About Isla Mujeres
This sustainable guide to Isla Mujeres will discuss what to do on this small island as well as what makes it a sustainable or not sustainable. Isla Mujeres is about a 5-mile island 8 miles off of the coast of Cancun and the best way to access this island is by a 20-30 minute ferry ride from Cancun. The Ultramar [linked] Ferry is the ferry you can take from Cancun to Isla Mujeres. Check out the website for more information for times of ferries and prices. The ferry port in Isla Mujeres is by Playa Norte, and there are plenty of taxis right outside the ferry port once you arrive.
This island is a laid back, tropical oasis with some of the clearest water in the world. During the day, this is a local hub with a relaxed, beach vibe, and at night, the island’s downtown area becomes a paradise for partying.
Isla Mujeres, or the island of women, is known for being a sanctuary for the Mayan goddess of fertility, In addition to translating to the island of women, this island is also known as being an island of fertility and love. This colorful island is a great vacation spot, and it is a popular day trip destination from Cancun or a great spot for a weekend getaway. People from all over the world come here for the chill vibes, the scuba diving and snorkeling, swimming with whale sharks, and for group trips.
Below are top 10 things you must do next time you visit Isla Mujeres.
Top 10 Things to do on
Isla Mujeres
1. Go to Punta Sur
Punta Sur is an ecological park with a .6 miles (.97 km) trail winding through the park. This park is located on the south end (Punta Sur translates to Southern Tip) of the island and boasts views of the ocean and large sculptures of different Mayan gods and goddesses, such as Ixchel, the goddess of fertility.
This park is easily accessible, it is open 24/7 and there is a $6 entrance fee to walk the trails overlooking the coast. Additionally, there is a little market here that offers souvenirs, beach attire, fresh coconuts, and delicious ice cream (try the coconut ice cream or the mango vegan flavor from the Mexican Ice Cream cart).
You don’t need a long time here since it is a short trail and easy to walk around. The top part of the trails are accessible for people in wheelchairs or other people with disabilities, however, the lower part along the water is steep, not maintained well, and there are steep stairs.
Next time you visit Isla Mujeres, make sure to add this spot to your list to see some of the prettiest, clearest, and bluest water!
2. Swim with Whale Sharks
This bucket list activity is season dependent, however, if you are visiting Isla Mujeres from mid-May to mid-September, you can swim with Whale Sharks! You don’t have to scuba dive to see these majestic creatures and instead you can snorkel with them.
Some days during this season, you have the chance of seeing upwards of hundreds of whale sharks. Additionally, whale sharks are not aggressive towards humans so this bucket-list activity is also relatively safe. Always remember to respect the ocean and the creatures, keep a respectable distance from the whale sharks, and do not touch or feed them. In addition to respecting the animals, make sure to always wear biodegradable and reef safe sunscreens to keep the ocean healthy!
Check out this tour with Taste of Isla [linked] for a chance to swim with this gigantic beauties!
3. Go on a Catamaran
There are many options for catamarans in Isla Mujeres. You can choose from day boat rides or sunset boat rides. For the day ones, you can go snorkeling off of the boat and can swim in the beautiful ocean, and they offer an open bar for people above the legal drinking age. Additionally, there are sunset catamarans where you get on the boat a little before sunset and explore around the island. These boats offer an open bar as well and you can add on snacks, such as guacamole and chips or tacos, for an additional cost. You can also go snorkeling on the sunset catamarans if you want to swim at night!
For the boats, you can also book a private boat, which is fun for a group, or you can go on ones with other people. Most of the catamarans don’t give you straws with your drinks to protect the environment, and it is also important when you are on the boats to clean up after yourself and don’t throw any waste into the water!
Check out the Taste of Isla Catamaran Day Tour [linked] and for sunset catamaran tours, check out Catmania Sailing Trips Catamarans [linked]. Please also remember to wear biodegradable and reef safe sunscreen when swimming in the ocean!
Something sustainable that Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean does is make everyone sailing in these waters pay a “dock and reef tax”. You will notice this charge when you are paying for the boat tour, and the money goes to the government to help maintain and protect beaches, reefs, docks, marines and natural parks. This fee may vary by boat tour, but it is typically around $10 USD a person. Even though this is an additional fee for you, it is going to keeping the waterways and surrounding areas nice, safe, clean, and protected. For more information check out the Cancun Sailing website [linked].
