Of the four islands located in The Riviera Maya Mexico, Isla Mujeres undoubtedly has some of the most pristine beaches you’ll find. In addition, it’s the easiest island to access from Cancun, making it a hugely popular Mexican tourist destination.
Aside from the dreamy white sand beaches, there are also a ton of other fun things to do in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. So if you’re looking for the ideal island escape, here are 9 unmissable things to do in Isla Mujeres.
What is Isla Mujeres Known for?
Isla Mujeres is directly translated to ‘women island’, but everyone just calls it by its Spanish name. This tiny island is located within the Mexican Caribbean, so you can expect to find gorgeous beaches, colourful buildings and a ton of vibrant restaurants.
Isla Mujeres is an exceptionally popular Mexican tourist destination due to its proximity to Cancun, but that’s not the primary reason for visiting. According to TripAdvisor, Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres is rated the number one beach in Mexico – which is pretty remarkable considering how large the country is.
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How to get to Isla Mujeres
Although there is an airport in Isla Mujeres, there are no commercial flights offered between the island and the mainland. The only way to get to Isla Mujeres is via ferry, departing from Cancun.
People often ask if you can take a ferry from Playa del Carmen to Isla Mujeres, and that is not possible. The only ferry service to Isla Mujeres departs from Cancun.
There are currently three ferry operators to choose from; Ultramar, Winjet and Xailing.
Ultramar and Winjet have been in operation for many years, where Xailing by Xcaret was launched in 2023. Of the three ferry services, we’d recommend using Xailing because the ferries are not only brand new, but you also get free access to the Xcaret observation tower with the purchase of your ticket. If you’re travelling in peak season, we’d recommend booking your tickets online, but if your schedule is flexible, you can always purchase your tickets at the dock.
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The ferry schedule for each of the companies differs slightly and changes according to the season. So if you’re looking for the most accurate ferry schedule, we’d recommend looking on the relevant website for the specific day you’re travelling to Isla Mujeres. Regardless of which ferry you’re using, it takes about 20-30 minutes to reach Isla Mujeres from Cancun.
The ferry port in Isla Mujeres is located right in the downtown area, very near Playa Norte, so if you’re just visiting for a day, you’re landing in the perfect part of the island.
How to get around Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is very walkable to a certain point. If you’re only interested in exploring the downtown area and Playa Norte, you won’t need any wheels.
However, if you’re interested in exploring more of the island, you’ll definitely need a rental of some sort.
These are the top ways to get around Isla Mujeres:
Golf Carts
The most popular and the most fun way of navigating the island is definitely by golf cart. You’ll find a ton of golf cart rental companies along the main strip, just across the ferry terminal.
There are also a few stores located downtown, which is a short 5-minute walk from the ferry terminal.
These rentals can be pretty pricey, at around US$100 for a day (9am – 5pm), but they’re worth it if you want to see more than just downtown.
Car Rental
Cars are not very popular as the island is so tiny, and you’ll mostly just see locals driving cars. There are one or two spots available to rent a car in the downtown area, but we’d definitely recommend a golf cart rental over a car rental.
Hop on - Hop off Bus (Isleños Bus)
This is the most comfortable and most affordable transportation option for exploring Isla Mujeres.
For just US$9 per person, you can enjoy these big, airconditioned buses for a full day.
They offer four routes and operate between 6am to 10pm every day. You can book your ticket online and grab your first bus right by the ferry port.
The bus service allows you to hop on and off as you please, making it a wonderful option to see all the best attractions on island, in comfort.
Bike Rental
If you’re on a budget, a bike rental is an option as the two other rental options mentioned above are on the pricier side.
However, we rented bikes to explore the island and although it’s totally possible to get from one end of the island to the other on a bike, it’s pretty tough. Although the island is small, it’s still a pretty brutal cycle, especially under the Caribbean sun.
I have very fair skin and got a terrible burn on the day that we cycled because there is not a lot of shading along the roads, so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to the sun.
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Is Isla Mujeres Worth A Day trip
If you’re staying in Playa del Carmen or Cancun, you can most certainly make a day trip of Isla Mujeres. We’d recommend staying at least two nights, but if you’ve got a day to spare, Isla Mujeres makes for a fabulous day trip.
Although won’t be able to see much of the island in just a day you, will find some of the most incredible beaches along the coast of The Riviera Maya. Perfect for a slow-paced day in the sun!
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If you’re visiting for an incredible beach day: The ferry docks right beside some of the most beautiful beaches in The Riviera Maya, which is super convenient. We’d recommend grabbing a delicious local breakfast near downtown. Picking up some water and snacks at the Oxxo convenience store, then down to Playa Norte, Mexico’s number one beach.
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If you’re visiting for an island exploration day: You need to rent some wheels or take the Isleño bus. We’d recommend taking a full lap of the island and stopping off at a few key points. From our personal experience after visiting the island twice, these are our top recommendations; Punta Sur for the views and outdoor museum, Garrafon de Castilla for snorkelling and Isla Mujeres Cemetary for the culture.
Our top recommendation is to plan to be around the downtown because the beaches right near the ferry port are just THAT beautiful. And we’ll tell you, it’s tough to match those beaches. In Playa del Carmen they’re nice, but sometimes have a lot of sargassum (seaweed) and the water isn’t as clear. The water in Cancun is super blue, but not super clear and there tends to be a very strong current.
How long to stay in Isla Mujeres Mexico
As we mentioned earlier, you can just take a day trip to Isla Mujeres, but we’d recommend 2 to 3 nights. This is the perfect amount of time to explore the island, but also have ample time to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean beaches. If you just wanted to rest and unwind, you could easily stay for up to a week.
