Trip Report - Isla Mujeres, Mexico

[flip-flop]

Very nice trip report! Love all the pictures. Thanks for sharing, very tempting.

[liamsaunt]

Beautiful photos! Looks like an interesting place to visit sometime. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

[KPlumm]

We are going to Isla next month and while I know that it will never replace my beloved St John, I'm hoping that we will enjoy the sun, sea and down time (and the good food I keep hearing about).

We are renting a house there and I was wondering about groceries. If you bought any groceries or checked out the grocery stores/mini supers, how would you compare the selection to what's available in St John? Any other words of wisdom you wish to share?

[Nic in KC]

Thank you for taking me back to Isla! What great pictures! I haven't been in probably 7 years, but we used to love it. It's such a peaceful island. I wish we had gone there last year instead of Playa. Playa Norte is amazing, the shallow water just seems to go on forever!

I would love to be there now! I'm glad you guys had a great time. We actually had great snorkeling at one area right off the island, but I don't know if it's still accessible or not.

[augie]

One of the things that has had IM on my "list" is the opportunity to snorkel with whale sharks during their migration.

It looks as though the lodging, fresh seafood, and the ability to tool around on bicycles could render it an OK place to be even when we weren't out on the snorkel boats looking for them.

Thanks for the report!

[Lovermont]

We are renting a house there and I was wondering about groceries. If you bought any groceries or checked out the grocery stores/mini supers, how would you compare the selection to what's available in St John?

We only went into the mini-supers, never the big supermarket, because we never really needed many groceries. The restaurants are so affordable, and there are so many little places to catch a bite to eat, that we didn't feel like we needed to cook in. For breakfast, we went to Alexia y Giovanny nearly every morning. It's just a local food stand, with great Huevos Rancheros. Two people, $12.00. Lunch was out, wherever we might be, usually some Fish Tacos and a beer. And dinner was either along Playa Sol where the fishermen bring their catch or on the pedestrianized "main drag" - Hidalgo Ave.

I wish we had gone there last year instead of Playa.

I must say, I liked it more than Playa. Although it's certainly centered on tourism, there's still a real sense that there is a fishing community and real people living there. As I said before, I really love Mexican people, so I enjoy being around them.

One of the things that has had IM on my "list" is the opportunity to snorkel with whale sharks during their migration. It looks as though the lodging, fresh seafood, and the ability to tool around on bicycles could render it an OK place to be even when we weren't out on the snorkel boats looking for them.

I think the whale shark season is June through September. I'd really love to do that. One thing that's very different from STJ, is that most of the good snorkeling is off-shore. So, you're almost required to get on a charter to go to the good places. I snorkeled only once from shore, and it didn't "wow" me at all. The idea of just picking from a multitude of great beaches, like we have on STJ, just doesn't exist on IM. Playa Norte is beautiful and expansive, but it's much more a sun worshipers beach than a snorkeler's beach.

[Lovermont]

It looks as though the lodging, fresh seafood, and the ability to tool around on bicycles could render it an OK place to be even when we weren't out on the snorkel boats looking for them.

Augie,
Tell Leslie that there were Spotted Eagle Rays right off of our deck. I watched one for about an hour just playing in the swells.
The bikes, although a little worn, were so fun. I just enjoyed going wherever we pleased, and it was great to go through the "colonias" or neighborhoods to see how day to day life takes place.

[mindehankins]

Wow...that certainly didn't suck! Beautiful pictures! When you say that snorkelling isn't so good from off shore, is that because there isn't much coral or rock, so few fish? I've only snorkelled on St. John, so have nothing to compare to.

[Lovermont]

When you say that snorkelling isn't so good from off shore, is that because there isn't much coral or rock, so few fish?

Well, there are not as many beaches, and the main beaches are sun-worshiper type of beaches with expansive areas of sand, and lounge chairs under palapas. The water is very shallow for probably 100 yards or so. Great beaches, but not necessarily for snorkeling.
I snorkeled at Garrafon de Castilla, which is actually a hotel that has a beach with some snorkeling. The access to their beach was less than $5. Right next door to Garrafon de Castilla is a large water park with kayaks, zip lines, snorkeling etc. That whole "scene" didn't appeal to us. And entering the water park can cost as much as $90 from what I understand. Not worth it to me, when you compare it to the experience we get on STJ.
The other options are day trips to Isla Contoy, which is a preserved and protected park island known for its bird life and good snorkeling, but as Steve doesn't snorkel, I didn't want to go for a day trip that may have not interested him. There's also some snorkeling near a little island that houses a lighthouse. We had thought we could kayak out to it, and somehow secure our kayaks while I snorkeled, but never really executed that plan. Most people snorkel that area by going on a snorkeling charter.
The long and short of it is that I don't think the real draw of IM is it's diverse snorkeling.

[mindehankins]

Ahhhh, ok! I've wondered what it meant, when people said that snorkelling was "not good" somewhere. Thanks for the info.
After such a long NE winter, the sun and water were marvelous nonetheless, I'm sure!

[CassieBelle]

Mexico in general is not (to me) all that great for snorkeling anywhere that I have seen. I took a snorkeling excursion from Playa mujeres over to IM for a day snorkel/shop stop and wasn't too impressed with the coral - alot is broken/dead and not large or too uniquely shaped. Saw some cool fish but nothing that big or extraordinary. Have done a snorkel excurion off of Cozumel too and wasn't impressed there either. I think that the hurricanes must have wiped out all the good stuff closer to shore, or even for the excursion boats to get to....I guess I will have to learn to dive...Supposedly Coz is great for that. I love Mexico, but as the other poster said...Mainly sun worshiper paradise...I guess after you have seen Buck Island (out from STX) or Belize - Mexico snorkeling is pretty lame.

[Maggy]

Thank you for sharing your trip. Your pictures are great and it certainly looks beautiful there. Nice to be able to bike around.

Agree with that the Mexicans are friendly. After two trips to Mexico (Playa and Cozumel) I have only met friendly locals.

[chicagoans]

WONDERFUL pictures! The beaches and water look beautiful. I love that you took bikes everywhere -- my kind of trip!

You've given me another place to add to my list.

[Dusty Pete]

Great report. We are seriously considering a quick trip to IM next month. One question....is cell phone usage available? We have Verizon and never have any trouble in St. John, but not sure about IM.

[Lovermont]

We are seriously considering a quick trip to IM next month. One question....is cell phone usage available?

It's definitely a great "quick trip" kind of place. I just didn't feel like I had to budget as much for this trip vs. a STJ trip.
Re: cell phones... I have AT&T and I added the Mexico Plan, but I turned off data roaming on the settings on my phone, as I brought my laptop and we had WiFi at the house. I had a few incoming calls, and made a handful of outgoing calls. My billing period ended about half way through our vacation, so I'm not 100% sure how much I racked up, but I think it'll be around $20. My guess is that Verizon must have a similar plan.