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5 Things You Can't Miss on Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Updated: Oct 24
If this stunning Mexican island was a hotel, it would be 5 stars! This is a hugely popular holiday destination and it is easy to see why. Amazing beaches, incredible sunsets and sunrises, delicious food and awesome activities… it really has it all. Isla Mujeres is one of our favourite places of all time and every time we think of it we picture crystal clear waters, epic scenery and great fun all round.
Read on for just a few of the many reasons why you should come to this island of paradise, and some of the superb activities you can do during your stay!
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1. Make sure you rent a Golf cart or a scooter to tour the island
With rental prices per day at around 700 pesos, this is an activity not to be missed. It is really fun and you get to take in every inch of the picture postcard sights of this gorgeous island! Ours was perhaps a little noisy but it was relatively comfortable and very easy to use.
You can pretty much loop the entire island in 45 minutes or so if you did not stop and the roads are well maintained so the ride is fairly smooth. They are very common on the island along with scooters so drivers are very considerate to them! We thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a really convenient way to travel with the ease at which we could stop off at random places for photos and refreshments.
To rent a golf cart you will need a valid drivers license and your passport. Our licence was withheld by the store and they returned it to us when we brought the cart back. We also had to fill out a small form and detail our address and contact information.
Now lets check out some of the awesome places you can visit with your cart or scooter!
2. Visit the Green Demon for an epic sunset view and an authentic Mexican vibe
Widely thought of as the best beach on Isla Mujeres, Playa Norte is famous for its incredible sunset views, plethora of quality bars and beautiful fine sand. After finding our Airbnb it was the first place we visited; we literally made a beeline for the Green Demon after seeing what it had to offer from several other travellers on YouTube.
The Green Demon offers food and cocktails along with its famous beer buckets of 5 beers in ice. They have many loungers to choose from and offer friendly and efficient table service to boot.
The loungers / beds cost around 100 pesos for the day which we personally thought was well worth it along with the colorful music and chill vibe! Then of course came THE sunset...
3. Be sure to explore Punta Sur at the southern tip of the Island for a visit with the iguanas and the most breath-taking views
The day we took our golf cart to this part of the island was probably our favorite! It is a special place; after you make your way through the initial throng of ice cream vendors, souvenir shops and food stalls you really get to see what the fuss is all about.
Punta Sur is the place where the sun first touches the island every day, and is also home to the Ixchel Temple and some VERY large iguanas! There are so many of them here and they are harmless enough although we didn't get too close!
Winding paths surrounded by sun kissed greenery lead you to the stunning rock cliffs and the temple of Ixchel, a place sacred to the Maya who built it. Ixchel is the goddess of childbirth and medicine and there are many statues of her and women on the island. The island is named Isla de Mujeres in reference to them; literally meaning 'island of women' in Spanish. This was also the very first Mayan Ruin we saw in Mexico and its connection to women and hope made it even more special!
The island is also well known for its relaxed nature and safety and happiness amongst its residents and it is certainly something we felt as we paced our way through our time here. We were totally enamoured with its beauty and charm. We lost count of how many times we said 'we could live here' and 'we are definitely coming back'. It is an alluring paradise for sure!
It is easy to see why so many people come to this island every year. It is a beautiful environment to relax and vibe with traditional Mexican culture combined with its perfect location for weather and sun. You will find memories here that will only ever draw a warm smile and happy heart!
Ever dreamed of having an island all to yourself? You can get close to it with our guide to the amazing Passion Island in Mexico!
4. Spend some time at Kin Ha for amazing drinks and fun in the sun
This stunning oceanfront restaurant was a real highlight of our stay in Isla Mujeres. The restaurant has a mix of Mexican and American cuisine and it has a wonderful tropical vibe. We stopped off here with our golf cart after glancing at the incredible view from the road. It almost looks like a portal to another world and when you step through it, it just gets better!
We were so impressed by the food and feel that we booked a night at the accompanying Beachscape Kin Ha Villas Hotel. The hotel was breath-taking, the suites were beautifully designed and the facilities were just gorgeous. We loved the infinity pools (of which there are three) and the luxury feel. It truly is a ‘beachscape’, and was totally reasonable on cost too.
The food was a real treat and was well priced given the location and service! We were really impressed and would have liked to have tried more of the menu. We would have had we not only been here for a day!
There really is not much more to say here as we feel the pictures speak for themselves! This simply is a MUST visit place, be sure to stop by and grab an awesome cocktail and relax in the sun with THAT view.
5. Stop for a taco at the street food stands for the best tacos in all of Mexico
On our way back from Playa Norte we came across a street with several food stands and decided it was time for our first street taco experience. Synonymous with Mexico, street food is a traditional way to try classic Mexican cuisine – and boy was it good!
Unfortunately, the stand we found did not have a name to mention but it was probably the best tacos we ate in all of Mexico, and given that we were there for 4 months after visiting Isla Mujeres that is a high compliment. The food was not the only thing that was great – the service was too.
Just a 5-minute walk from the beach and just off of the main street we highly recommend trying one of these places. They usually have seating, offer cold beverages and the prices are pretty reasonable too. You will not regret it; we were so impressed that we were even calling over passers-by to try the food!
*Travel Tip - when eating street food in other countries always go where the locals are for the most affordable, safest and tastiest experience!
More from Isla Mujeres on YouTube
Before you go, why not check out our very special Isla Mujeres YouTube video for more on this stunning island! We explore the beautiful island of Isla Mujeres, and share our Airbnb, hotel, golf carts, beach clubs and epic sunsets on this island of turquoise water and sprawling sandy beaches.
We've formatted the video into two parts. The second portion of the video we are exploring the south end with a stay at the Casa de Los Suenos Boutique Hotel and the beach club restaurant Kin Ha. We tour the island on a golf cart and visit the Mayan Ruins of Ixchel at the southernmost tip of the Island an absolutely beautiful must see location also widely known as Iguana point. One showing the more budget option to explore this island with part two being a higher budget away to explore the island.
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