Isla Mujeres Mexico
We’d visited the Riviera Maya several times, but had never been to Isla Mujeres. Not that we hadn’t wanted to, it’s just that there are so many places to visit and so many things to do that it’s impossible to do all you want to in just one visit, or in two or three, come to think of it. So, when we got to Cancun, instead of heading south, as we had on previous trips, we headed east – straight across the water from Cancun to Isla Mujeres – there are plenty of ferries and since it’s about eight miles away the crossing only takes about fifteen minutes. Its proximity actually means that it’s easy to visit Isla Mujeres on a day tour, and there is a head-spinning array of them. You can take a day cruise across on a catamaran or motor boat and hang out at a beach club with all your food and drink included, or you can take a night cruise and have a dinner buffet once you get there, with entertainment, food, and drinks included. Then there are tours which also include snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, shopping, marine parks, cycling, zip-lining, and even swimming with sharks (vegetarian sharks, perhaps).
However, we decided to go over on the normal ferry and just hang out for three days. It turned out to be a good decision because there is more than enough to keep you busy. 
Isla Mujeres used to be a fishing village, once upon a time, but now it is a Caribbean destination with all the activities, restaurants, and accommodations that you would expect. I can recommend three outstanding luxury vacation rentals on Isla Mujeres, Casa de Los Sueños, Villas Bonita la Isla and Casa Neza. But it’s not Cancun or anything like it; it has a cozy, tropical feel, not built-up, very low key, and very pretty. The beaches are gorgeous, with Playa Norte is being the most popular; it has the beautiful white sand, translucent waters, and swaying palms that epitomize the Caribbean, though I was told it can get a bit crowded in high season. There are also a lot of dolphins and dolphin-related activities on that island. We went to Dolphin Discovery and swam with them and they did their tricks, it’s a lot of fun and it must be even more fun with if you go there with kids. Isla Mujeres is fabulous for snorkeling and scuba diving, and there are plenty of coral reefs around the island. In fact the snorkeling next to our hotel, the Avalon Reef Club, was excellent.
The best thing to do is to rent some bicycles or mopeds or even a golf cart to get around the island and explore all the hidden corners that the folks who come on day tours never get to see. It’s a small island, so if you’re reasonably fit you can do it by bicycle. You can also go to one of the marine parks to snorkel, dive, kayak, swim with dolphins, or just kick back at the beach club. A nice way to spend an afternoon is to do some shopping downtown; there are plenty of great handicraft shops. As for dinner or having a few drinks in the evening, you’re spoilt for choice – for such a small island there is a surprising number of restaurants and a diverse range of different cuisines.