4. Rent Golf Carts
The best mode of transportation around this island might be by golf cart. Even though there are some vehicles, such as taxis and service trucks and cars, on the island, most people get around the island either on bike, scooter, or by golf cart.
Getting around on golf cart is not only more sustainable than cars, it is also a fun way to explore the island. There are also golf cart tours you can do around the island, however, you can just rent your own golf carts and explore on your own.
There are many companies you can rent golf carts from for your trip and the price ranges depending on how long you are renting them for and the size of the golf carts. Some companies will even deliver them at your accommodation and pick them up when you are done.
5. Go to Playa Norte
Playa Norte is a popular beach on the north side of Isla Mujeres. This beautiful beach has some of the clearest water and whitest sand in the world. Since this area is located near the ferry ports, it is a little more chaotic than the rest of the island and is more popular and touristy.
There is a lot to do in this area including restaurants, bars, and shops. This is a must go to when visiting Isla Mujeres and a great spot to relax and explore.
Additionally, when visiting the beaches here, you don’t have to rent lounge chairs or beds on the beach and instead can just set up your own stuff or sit and relax on a towel.
6. Go to the Centro Downtown Area
Located near Playa Norte, this colorful downtown area, known as ‘Centro’ is a must go-to. This 4 by 6 block area is easy to get around and explore by foot. There are a lot of great bars and restaurants in this area.
Some bars to check out in this area are Lola Valentina, Stingray Grill [check out more about this below!], and Faynes Bar & Grill. Most nights of the week, especially during the busy season, you will find this area crowded with tourists. There is also a lot of live music in this area.
7. Go Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
There are a lot of great diving and snorkeling to do around this island. You can also snorkel at an underwater ‘museum’ called MUSA [linked] where there are sculptures acting as artificial reefs. You can snorkel or scuba dive around these sculptures and explore the artificial reefs.
For more information regarding scuba diving and snorkeling in Isla Mujeres, check out this website, Mexico Divers [linked].
8. Go to a Beach Club
A beach club is not for the faint of heart or family friendly, so keep that in mind if you are planning a trip to Isla Mujeres. Beach clubs are great for friend groups, couples, and anyone interested in partying by the beach or in a pool.
With the right people, beach clubs can be a lot of fun and they usually have a DJ, but be ready to spend a lot of money here. If you are going with a group, it is recommended to reserve a lounge bed, chairs, or another seating area. Taboo is a beach club with multiple locations in Mexico, and in Isla Mujeres, it is located on the west side of the island. This is a fun, picturesque beach club to check out!
Check out the Taste of Isla website [linked] for more information on beach clubs in Isla Mujeres.
9. Do a Yoga Class with a View
This is a fun activity to do when visiting Isla Mujeres, especially if you are with a group of people. There are different options of classes you can book, and a popular option is doing a private in-house yoga class wherever you are staying.
Taste of Isla [linked] has an few options for yoga classes. Besides private in-house yoga classes, they also offer classes at the beach and at the Treehouse yoga studio. Make sure to check out their website for different prices for each class option they offer.
Not much beats doing yoga, looking over the crystal clear ocean, so make sure to add this to your to-do list next time you go to Isla Mujeres!
10. Do Karaoke at Stingray Grill
Stingray Grill is a must-go to bar in Isla Mujeres, especially if you love karaoke. This bar is located on the main strip in the Centro area and during busy season, it is usually packed.
This is a fun activity to do with friends, or even by yourself if you love to sing! Definitely add this spot to your list for next time you go to Isla Mujeres.
Are There Sustainable Accommodations in
Isla Mujeres?
Isla Mujeres has a lot of Guesthouses, Airbnbs, VRBOs, and small boutique hotels. There aren’t a lot of chain hotels either, so most of them are owned by locals and help support the local economy.
We stayed in Casa Zama [linked], which is located on the Southeast side of the island. Along the coast here, there is a strip of other rentals and vacation homes to stay at! If you stay along this street, you get an amazing view of the ocean and the beautiful light blue water.
All of the Airbnbs and guesthouses on the island offer 20 Liters of filtered water so that guests don’t have to buy individual plastic water bottles when on the island. Since you can’t drink the water on the island, it is recommended to bring your own reusable water bottle to refill at your vacation accommodation. This is sustainable because it helps cut down on plastic waste and single-use plastic usage.
