In short: Isla Mujeres is twenty minutes by boat from Cancún, and it is the best day you can spend from the hotel zone. An island eight kilometres long, a beach ranked among the finest in the Caribbean, and the departure point for the two most impressive dives in the region: whale sharks in summer, bull sharks in winter.
What to do on Isla Mujeres
Playa Norte is the main reason to come. A white sand beach at the north of the village, with turquoise water that stays waist-deep for tens of metres and virtually no waves. It appears regularly in rankings of the finest beaches in the Caribbean, and for once that is deserved. It is public and free.
Punta Sur, at the southern tip, is the easternmost point of Mexico: this is where the sun rises first over the country. Cliffs, a sculpture garden, the remains of a Maya temple to Ixchel, goddess of fertility, who gave the island its name. Entry is charged and modest.
The village occupies the northern point. Pedestrian streets, coloured façades, a market, fish restaurants. You eat far better and far cheaper here than in the Cancún hotel zone.
The underwater park. The Manchones reef is home to MUSA, a museum of submerged sculptures a few metres down. It is accessible by snorkel as well as by dive, and it is one of the most photogenic sites in the region.
Whale sharks and bull sharks
Isla Mujeres is the port of embarkation for two exceptional encounters, and they do not happen in the same season.
Whale sharks, June to September. The largest fish in the world, up to twelve metres, entirely harmless: it feeds on plankton. Every summer dozens of them gather offshore. The swim is done free-diving, in small groups, with a guide, under strict regulation. The peak is July and August. Outside that window, the trip does not exist.
Bull sharks, November to March. This is a scuba dive, for certified divers only, run by seasoned professionals. It has nothing to do with swimming alongside whale sharks: here you descend, kneel on the bottom and watch. A powerful experience, and not one we would suggest for a first dive.
What we repeat every time: the whale shark trip takes place in open sea, often more than an hour out. If you are prone to seasickness, take something before boarding, not once you are on board. It is the number one cause of a ruined day on this excursion.
Getting there: which pier
Several piers serve the island from Cancún, and the choice doubles the price for the same twenty-minute crossing.
- Puerto Juárez / Gran Puerto, north of downtown: the cheapest option, around 300 pesos return per adult with Ultramar, with a departure every thirty minutes from early morning until evening. This is the one we recommend.
- The hotel zone piers (El Embarcadero, Playa Tortugas, Playa Caracol): handier if you are staying nearby, appreciably more expensive for exactly the same trip.
From downtown Cancún, the R10 bus is the most direct route to Puerto Juárez, for 12 pesos. The R1 goes there too, but not every vehicle continues as far as the port.
Getting around the island
The island is eight kilometres long and less than one wide. The village is walkable. To reach Punta Sur, the golf cart is the local method of choice: you rent one by the day right off the ferry. Scooters are cheaper, taxis are plentiful and inexpensive, and the public bus links north to south for a few pesos.
Book the golf cart the day before in high season: the fleet is limited and the best hours go fast.
When to go
Playa Norte faces north and is sheltered, which makes it markedly less exposed to sargassum than the east coast beaches. That is a real argument between May and August, when Tulum and Playa del Carmen are affected.
Otherwise the regional logic applies: November to April for the weather and high prices, May to October for heat, showers and gentler rates. And June to September if you are coming for the whale sharks, which remains the best reason to plan a Mexican summer.
Our trips to Isla Mujeres
A day on the island, swimming with whale sharks in season, diving with bull sharks in winter: we run all three, with pick-up from Cancún or the Riviera Maya and an English-speaking guide. Write to us with your dates — the season decides everything here.
Common questions
Is one day enough on Isla Mujeres?
For Playa Norte, the village and Punta Sur, yes, if you set off early. A night on the island does change the experience though: it empties in the late afternoon when the day-trippers leave, and that is the best moment.
Do you need to swim well for the whale sharks?
You need to be comfortable in the water. The swim is done with a vest and snorkel, in pairs with a guide, but in open sea and with swell. It is not an activity for a non-swimmer, nor for a young child.
Can you reach Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen?
Yes, but allow an hour by road to Puerto Juárez before the crossing. Most of our travellers staying in Playa prefer Cozumel, 45 minutes by boat from the pier at the end of Fifth Avenue.
Can you see MUSA while snorkelling?
Yes for the shallower sculptures, around the Manchones reef. The most impressive pieces are at eight metres and are better seen on scuba. Trips often combine the two.
Is there sargassum on Isla Mujeres?
Far less than at Tulum or Playa del Carmen. Playa Norte faces north-west, sheltered from the current that brings the algae. It is one of the reasons we send travellers here in summer.
Let’s organise your day on Isla Mujeres
Ferry, transfer from your hotel, the whale shark trip in season, diving, golf cart rental: we assemble every piece with local partners we know personally. Tell us your dates.