The only slight inconvenience is that there didn’t seem to be very many local or budget-friendly meals available. So booking accommodation that has cooking facilities is a good idea.
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Where to stay in Isla Mujeres
The location you choose to stay in Isla Mujeres is important because some areas are walkable, and others require a car to reach. If you want to be able to walk everywhere, downtown is the best place to book accommodation. The ferry terminal is also located within walking distance of downtown.
Booking accommodation anywhere outside of the downtown area is a little tricky, as you will need some form of wheels to move around. Unless you’re booking into a boujee hotel to just rest and unwind. We stayed at Izla Hotel in 2020 and it was gorgeous and the food was unforgettable!
Izla Hotel
This new(ish) and gorgeous resort is near the island’s south end. You’ll need wheels to get you there, but you just can’t beat the peace and tranquillity that comes with the distance from downtown.
The second time we visited, we stayed in a more budget-friendly spot because we wanted to be located right near the action. We stayed at Ocean Drive Hotel & Studios and it wasn’t bad for around US$ 60 per night. However, there are no private bathrooms, only communal ones. And it had more of a hostel feel, which meant loud partying until the early hours of the morning. But for its price and convenient location right on the beach, it’s not a bad option.
Ocean Drive
If you’re looking for a place to stay that is a stone throw from downtown, this is a great option. It’s also budget-friendly, but does have more of a hotel vibe.
Does Isla Mujeres have seaweed?
Seaweed is referred to as ‘sargassum’ in Mexico. The seaweed in Isla Mujeres is not a big problem because of the shape of the island. The east side of the island is mostly iron shore, and too rough to swim in. It also catches some of the sargassum that is headed to the shores of Quintana Roo mainland. However, the west side of the island remains pretty protected from the sargassum year-round. The water is also very often bright blue and crystal clear.
So simply put, yes Isla Mujeres does get sargassum, but you can still find sargassum-free beaches year-round.
Is Isla Mujeres Safe?
It depends on what your version of safe is, but we feel pretty safe in Isla Mujeres. You can freely walk the streets and people are friendly and welcoming. It even feels safe at night. However, we still exercise caution, by not leaving our valuables unattended at the beach.
We always recommend carrying a bum bag across your chest with your phones and items of value, just to avoid any potential pick-pocketing. We have never had a bad experience in Isla Mujeres, but we have read that petty theft has become more common.
9 unmissable Things to do in Isla Mujeres mexico
If you’re wondering what to do in Isla Mujeres, here is our list of 9 awesome things to see and do. Some of these items will require a car or golf cart rental. We recommend this price comparison platform to find the best deal on a car. Golf Cart rentals are readily available right by the ferry port and in the downtown area.
Rent a golf cart
This is definitely the most exciting way of exploring the island. There’s nothing like the fresh Caribbean air running through your hair. These rentals do tend to be on the pricey side, but worth the fun and convenience!
Visit Mexico's Number One beach
The best thing about Playa Norte is that it is right near the ferry port, so you can get there by foot. The water is incredibly blue and the sand is so soft. The only downside is that it gets packed because of its convenient location.
Travel to Punta Sur
This is the Southernmost point of Isla Mujeres, and worth the trip! This spot on the island has an incredible lookout spot that you will not want to miss. To reach the southernmost tip, you’ll need to pay a small fee for entrance into the outdoor sculpture museum. This is our #1 recommended spot on the island!
Get a photo at Rainbow Stairs
These are tricky to find because they’re not an official landmark. You’ll need wheels to get there, but it’s worth it for the cute photo opportunity. You’ll find the exact pinpoint of the Rainbow Stairs in The Riviera Maya Map.
Enjoy a beach club
The beachclubs on the west side are typically beautiful, but can be very busy and a little on the pricy side. There is a small, outdated beach club on the east side of the island that we loved. The locally owned establishment is owned It wasn’t fancy, but they served nachos and had such a beautiful and quite stretch of beach.
Snorkelling
Isla Mujeres has great snorkeling. And the best part is that you don’t have to venture far to see some fish. We’d recommend bringing your own goggles so you just snorkel anywhere you’d like!
Isla Mujeres Cemetary
Visiting a cemetery sounds like a strange suggestion for things to do on vacation. However, death is celebrated in such a beautiful and refreshing way in Latin culture. Seeing the brightly painted headstones will give you a better understanding of the culture.
see The letter sign
You’ll find these large and colourful letter-signs in most towns and cities within Mexico. They’re another great photo opportunity and conveniently located in the downtown area.
Breakfast at Loncheria Alexia & Geovanny
This is such a great local spot to grab breakfast or lunch. They’re budget-friendly, but more importantly, everything is made from scratch. This is another great way to experience the culture.
And if you would rather spend a day out on the turquoise waters of Isla, then we’d highly recommend taking a catamaran tour. We did this a few years ago and loved it!
Our honest review of Isla Mujeres
We love Isla Mujeres for its colourful and vibrant downtown area. The beaches and ocean views are gorgeous year-round, and it’s easy to get to.
The only two downsides are that it gets extremely busy in the downtown area from around 9 am to 5 pm because of all the day visitors. There are two ways to avoid this; stay a few nights and visit Playa Norte outside of peak hours. Or, catch the earliest ferry possible to Isla Mujeres, so you can experience the beaches without the crowds and do your exploring from around 11 am.
Isla Mujeres is definitely worth visiting, even if it’s just for a day trip. We do however recommend two nights to really enjoy the island without having to rush.
We hope you found this Isla Mujeres travel guide to be useful in planning your ideal trip to Isla Mujeres Mexico. Check out The Riviera Maya map for all of the locations mentioned in this article and let us know your top recommendations for Isla Mujeres.