Additionally, in most places, you can’t flush toilet paper in the toilets on the island, so make sure to follow the rules and throw your toilet paper in the waste bins provided. This helps keep the island’s infrastructure working well and also helps keep waste at bay.
Additionally, the Selina, a party hostel located all over the world, and they host weekly beach clean ups on the island. This is a great thing that this hostel does to help keep the island beautiful and clean.
How to Eat Sustainably in
Isla Mujeres?
Isla Mujeres is a small island off the coast of Cancun, and because of this, most of the food is imported by ferries from the mainland. Additionally, a lot of seafood is sourced locally, and is usually good quality, fresh, and delicious!
The typical cuisine on Isla Mujeres is traditional Mexican food and seafood. In Playa Norte, you can find a variety of taco stands and food trucks that also sell tortas, quesadillas, and burritos. The taco pictured above is a vegan requested taco from the food truck El Carrito which is known for their beef barbacoa tacos. This food truck is located by Playa Norte on a side street, and there are many other food trucks near by.
There were a lot of vegan or vegetarian options at the restaurants on the island, and a lot of places will make vegan meals upon request. Marbella Fish Market and Raw Bar [linked] is a seafood restaurant located by Punta Sur. This cute spot is delicious and also upon request can make some of their dishes vegan or vegetarian, so don’t get too scared by the fact that it is a fish market and raw bar.
There are also vegetarian restaurants such as El Meraki [linked] and health food cafes such as Antal Holistic Cafe [linked]. Additionally, Olivia Mediterranean Dinner [linked] is a delicious restaurant by Playa Norte that offers a little break from Mexican food if needed. They offer a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes as well.
As a whole, the Yucatán region in Mexico is plant-based and vegan friendly. This can be more sustainable and allow you to eat in a more sustainable way when visiting these areas.
And I don’t know about you, but when in doubt, I can just eat guac and chips all day.
Can You Travel Around Isla Mujeres Sustainably?
Even though some cars and automobiles are allowed on the island, most people get around via golf carts or bikes. This is not only a more sustainable way to get around the island, but it is also a more scenic and fun way to explore Isla Mujeres. These other modes of transportation are also perfect for this laid back island.
There are many places you can rent golf carts, bikes, and scooters from. Golf carts, depending where rented from, can be dropped off and picked up at your accommodation.
There are a lot of taxis around the island, however, the island is small and it is easy to get around by alternative modes of transportation and if you do take a taxi, it is usually a quick drive. Since there aren’t a lot of cars on the island, you can easily and safely bike, walk, and scooter around it!
Other Things That Make
Isla Mujeres
Sustainable or Unsustainable
What else makes Isla Mujeres sustainable? This island is not fully there yet when it comes to sustainability, however, there are some incentives the island does to work towards this. For example, on earth day, scuba diving companies will give free tanks to volunteers to help clean the ocean. This is important on the island because there is an issue with waste here and getting rid of the waste from the island. An abundance of waste on the island eventually makes it way into the ocean causing detrimental issues for the environment.
Additionally, the island promotes the use of biodegradable reef safe sunscreen instead of conventional sunscreens. Keeping reefs safe and healthy is vital for the health of the ocean and ultimately the impacts the ocean has on the environment as a whole. The island also has an artificial reef ’museum’ called MUSA [linked]. This underwater museum creates artificial reefs from sculptural art pieces making it a great spot to snorkel or scuba dive, but also creates more biodiversity by creating more homes for sea life. In addition, this spot also helps protect the natural reefs in the area by attracting people here instead.
The Cancun airport also helps to relive environmental impacts by reducing the amount of waste. They do this by separating organic waste and non organic waste at the airport, which then will reduce the amount of waste being produced.
Since Cancun and this area is super touristy, there has been a major impact on the natural environment and ecosystems of this region. There are things you can do as a traveler when visiting Cancun and Isla Mujeres to help decrease the impact you have on the environment. Additionally, the entire Quintana Roo state of Mexico is committed to preserving the ecosystem and environment.
Summary: So, is Isla Mujeres a Sustainable Island?
In summary, Isla Mujeres is not the most sustainable place yet, but it is heading towards becoming more sustainable and implementing ways to keep the island clean and protected. Since this is a small island off of Cancun, it is a highly visited spot, which can cause environmental and ecosystem issues. This island is doing what it can to protect its natural environment with an influx of visitors.
I definitely recommend visiting this laid back, cute island for a weekend trip or a day trip!
