Isla Mujeres Mexico (Quintana Roo)

Isla Mujeres ("Women Island") is in the Gulf of Mexico (Eastern Caribbean), located approx 13 km (8 mi) to the east of mainland Mexico (Yucatán Peninsula). The isle is a separate municipality and part of Mexico's Quintana Roo state. The nearest city is Cancun (straight line distance 14 km / 8,5 mi) on the mainland.

Mujeres Island has length 7 km / 4 mi, width 650 m / 2130 ft, land area approx 2,3 km2 / 1,6 mi2 and population around 13,000 (all living in Isla Mujeres Town).

On-island main means of transport are taxis, golf carts, mopeds, and bicycles. Buses (one line) run from El Centro (downtown) to the colonies (neighborhoods). Regularly scheduled daily ferries connect Mujeres Island with Cancun's Puerto Juarez Dock and Gran Puerto Pier. The ferry service is provided by two passenger shipping companies (UltraMar Ferries and Jetway Fast Ferry). UltraMar also provides regularly scheduled daily connections/ferry crossings between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.

From Cancun, Mujeres Island is also visited via party boats offering affordable excursions to day trippers and small tourist groups. Day trips by pleasure boats to Isla Mujeres are also offered from Playa del Carmen and from Isla Cozumel.

As a tourist destination, the island is popular for the fresh seafood (traditionally cooked and with local recipes), numerous restaurants serving local and international cuisine specialties (Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean, French, Thai, Caribbean), numerous cheap hotels and luxury resorts, Playa Norte (island's most famous beach).

Isla Mujeres is also popular as a scuba diving and snorkeling destination, being close to the coral reefs of Garrafon Natural Reef Park. Off the island's western coast is the worldwide-famous MUSA (Cancun Underwater Museum of Art) with 500 life-size sculptures submerged in 3 different galleries.

Before the Spaniards (the 16th century), the island was dedicated to Ixchel - the Mayan goddess of medicine and childbirth. The Spanish named the island "Mujeres" because of the numerous images of Mayan goddesses. Here, the Mayans also exploited salt (also accepted as currency) which was produced in the small lagoons.

Isla Mujeres Mexico tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Playa Del Carmen