Isla Mujeres Travel Guide

From a perch on the stern of a ferry that’s motoring toward Isla Mujeres, Mexico, the concrete towers and sprawling resorts of Cancun grow smaller and smaller as they disappear into the wake. The slender island—just five miles long—that’s fixed in the boat’s bearing is a pretty sight: pockets of palm trees crowding colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, and pristine white-sand beaches fronting the Caribbean.

A short, 30-minute ride from port to port, Isla Mujeres has long been a destination for both day-trippers and vacationers looking for a more explore-and-immerse kind of Mexican beach stay. In 2023, Travel + Leisure readers voted it one of their favorite islands across Mexico, Central, and South America.

“For a lot of people, it’s the quaintness of the island and the connection with the people,” says Cheyenne Hoggins, a local business owner behind Isla VIP, a concierge service, and someone who has been a regular on the island for more than 20 years. “When I started going, it was sandy streets. Now, everything is paved. It’s developed so much, and tourism is so strong.”

The earliest history of Isla Mujeres dates back to the 16th century, when the strip of sand dunes housed a sanctuary to the Mayan goddess Ixchel, drawing young girls who prayed for their growth into womanhood. When Spanish conquistadors landed in 1517, they gave it a name that translates to the “island of women.”

Today, small-town friendliness and an unmatched diving and live music scene keep visitors coming back. And a new set of design-forward hotels, like Almare, Marriott’s first Luxury Collection all-inclusive in Mexico, is paving the way for a more stylish future.

Best Hotels and Resorts

Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets

One of the best adults-only all-inclusives in Mexico, Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets is a secluded slice of paradise near the island’s wilder southern point. Guests are whisked to the resort on a private catamaran from the mainland and will be wowed by the tiered infinity pools and four-story waterslide that drops straight into the ocean.

Hotel Secreto

Hotel Secreto is one of the island’s original boutique properties, with a rustic charm on unbeatable real estate, right by the main Playa Norte. Comfortable suite furnishings make it feel like an in-demand rental house best used as a base to blend in with the locals. Julian Smaldoni, a luxury hotelier based in Riviera Maya, calls it a “stylish, intimate retreat” right on “one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico.”

Almare, a Luxury Collection Resort

When Almare opened on the island in November 2024 with 109 suites, each with a private balcony, it added a raft of new elegant inventory to a destination best known for its low-frills lodging. Beautiful woodwork and marble are used throughout the rooms, and common spaces showcase regional materials, like the soaring palm-thatched canopy at the rooftop restaurant, Seasalt. Plus, the resort’s westward orientation is perfect for sunset.

Casa de los Sueños

This boutique beachfront hotel on the south side of the island has all the trappings of a charming local spot: pink painted walls, floral Mexican textiles in rooms, and a view of the sparkling turquoise sea from the infinity pool. Kin Há, the hotel’s next-door restaurant and activity complex, is a popular gathering place, with three pools, water gear rental, and a rope swing over the surf. 

Best Things to Do

Tour the island by golf cart.

A golf cart tour of the island is a time-honored tradition for visitors to Isla Mujeres. If your hotel doesn’t have rental options, there are plenty of concierge services and shops around town that can hook you up. Start up north, in the more tourist-trafficked part of the island, and loop around south, where untamed nature still prevails. Along the way, a string of dive bars make for natural pit stops.

Explore the underwater museum.

Thirteen to 26 feet beneath the surface around Isla Mujeres, more than 500 life-size sculptures by artist Jason deCaires Taylor play habitat to dazzling marine life and a growing reef structure. The Museo Subacuático de Arte, or MUSA, installed in 2009, is a can’t-miss, with visits open to both snorkelers and divers.

Have some ice cream on the beach.

Curving around the northern edge of the island, Playa Norte is the best beach in town. It’s not buzzy, nor is it known for adventure sports. Instead, it’s a place to stretch out on a lounge chair and unwind. “Little ice cream carts roll along the beach with fresh homemade coconut ice cream. It’s a great spot to relax and look at the blue water and white sand,” says Hoggins.

