The once sacred Island of the Mayan moon goddess is now a popular destination for daytrippers
A refreshing antidote to the urban sprawl of Cancún, Isla Mujeres is a good place to relax for a few days away from the hurly-burly of package tourism. The island is especially pleasant in the evening, when all the Cancún day trippers have gone. The town is strictly low rise, with brightly coloured buildings giving it a Caribbean island feel. The island’s laws prohibit the construction of any building higher than three floors and US franchises such as McDonald’s and Walmart are not allowed to open branches here. Although Isla Mujeres remains laid-back and low-key compared to its mainland neighbours, there’s been a lot of building on the quieter western side and by now there is only the protected area around El Garrafon and the very south that’s escaped the onslaught of holidaymakers. The rougher, wilder shores of eastern Isla, where the sea is too choppy to swim in, are still quiet with only a few houses overlooking the sea.
There are several good beaches on Isla Mujeres, the best being Playa Cocos on the northwest coast, five minutes’ walk from the town. Further south, there are several places to swim, snorkel and observe marine life. Restaurants and nightspots are plentiful, of good quality and cheaper than those on the mainland. The people are also friendlier and more easygoing here. There are several ways to explore the island: you can rent a golf cart, many of which chug around the streets all day, good for families; mopeds and bicycles are cheap and easy to rent; and there’s a public bus that runs all the way from the town to El Paraíso, almost at the southern tip of the island.
The name Isla Mujeres refers to the large number of clay female idols found by the Spaniards here in 1518. The island contains the only known Maya shrine to a female deity: Ixchel, goddess of the moon and fertility. The ruins of the shrine are at the southern tip of the island.
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