Trip Report - Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:46 pm
Hello Forum,
Dear Husband and I just returned from six days on Isla Mujeres, Mexico. We had a good time, but it will not replace our love for STJ. In an effort to accentuate the positive, I forced DH to list some things that we liked better than our favorite Virgin. Here's what we liked:
• We rented bikes for the duration of our stay, and had a blast zipping around the island. No area was off bounds for us on our bikes. The roads were in great condition, there was a pedestrian/bikeway along the sea wall near town, and there's a great stretch of road along the Caribbean.
• The island locals are beautiful. The children are adorable, and everyone was super friendly. And we find it fun to be in a culture where there's a language barrier. It's amazing what you can convey with a little Spanglish and hand gestures.
• It's relatively easy to get to. A flight to Cancun, a quick shuttle to the ferry, and really nice brand new ferries, with a musician singing to you.
• The food was amazing. We had fresh fish (like, right off of the boat) every day. I had no idea how much I love grouper, red snapper, and amberjack. Our meals cost anywhere from $20 to $40 and most of the time it included drinks with dinner. Really affordable!
• There are tons of accommodations right on the beach.
I won't dwell on what wasn't as good as STJ. Here are some photos of our trip.
Fishing and tourism are the major industries. There's really a feeling that they are connected to the sea.
Some sculptures in town.
A brand spankin' new fleet of ferries with live music on board to entertain you coming and going. Plus the two of us on the ferry.
Punta Sur is the southern most part of the island, and is also the eastern most point in Mexico. It's rugged and beautiful. Here are some pictures of Punta Sur.
There were an endless amount of beach bars and restaurants where we ate and drank with our toes in the sand. Oh, and the drinks were reasonable; beers were around $2, and mixed drinks were about $4.50. If you like beaches with loungers, and little palapas to seek shade, this is your kind of place. The little beach bars will bring you your food and drink to your chair.
And did I mention the bikes? Most people rent golf carts to cruise around the island, but we much preferred the bikes. Plus the little bit of exercise made us feel better about all the eating and drinking.
Our house was comfortable. We had a great view of magnificent sunrises over the Caribbean, an infinity pool, and a roof deck where we could see the sunsets.
I only snorkeled one day, and it wasn't mind blowing. I think the best snorkeling requires a charter off shore, and as DH doesn't snorkel, I didn't want to leave him for a day of snorkeling.
To finish, here are some other random photos, and sunrises & sunsets.
Dear Husband and I just returned from six days on Isla Mujeres, Mexico. We had a good time, but it will not replace our love for STJ. In an effort to accentuate the positive, I forced DH to list some things that we liked better than our favorite Virgin. Here's what we liked:
• We rented bikes for the duration of our stay, and had a blast zipping around the island. No area was off bounds for us on our bikes. The roads were in great condition, there was a pedestrian/bikeway along the sea wall near town, and there's a great stretch of road along the Caribbean.
• The island locals are beautiful. The children are adorable, and everyone was super friendly. And we find it fun to be in a culture where there's a language barrier. It's amazing what you can convey with a little Spanglish and hand gestures.
• It's relatively easy to get to. A flight to Cancun, a quick shuttle to the ferry, and really nice brand new ferries, with a musician singing to you.
• The food was amazing. We had fresh fish (like, right off of the boat) every day. I had no idea how much I love grouper, red snapper, and amberjack. Our meals cost anywhere from $20 to $40 and most of the time it included drinks with dinner. Really affordable!
• There are tons of accommodations right on the beach.
I won't dwell on what wasn't as good as STJ. Here are some photos of our trip.
Fishing and tourism are the major industries. There's really a feeling that they are connected to the sea.
Some sculptures in town.
A brand spankin' new fleet of ferries with live music on board to entertain you coming and going. Plus the two of us on the ferry.
Punta Sur is the southern most part of the island, and is also the eastern most point in Mexico. It's rugged and beautiful. Here are some pictures of Punta Sur.
There were an endless amount of beach bars and restaurants where we ate and drank with our toes in the sand. Oh, and the drinks were reasonable; beers were around $2, and mixed drinks were about $4.50. If you like beaches with loungers, and little palapas to seek shade, this is your kind of place. The little beach bars will bring you your food and drink to your chair.
And did I mention the bikes? Most people rent golf carts to cruise around the island, but we much preferred the bikes. Plus the little bit of exercise made us feel better about all the eating and drinking.
Our house was comfortable. We had a great view of magnificent sunrises over the Caribbean, an infinity pool, and a roof deck where we could see the sunsets.
I only snorkeled one day, and it wasn't mind blowing. I think the best snorkeling requires a charter off shore, and as DH doesn't snorkel, I didn't want to leave him for a day of snorkeling.
To finish, here are some other random photos, and sunrises & sunsets.
I understand the feeling of going somewhere else and, although having a great time, it not living up to our favorite Virgin. But ya gotta try sometimes, right?? Thanks for sharing.