Toes In Sand, Beer in Hand: Beach Bum's Guide to Laid-Back Isla Mujeres...
Written: Jan 06 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Low-key, friendly, traditional town with great beaches and low prices
Cons: I don't live there 24/365
The Bottom Line: You've worked hard. Northern winters suck. You need a vacation. A hammock. A warm sun. Cold beer. You need Isla Mujeres!
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Isla Mujeres |
Every place in the world has its own attitude and character. Some places like to be trendy, some like to be traditional. Some are hip, some are strictly upper crust. Some are fast paced, while others feel like nothing has ever moved.
When I think of places like Isla Mujeres, I think of a lot of words to describe the place: of course "laid back" is foremost in my thoughts, because that's the single-word bare essence of the place. It's also mellow, slow-paced, warm, friendly, inviting, cheap (one of my favorite words), and it somehow manages to have everything a tourist really needs without ever feeling like it is "touristy". It's an uncontrived place. It's natural. It's stunningly beautiful, with the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean lapping at its powdery white beaches.
This wasn't my first time on Isla Mujeres, and it won't be the last. Surprisingly, much of what I loved about the island is unchanged since the last time I was there. The Miramar restaurant was exactly as I remembered it, right down to a skinny stray cat coming by my table to beg for a scrap of my broiled snapper, and right down to the waiter rushing over to shoo the wayward feline on his way.
Yet things have changed a bit over the last three or four years since I last visited. The ruins of what should have been the island's premier hotel location are the most remarkable change I see. The place is now the new Avalon Reef (and Grand) hotel, complete with swimming pools, upscale dining, and luxury suites on what is unquestionably the primest piece of prime real estate on the island. There are some cozy bed and breakfast inns to fill a niche in the local lodging market, and some restaurants that I once loved visiting (I didn't see Cafecito this time, and I dearly hope I was just looking in the wrong place) are gone, while newcomers fill their voids (I liked the Veracruz coffee shop down near the Nautibeach -- nicely strong black coffee with a fresh ground flavor).
The shops are as wonderful as ever, the 2 for 1 happy hours just as ubiquitous. The beaches are as wide as soft and as powdery as I remember, and the only change I see in them is that the little sparse palms along Playa Lancheros are now growing into big towering palms.
Everyone who visits the Yucatan comes away with memories of a favorite place that's just a little more special than all others. For me, that place is Isla Mujeres. I love the wonderful beaches all along the Quintana Roo coast, but Isla Mujeres is the place that I can't help but come back to. Here's a few things that make the place special to me...
Beach Bumming...
I love a great island, but I don't want to be stuck on a rock -- I want a beach. A nice beach. The wider and longer, the better. And the whiter the sand, the much better! That's why I like Isla Mujeres.
The island's el-primo beach stretches across the north end of the island, hence the name, Playa Norte (North Beach). This beach is also sometimes called Playa Cocos. Maybe a decade or so ago, many of the coconut palms that made the beach famous came down with some kind of disease, and the trees were cut down. New plantings took place, and now the beach is again lined with towering palms ready to lend some shade to sun weary beach goers. Shade from a palm tree somehow feels cooler than shade from a beach umbrella, but maybe I'm just imagining things. Of course umbrellas don't have a propensity for dropping coconuts on unsuspecting tourists, and palms are known to do that.
For the sake of those epinions readers who crave ingredients lists in all reviews, I'll mention that the coconuts contain coarse hair, a hard woody shell (many of which are naturally green, not the brown color commonly found in U.S. grocery stores, rest assured though, they contain no artificial colors), tasty white fruit, and a liquid center that is known as coconut milk -- even though it is really a 100 percent natural, non-dairy product that is more like a juice than milk. Coconut milk is perfectly safe for epinions readers who are lactose intolerant. The tasty white fruit also contains coconut oil. I mention this because some people, somewhere in the world, may be allergic to coconut oil, and you can never be too careful when it comes to coconuts.
Playa Lancheros is the name of the beach that faces the mainland as you stroll along the island's main drag. The beach gets its name from all the small fishing and diving boats that are pulled up on it as you near the main docks. The beach is wonderfully scenic, and it becomes a very pleasant beach bumming place the further north you go on it. As it rounds the point, it seemlessly turns into Playa Norte...
There is a popular beach at Garrafon, but beach loafing isn't really the point of a visit to that natural park area. Most people visiting Garrafon are there because it's an opportunity to do some rafting and snorkling along a natural reef. Sadly though, the reef has been over visited, over snorkled, and over dove by legions of day trippers over the years, and today it's a mere shadow of its once glorious self. It's also $25 to get in, and that doesn't include food or equipment rentals. Seemed overpriced and overhyped to me, so I didn't fork over the cash. Garrafon has its own web site, so take a look if you think it might be up your alley...if it were me, I'd recommend skipping Garrafon in favor of an offshore excursion through the local boatmen's cooperative (you can arrange trips down near the ferry docks). Less bucks, less glitz, better experience, at least in my view.
