Cancun is arguably one of the most accessible locations in Mexico. With most major airlines making direct flights from multiple cities around the western hemisphere. White sandy beaches, luxurious hotels, cheap entertainment, Walmart, McDonalds….wait, what? We didn’t come here for western convenience wrapped in a tortilla. We want something a little more authentic.
Our next stop was an island off the coast of Cancun called Isla Mujeres. Even though the island is still full of hotels, we were happy to find more of a small tropical island feel. This is still a major “tourist” destination, which means if you are severely allergic to other people you may want to go a little farther off the map – see our Big or Little Corn Travel Guides.
There are a few options for getting to Isla Mujeres from Cancun. A taxi or bus can take you to one of the many ferry terminals. The more popular UltraMar ferries are closet to Cancun. These fast and comfortable boats range in price range from $170-$260 pesos/person (aprox $11.50-$18 CAD). You also have the option of a charter boat for about $150 pesos/person (aprox $10 CAD). Don’t worry the boat captains will find you and solicit their services. But in the spirit of cheap travel and taking the scenic route. We opted for the old ferry that sails from Punta Sam, just north of Cancun. This ferry is a quarter of the cost at $46 pesos/person (aprox $3 CAD), and the sailing time is 3 times as long as the Ultramar. This is a bonus in our opinion.
The options for accommodation include resorts, hotels, guest houses, airbnbs, or hostels. If you are looking for best value, the Pocna hostel is it. They offer shared dorm rooms at $180-$220 pesos (aprox $12-$15 CAD), or private rooms for $450-$600 pesos (aprox $30-$40 CAD).
Breakfast is included; as well as, yoga classes, daily workshops, live music, beach volleyball, and other daily activities. Some of the other amenities on site include: bar/restaurant, private beach area with hammocks, dive shop, bike, golf cart & moped rental, beach massage hut, and a late night beach bar.
**Note: We are always cautious when following travel guides/blogs when it comes to restaurants. Were the “best” and “cheapest” places true to their description? Or just the places the author happened to go? Well we can tell you for a fact that we read and reread countless menus, as we circled through the streets, fighting off the aggressive restaurant hosts until we were satisfied that the “best” and the “cheapest” deal was indeed what was offered.
Since we had breakfast included with out accommodation, here are some ideas for good lunches and dinners. We prefer to eat at spots without a host at the entrance, AKA the guy in charge of harassing tourists to come eat at their restaurant.
1. Pocna Hostel – They have very reasonable prices for both lunch and dinner. They also offer an impressive nightly BBQ dinner for $150 pesos/person (aprox $10 CAD).
2. El Poc Chuc – No fancy decor here, just great authentic Mexican food for a good price. *We recommend the Sopa de Lima
3. Pita Amore – 5 beer bucket & a pita pizza for $130 pesos (aprx $8.65 CAD).
4. Restaurant Bar Viñales – 4 beer bucket & chips and guacamole for $120 pesos (aprx $8 CAD).
5. Oscars Pizza & Pasta – We thought that from the looks of this place it would be well out of our budget but gladly we stopped for a look at the menu. We got a large vegetarian pizza for $170 pesos (aprox $11.50 CAD). We could only eat half so it was also our lunch the next day.
7. Rueben’s Restaurant – This place was recommended by both travel guides and island locals. We were very happy with the food and the prices. *We recommend the super burrito.
8. Taqueria Dominguez – more tasty Mexican eats for a reasonable price.
9. Fajita Street – $25 pesos/Fajita (aprx $1.65 CAD).
10. Burger Street – $25 pesos/Hotdogs or Hamburgers (aprx $1.65 CAD).
Playa Norte is the sandiest beach on the island and the perfect place to enjoy the afternoon or the evening sunset. Punta Sur (the south point) is a great spot for both sunrise or sunset. However, it is $30 pesos/person (aprx $2 CAD) so we only made it as far as the gate.
Pocna has morning yoga, beach volleyball, magic shows, evening live music.
There are many snorkelling and scuba diving tours offered throughout the island. The snorkel ranged from $30-60 CAD/person. We booked through the Pocna Dive Centre for $40 CAD/person. We went to two reefs and MUSA (Underwater Museum of Art). The main reason we booked a snorkel tour was because we wanted to see MUSA, but due to water conditions we could barely see anything at all. We did get to swim amongst thousands of pulsing jellyfish which added some excitement and made up for the lack of visibility.
Last but not least, we recommend visiting Tortugranja (Turtle Farm). It was really cool to see all the turtles in various stages of growth. We also saw two sharks, a manta ray, and lots of other sea creatures. It is $30 pesos/person (aprx $2 CAD) but it goes to a good cause preserving marine habitat and wildlife.
If you are staying at the North end of the island, where all the action is, everything is in walking distance. If you want to check out the rest of the island you can rent golf carts, scooters or bikes. We opted for a bike rental and were able to barter two bikes for half a day for $200 pesos (about $13.50 CAD). There are taxis as well. A taxi from one end to the other is around $60-$100 pesos (aprox $4-$6 CAD).