Isla Mujeres

We boarded the ferry at Playa Caracol, and far across the turquoise water we could see the strip of land known as Island of the Women. Certainly, there were many women on the ferry on their way to this seductive island, most of them dressed in beach attire. Of course, men were on their way there, too.

Forty minutes later we pulled up to the port and locked up with the dock. With the exception of a few who brought their suitcases, most of the droves were, like ourselves, on a day trip from Cancún.

Corner of Avenida Juarez and Calle Abasolo.

Avenida Rueda Medina, the first street we encountered when off the ferry, was a thriving hub where everyone seemed to be. Hustlers thrust laminated brochures at our faces, trying to sell us tours. Every business along the far side of the street seemed to be renting golf carts. Surprisingly, two random Mexicans who just happened to work at the hotel where we were staying in Cancún recognized us! (We believed the first guy, but when the second one stopped us, we knew it was a ploy.)

We walked inland on a narrow street with shops opened up, all the owners trying to entice with their wonderful deals. Already annoyed, we kept our heads forward and pushed on.

The east coast of Isla Mujeres.

Isla Mujeres is not a big island. At this point it was only about 1,000 feet wide and soon we would come out on the other side before a beautiful blue panorama of Caribbean Sea and rocky coastline.

By now the hawkers had faded away and we were able to enjoy the serene vista. On this eastern coast we had a long view which stretched far to the south. 

First on our agenda, however, was to find a place to eat. For the moment we found ourselves in a quiet part of town. That played to our advantage.

I saw a sign on the outside of a wall advertising tacos for 35 pesos. We stepped inside to what looked like a family operation. Behind the counter a man and woman cooked the food. Four tables, all fairly close together, served as the dining area. A teenage boy, probably their son, came in with a bag of groceries.

We weren't terribly hungry. I ordered two tacos, a birria and barbacoa. A bottle of Coke on the side hit the spot. The birria taco was fall-apart tender and very flavorful.

A bottle of Coke and tacos.

A small taco shop on Isla Mujeres. 

Now it was time to rent those golf carts. I was worried about this because some of the hawkers we ran into earlier gave us quotes of 85 USD for two hours. From what I learned on the internet, it should have been much lower. There's nothing more irritable than getting swindled in Mexico!

We returned to Avenida Rueda Medina and the first two companies we encountered were currently out of carts. At that moment we lost hope and thought that perhaps we had waited too long. A lesson learned.

But then we came across a cranny of a building with a golf cart parked out by the sidewalk. I went inside and inquired and learned they still had one left. We rented it for two hours for 1,000 pesos, or roughly 50 USD. We were on our way!

A golf cart is the arguably the best option for the tourist to see the island. There are also taxis, scooters, and a rickety old bus. But the golf carts seem most practical.

I drove for the first half, getting used to our new means of conveyance. I had to watch out for the speed bumps. Dang speed bumps! Every time I it hit one too fast, Jenelle would let me know.

The golf carts didn't go as fast as the cars or scooters. I tried staying to the right so they could pass. Even while driving, the hawkers on the street tried soliciting us, usually offering beer. I'm sure they knew it  was strictly forbidden on our carts.

We took to the island in a counter-clockwise direction, making very few stops until we arrived at the southern point. Being good stewards, we shut off our carts and locked them up with a cable lock that wrapped around a bar and steering wheel.

Punta Sur.

Punta Sur was, in my opinion, was the most picturesque place on the island. Like a finger, it jutted into the ocean with steep jagged cliffs on both sides. The slender strip on top had a beautiful stretch of green growth, cactus and an array of statues.

What caught my attention were all the iguanas. They crawled everywhere, but mostly on the rocky ledges near the cliffs. They mostly stood still, but would sometimes move to the next rock and strut their head. Although I saw dozens of them, I took way too many pictures because they were such a novelty. I felt as if I had just discovered a lost species of dinosaur that was an ancestor to our modern lizards. Very fascinating.

One of many iguanas.

Now, to be sure, we weren't quite at the southern point. It cost 100 pesos per person to gain access to walk the additional half mile to the very end. I would have loved to, but we didn't have the time. We had to return the golf cart.

Isla Mujeres was given its name by the Spainards, who landed in 1517. They found figurines of females scattered throughout the island. At one time it had a temple dedicated to Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of the moon, love and fertility. Many women would make a pilgrimage to the island, which was symbolic of their transition into womanhood, hence the name.

Jenelle's turn to drive the golf cart.

Now it was Jenelle's turn to drive. She promised I wouldn't even feel the bumps! Now I was able to sit back and enjoy the scenery.

We made two stops. The first was at another overlook of the rocky eastern coast. This one had even more iguanas than Punta Sur. It was kind of creepy to see so many reptiles in one place. The place was infested with iguanas.

The second stop was for me. It was a cemetery. Although there was nothing of note or historical about this cemetery, its location was all it needed.⸺Next to the Caribbean Sea!

Iguanas everywhere!

Cemetery just off the coast.

A typical road on our circuit of the island. 

Our time with the golf cart now drew to an end.  After returning our cart we walked northwest on Avenida Rueda Medina, along an array of shops. Soon the main road petered out and then we came to a sandy one-car lane. We emerged onto a pristine beach with hundreds of people.

This beach, I believe, was public, but all the shaded lawn chairs belonged to the hotels. The white sand was smooth and perfect. No rocks. The water was the color of larimar. Friends, families and strangers all cooled off in the same shallow water.

I couldn't wait to change into my swimming suit and have my own adventure. With shirt off and bright red chest and thighs now exposed, I waded into the water, the fine white sand beneath my feet like a fluffy pillow. Once my swimming trunks were submerged I dove like a fish into the refreshing fluid. I swam underwater for several strokes before coming up for air. Everything was perfect.

For the next half hour I enjoyed the water. The waves were never too big and not once did I feel even a pebble beneath my feet. With goggles on I floated across the top, watching the murky green water and sand. The world beneath the surface was a dreamy one.

Playa El Cocal. 

On our way back to the ferry I walked barefoot and shirtless until I was dry. We stopped to buy Jenelle a sweatshirt, then at a 7-Eleven to get a drink. We both needed fluids.

Our last stop was at another cemetery. This one was only a couple blocks from the northern beaches. Jenelle even came in with me. Like a typical Mexican cemetery, the monuments were built above-ground. We saw an assortment of statues and crosses.

Cemetery #2 on Isla Mujeres.

Without much time to spare we hurried to the ferry terminal. We hoped to catch the 5:30 boat, the second-to-last one for the day. It was a madhouse, everyone trying to get back to their hotel.

When they scanned our tickets, the ticket lady admitted our entrance, but blocked the people behind us. We were the last ones allowed on the boat! The others must have been forced to take the 7 pm boat. What a sigh of relief for us!

Jenelle and I sat with hundreds of others on the ferry, listening to a stocky Mexican man serenade us with Cielito Lindo. We relished the moment. We couldn't have asked for a better day. We saw a heavenly landscape, ate at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, had an adventure on a golf cart, and swam in the greenish-blue beauty of the Caribbean Sea! ♠