The boatmen's cooperative is the place to check out for most of the cool activities around the island. These guys will take you out to the reefs for diving or snorkling, they'll take you fishing, they'll take you on day trips to outlying islands, like the nature preserve at Isla Contoy (link to review is on my Isla Mujeres web page, www.tiogringo.com/isla.html). There are numerous scuba diving shops in town, most of them straight up the street that you face as you come off the ferry boats. Most of Cancun's best diving trips actually leave from Isla Mujeres, including night dives and dives to the famous Cave of the Sleeping Sharks.
There are a number of smaller beaches around the island as you head towards the south end, including several that are used by the day-trip party boats out of Cancun. Most of these are servicable enough beaches for a drunken beach volleyball game, but they pale in comparison to the island's north end. More than a few tourists who sign up for "Isla Mujeres tours" end up on the remote south end of the island at a "private beach party". That's okay if your goal is really to just hang out, chill out, and drink margaritas and rum punch until you fall off the boat in a drunken stupor.
I know what you're thinking, "Hey, Tio Gringo! Drunken stupors sound great! Where do I sign up for that trip??" No problem, just visit the marina in Cancun, it's on Blvd. Kukulkan somewhere around the 4km marker. Those of you with more civilized tastes can visit la isla the way I do, see the section on "Logistics", below.
Meandering Through Town...
Isla Mujeres is one of those places that's jam packed with scenic places, but that doesn't have a bunch of touristy places. The best thing to do on Isla Mujeres is either to play or loaf on the beach, and in between, just wander around the small town. There are plenty of small shops, but nothing of any great interest. There's a "Convention Center", but I've seen bigger fire halls in the U.S. There's a military base, with a couple of naval patrol boats tied up at its dock, but not really much to see. And that's pretty much it, unless you motor around the island a bit further afield...
Motoring Around the Island...
One of the most popular activities on Isla Mujere is to rent a golf cart or a moped and go tooling around the island on your own. The golf carts are great for up to 4 people and I think they outnumber cars by about 5 to 1. That's nothing compared to the mopeds though, which are everywhere. You can rent a moped for US$20 for the whole day, gas included. I rented one and the guy asked me if I had ever ridden a moped before. "No," I replied. The guy looked kind of worried, so I responded, "I've never been on anything smaller than a 750." The guy chuckled, but made me leave a deposit anyway.
I rode down to the end of the island, saw the unimpressive Mayan ruins (all five rocks of them), and then went to check out the unimpressive Mundaca hacienda (all six rocks and twenty-seven scruffy bushes). I saw no potentially hazardous ingredients in either place. I also rode over to the turtle farm, which I found fascinating -- I hung out there for more than hour, and then I headed back downtown. Two hours, maybe three tops, complete with pit stops to see everything the island offerred in the way of tourist "sites". I wondered what could I do with a moped for another 6 hours...at least things that wouldn't jeopardize my deposit.
Forty Winks...
Most of Isla Mujeres seems unchanged since the last time I visited, but there is one change I couldn't help but notice. There are a heck of a lot more hotel choices for anyone who wants to spend a night (or a week) on the island.
I was last on Isla Mujeres only about 3 years ago, but it may as well have been a lifetime ago. The Avalon Reef hotel was, at the time, a derilict hulk of a ruined hotel occupying what should have been the prime location on the island. The idyllic spit of land on the point of Playa Norte was just too prime to sit empty for long though. The property is really two hotels in one. The Avalon Reef Grand is an upscale corporate style hotel with lots of amenities and (very expensive) suites with terraces and jacuzzis. Next door is the Avalon Reef Club, which is more like a timeshare property (in fact, I suspect its an RCI affiliate). Not a particularly Mexican feeling place, but it should appeal to Suburban Dad Man (and Suburban Mom Woman), for whom there weren't previously many lodging choices on the island, other than perhaps Nautibeach.
More interesting to me were the small B&B type inns that have sprung up. Two stick in mind as particularly noteworthy: Hotel Secreto looked very impressive, modern, and upscale, and Playa la Media Luna looked wonderfully cozy and friendly. I stopped in at la Media Luna and chatted with the desk clerk. He told me that the hotel had opened almost 3 years ago and that rooms started at about $70 per night. Not bad for a cozy yet modern place just a two minute walk to one of the best beaches on the island (as if there was ANY place on the island much more than a 2-minute walk to the beach...)
On the low end of the scale, you can sleep for as little as $10 a night. I don't remember seeing a hostel on previous visits to la isla, but there it was, a short walk from the beach and charging just US$10 a night per room. On the northeast end of Playa Norte, near Na Balam, was a small place called Zazil Ha, renting out beach bungalows with hot water, hammocks, and ceiling fans, starting at just US$25. I wanted dearly to try it, but I didn't see the sign for them until after I'd already paid for a night at Hotel Posada del Mar -- a cozy but funky little place that I've stayed in before.
There are also rooms in small downtown hotels, and there are villas for rent (mostly on the south end of the island). I've heard the rooms at Villa Rolandi are very nice, but I've never stayed there. One thing for sure though, the hotel scene on Isla Mujeres now offers something for everyone -- and every budget.
