from island life. Here are my favourite things you must do in Isla Mujeres:

Kin Ha Resort

Easy to get to by golf buggy, the Kin Ha resort hidden away gives you a tropical paradise on the island. The resort has a pool, restaurant, bar, and a sun deck. For me it was the Maldives of Mexico. You can rent a sun bed (can’t remember how much this was exactly) but I remember it being cheap or the money went to food I can’t remember exactly!

The waiters are super friendly and bring you anything you need. The best bit, you can get into the water and play a bit of volleyball, jump off the deck and take a picture on the Isla Mujeres swing. This was easily one of my favourite things we did just to completely switch off.

Isla Contoy

You can also do a day trip to Isla Contoy which is about a 45 minute boat journey from Isla Mujeres. You can pay for tickets on the island which tend to be around £50-£75, which includes boat trip there and back, drinks and lunch. The staff are super friendly and you get to know the other people on the boat too.

Isla Contoy is a government protected island which was declared a national park in 1998. Because of this, you can’t take sunscreen on the island to protect the landscapes and habitats. When you get off the boat you can chill on the beach and go for a swim.

One of the locals will also take you on a walk around the island and see the different terrains of this small island. Watch out for iguanas which have their home here. If you go for a snorkel you will find all sorts of animals, including starfish and turtles!

Statue Island

On Isla Mujeres, there is a statue park right at the bottom of the island. It celebrates the history of the women of the island, especially around fertility. It is a great way to learn more and appreciate the origin of the island. It was super cheap to enter and definitely worth visiting for a few hours. Compared to the north of the island, it is super windy and the seas are choppier so it’s really interesting to see the difference. There’s also plenty of iguanas and birds too!

Snorkelling

If you are on Isla Mujeres you have to go snorkelling, its just a must do. On the North Beach, it’s the perfect spot for snorkelling due to it’s calm waters. Grab a snorkel and find the beautiful marine life by the shores. Head to Green Demon beach club and around there you will find a fantastic spot for snorkelling. Some boat trips also offer snorkelling if you are a good swimmer.

Hire a Golf Buggy

The best way to get around the island is a golf buggy, you can rent it for different time periods depending on how long you need it for. You do need a licence to drive it and it holds up to 6 people depending how many you have with you. Watch out for the speed bumps and hold on tight but they are there to ensure that you are safe in your golf buggy. Prices depend on where you go, but you are looking around £50 a day which is pretty good if you split between yourselves. It really is a different world and it’s amazing!

Putting it simply, you must go to Isla Mujeres when you are in Mexico – its the most beautiful place I have ever been to. The people are friendly, food is lush and there is plenty to do. You couldn’t easily stay there for 5 days as part of a big trip or 2 weeks just there alone. Great for families and couples. Enjoy your next trip to Mexico!