Swim with whale sharks.

Whale sharks—the largest fish in the sea, at about the size of a school bus—travel some 5,000 miles a year to find enough food to survive. Their most important stop is in the waters around Isla Mujeres, where from May to September, hundreds gather to feast on the plankton blooms. Tour companies know just the right spots to guide you to swim with the creatures. 

Best Nightlife

“Mini Bourbon Street”

The island does its partying early, with nightlife quieting down around 11 or 12 p.m., but when it gets rocking, the center of the action happens on Calle Miguel Hidalgo in the northern downtown zone. “We call it like a mini Bourbon Street,” says Hoggins.

Live Music

Like many sun-drenched islands, Isla Mujeres has a soundtrack: the joyful songs of local bands and guitarists who take up residency at several spots around town. The Joint, in the southern end of the island, is a mainstay bar and grill with a day-to-night reggae band and an iconic frozen mojito.

Best Restaurants

La Casa del Tikinxic

Long before regular commercial ferry service existed between Cancun and Isla Mujeres, and before Cancun had even been targeted by the Mexican government for development, Rogelio Magaña, better known as “El Chilero,” was grilling fish on Playa Lancheros in the tikin xic style: painted with rust-red achiote paste and sour orange marinade. In 1995, Magaña bought the picture-perfect beachfront plot in the southern part of the island to start La Casa del Tikinxic, where the dish has headlined the menu ever since.

Olivia

Run by an Israeli couple who fell in love with the island decades ago, Olivia offers a refined taste of the Mediterranean in a cozy tropical garden setting. Breads are baked fresh and spices are used generously in a menu that includes everything from Moroccan stewed fish to Greek kofta kebabs.

Rosa Sirena’s

Rosa Sirena’s is an elevated island favorite, with thick cuts of filet, and, of course, the freshest seafood, all served under a palapa roof. Nightly live Latin music and an island’s-best dessert menu—see the towering triple-layer chocolate cake—make this a place to linger long past sundown.

Oceanvs Beach Club

Reserve ahead for this fashionable beach club right on Playa Norte serving all the foods you could want while lounging on a daybed: ceviche, guacamole, tacos, and burgers on homemade brioche buns. At night, a sophisticated menu and vibe takes over. The grilled lobster is massive and dripping in garlic butter. 

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Isla Mujeres is from December to April, when the days aren’t too hot—the average highs fall between 81 and 87 degrees Fahrenheit—and there’s a minimal chance of rain. During the Atlantic hurricane season, from June to November, heavy rainstorms can pass through. On average, the rainiest month is October. Because of the island’s position, it’s naturally protected year-round from the sargassum seaweed that plagues other parts of the area. New Year’s celebrations and Carnival—the latter held in February or March—make for an especially fun time to visit.

How to Get There

Isla Mujeres is just a quick, eight-mile boat trip from Cancun and its busy international airport. The ferry terminal in Puerto Juárez is the biggest, while launch points in the city’s Hotel Zone may be more convenient. Ultramar and Xcaret Xailing are two trusted services with regular departures (typically every half hour or hour) that are clearly outlined in schedules online. Trips can last from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the ship and route. Some hotels on the island offer built-in transport for their lucky guests.

Areas to Visit

Centro

The north end of the island, known as Centro or the island’s downtown, is the hub of activity on Isla Mujeres. This is where the ferries drop off passengers, amid a mini grid of streets lined with handicraft shops and hole-in-the-wall bars. Playa Norte, the island’s best beach, wraps the coast.

Punta Sur

A bit less touristy and slightly more rugged, the south end of the island is quickly being developed as an alternative staging point with hotels and rentals for visitors seeking a calmer experience. But even if you’re based up north, it’s a must-visit on a golf cart or bike tour, if only for the spectacular view from the cliffside Punta Sur lookout.

How to Get Around

The northern knob of the island—Isla Mujeres’s main zone—is very walkable. To venture beyond that, there are taxis available for hire on the island’s limited roadways, but most locals get around on golf carts or bikes.