Good Eats...
Before I get too far into a treatise on the finer points of fine dining, la isla style, I need to mention that I know of no hotel on the island that offers a good continental breakfast. I have it on good authority that many readers are concerned about continental breakfasts, so if you really must have your free continental breakfast, you may not want to stay at Isla Mujeres.
That's not to say that there aren't good breakfasts, because there sure are.
The last time I was on Isla Mujeres, I ate at a small corner cafe called Cafecito. They had the best huevos mexicanos I've ever tasted plus excellent strong coffee served with piloncillo and thick cream. Some readers may like tea, but not me. Tea tastes nasty and besides, it gives me gas something terrible. The only time I order tea is when I've had a little too much drink and I feel like walking around the room asking people to pull my finger. I drink quite a lot of tea.
On this trip, I enjoyed having breakfast at Pinguinos. I'd ordered huevos revueltos con chorizo with a side of toast. The toast was excellent although I didn't really like the jam that came with it. It was El Frutero brand strawberry jam. For those of you who like ingredients, I'll mention that the label on the jam said it contained: azucar, agua, fresas, colores artificiales, y preservativos. Sounds pretty nummy to me! I'd tell you what was in the chorizo, but trust me, you don't want to know. It's just better that way.
I had a pizza at Pizza Rolandi's, and I wasn't crazy about it. The open atrium feel of the place is rather loud and echoes, and the pizza itself had a lifelessly bland crust and not a lot of spice to the sauce either. Not one of the better pizzas I've tasted...but then again, I must be kind of losing it to even think that I'd get a good pizza in a place like Isla Mujeres.
Better, and more typical, was the food at Restaurant Gomez (picture at www.tiogringo.com/cun/isla7.jpg). I loved hanging out on the balcony of this 2-story downtown restaurant and just watching the people strolling around the streets while I consumed vast quantities of inexpensive Dos XX beer (happy hour all afternoon) while chowing down on enchiladas with a fiery green salsa. I also recommend the fried bananas -- they're wonderful!
One of my favorite places to eat on Isla Mujeres is the small, unpretentious, totally casual outdoor dining area of the Miramar restaurant, located right on Playa Lancheros next to the ferry boat dock. The brightly painted wood chairs look like they were in use back in the days of Pancho Villa and the whole dining room is delightfully mismatched, funky, and tacky. Best of all, they serve Negra Leon and Montejo beers for less than two bucks a pop! Try the sopa de lima, it's lip smackin' good! Although seafood rules here, I can also vouch for the chicken tacos. Best of all, dinner for two will never run you much more than about $25 here. A veritable bargain in a land of bargains!
Logistics...
Getting There...
How you get to Isla Mujeres is your business, but if you don't mind me making a suggestion, I'd say skip any "tours" that leave from the hotel zone heading to "private beaches on Isla Mujeres". These are really nothing but moving parties -- not that there's anything wrong with that!
There are a couple of true ferry boats and some legitimate island tours that go to Isla Mujeres from Cancun's hotel zone, but I find many of these trips overpriced and you often have to come and go on a particular boat's schedule.
A much better, more flexible, and far cheaper option is to go to the island the way the locals do: Take the ferry from Puerto Juarez.
The ferries run pretty much every half hour in both directions, starting around 6am and ending about 11pm. It's 35 pesos (US$3.50) one way, and you pay on the boat. You can take a taxi from anywhere in Cancun to Puerto Juarez, but taxis are expensive in Cancun. A cheaper way is to just wait for one of the R-1 buses going down the hotel strip that says "Isla Mujeres" or "Puerto Juarez" on the windshield. (These are the newer, greenish colored buses that say "Vamos a Isla Mujeres" on the sides).
All R-1 buses run along the Kukulkan hotel strip, but not all R-1 buses go to the same place as they head into downtown Cancun, so wait for the right bus -- the Isla Mujeres bus. It costs 6 pesos one way (prices as of late November 2002).
At Puerto Juarez, there are sometimes boatmen who will offer to take you direct to Isla Mujeres without waiting. Their boats are invariably slower and you'll end up paying more than you would to wait for the express ferry.
If you have more money than Bill Gates (Hi, Bill!), you can also fly to the island, landing your private plane on the island's small airstrip. Limousine pickup services are not available.
Getting Around...
Once you are on the island, walking is the preferred way to get anywhere. Bikes are a good way to get around too (the island is only 5 miles long). If you're coming in with a ton of baggage, there are guys with big tricycles who will carry your baggage to whatever hotel you are staying in. Of course, there are taxis, but they're fairly expensive and there's little need for them in a place like this. And you could just rent a moped or golf cart to tool around the island for a while (see "Motoring Around the Island", above).
Bottom Line
If you're looking for a casual beach experience along the Mexican Caribbean coast, check out Isla Mujeres. It doesn't get much more laid back than this!
YOU'VE READ THE REVIEW! NOW SEE THE PICTURES!
Vacation pictures of Isla Mujeres are online at my website, check out: www.tiogringo.com/isla.html
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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