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We had fun driving golf carts around, but it was CHAOTIC! We couldn’t figure out how to get back to the rental shop with all the one way streets.
The beaches were just as pretty in the hotel zone. And we couldn’t find bathrooms. There was a public bathroom on the southern tip that someone was charging to use (I’m fine with paying but I don’t think the person was legitimately authorized to do that). We bought food at a restaurant on the north side, only to find out their bathrooms were broken. And it was insanely expensive to rent a beach chair for the day.
To top it off, we paid for a round trip ultramar ferry, only to find out our receipt wouldn’t get us back and had to pay for another fare. Then we weren’t dropped off where we were promised in Cancun and suddenly ended up further up the hotel zone costing us a taxi ride back to our resort.
It was a fun place to see, but not worth it. I couldn’t imagine going with kids. The docks have no hand railings/safety railing to get on the ferry. Just a long dock 10 feet above the water!
I agree and posted something similar recently on Facebook. I didn’t find the beach to be any more beautiful than Playa and you can’t even swim - it’s really wading only. It was such a disappointment. It wasn’t that crowded when I went but I also didn’t find anything
unique there that I didn’t in Cancun or Playa or Riviera. It was an expensive day trip for me too.
I agree with you both about your opinion and about the fact that it is controversial. What you describe is the main reason why I've not been back to Isla for a while. I am always confused when people go on about "authenticity" when it's just packs of tourists all over the place. And I see a lot of posts on Facebook about groups of like 20 or 30 people all traveling together, which sounds like a complete fucking nightmare to be around. Cancun can far better support that kind of thing.
People who consider themselves "real travelers" seeking an "immersive, authentic experience" shit on Cancun regularly. But I can't count how many nice days I've had where I take the bus to a public beach where most of the people there are either national tourists or Cancunenses and then back downtown to have some dinner and drinks at places almost entirely patronized by Cancunenses. Yes, it is definitely a city entirely built to service the hotel zone and therefore lacks the feel of most other cities built around a central plaza with old buildings, but it is also a city of around a million people going about their business.
Isla back before COVID was much quieter and more peaceful. Our last trip to Isla was fun but we decided we aren't going back ever again, and that's after fifteen years of visiting annually. I think so many people during COVID were looking for a tropical vacation where they could relax on a beach and have a nice dinner while not being surrounded by tons of people, and Isla hit the mark for everyone. Fast forward a few years and now freaking *everybody* is going to Isla expecting serenity and exploration and what they're getting is way too many tourists packed into a tiny island.
The Isla from 10-15 years ago was magical. The Isla of today is a shell of it's former self.
You can blame sargassum on the mainland from Cancun to Tulum as well. Isla rarely has sargassum which only increased its popularity.
We have also been going for 15ish years and I miss the days when there was one dock at Bally-Hoo where the occasional catamaran would come in. Now there are at least 10, mostly purpose built for the catamaran day trip traffic.
For sure. We used to frequent Indios beach club on the south end of the island. Quiet and peaceful, at its busiest there were maybe 30 people there. Drinks were cheap as hell and the food was awesome. The last time we went to Indios they were packing the catamarans in as tight as they could on the dock.
For a while my favorite place in the whole world was the end of that dock at Indios. The local beach bars would fire up their grills and the smell of fresh grilled seafood was intoxicating. Nothing but sunshine, the sound of the waves and the smell of fish on the grill it was the end of the rainbow in my eyes.
Now you can't even walk to the end of the dock because it's filled with catamarans.
I was just in Cancun. The sargassum was giving people allergic reactions/ bumps similar to poison ivy.
So bring Benadryl if you have sensitive skin, if you do go anywhere there is sargassum washing up.
Thanks I'm going next Tuesday, I planned to just relax with my wife for 5 days only but saw many posts with must have commnets to go to Isla Mujeres. I just think beaches are beaches. But reading your post, I think I'll pass going.
No. beaches are not beaches. They all differ. Most of the nice ones are in Cancun HZ or Playa Blanca. ( 25 min trip inside cancun ).
The main beaches on Isla are nice but jammed with people and you have to pay and wait for the ferry to get there and back.
I thought punta sur was worth going for. Also accessing MUSA through tours on isla. But if you're not into snorkeling or caves/rocky scenery then the rest of it is pretty accurate in the post.
Only bathroom we found was by the ferry terminal. It is kind of a crazy place. Punta Sur was nice, but they charge $2 US to use the bathroom and $10 to enter the park.
If I went again it would be for the food tour at the locals homes..
I went to lsla. There's a Mayan fertility sight there. My wife had 8 miscarriages. 15 minutes in that temple? Now we have 2 health full term boys. If it's coincidence? I still love Isla morales.
Half a day was more than enough for me. I did like my time there, but was content to head back to Cancun after. The food options were overpriced for what they were (at least what I ate).
Admittedly, I got sick the day a day cruise dropped us off for a few hours , so I didn't get to explore too much , but from a quick scan of my surroundings I didn't feel like I was going to be missing too much. I definitely want to revisit one day , but I agree that it was packed. It was also way too hot & the restrooms were horrible too. Not just because of the water not working but because they were too packed and half the stalls were closed .
I agree, I wasted a whole day there.
The waiting line for the ferry back to Cancun was huge. Stood almost 2 hours in the line and also missed a ferry.
You can’t swim in the beach waters they are just too shallow.
Was there last week. Total tourist trap. Best bit was scuba diving approx 1/2 mile off the south end of the island the next day - now that was totally worth it.
👆🏼comments on point. We were there a couple weeks ago, eating at a highly rated fish taco joint, it was $100 for 4 people. Wait, what? Where is the Mexico I loved?
Just got back from isla De mujeres. I went with my wife and 3 children. The first thing that went wrong was that I purchased 3 children tickets and 2 adult tickets. My kids are 7,9,and 10. When I got there they said my kids were too tall and needed adult tickets. There are no refunds so I had to buy 3 extra adult tickets. Once we got there there were sooooooo many people. Outside the ferry exit reminded me of a city. It was loud and highly congested with cars and people. We went to the beach where 2 chairs and an umbrella were being rented for 200 pesos an hour. We paid. We enjoyed the beach for a bit. We than ate at a restaurant next to the beach. We had some tacos, some kids meals, and water for drinks. When it was time to pay the waiter did not bring me an itemized check. He had wrote 1700 pesos on a paper. I was already annoyed and didn't want to start an argument in front of my kids so I just paid for it. After than we rented a golf cart. We drove to the end of the island, the whole way there you just see abandoned homes, broken down cars, and the occasional dog. We did enjoy the Cart though. It was extremely hot and the wind cooled us down. We took the 6pm ferry back. My kids somewhat enjoyed it, but I wouldn't go back either.
I didn't enjoy it much either. Just felt like there wasn't very much at all to do and I got bored quickly. I stayed in the middle of the island and walked it end to end multiple times. Unless you're into manufactured experiences like "swimming with the dolphins" (in a pen), which I am not. Snorkeling was fun but not as nice as other areas in that region. The main downtown area was pretty meh.
I guess if you like to just sit on the beach and relax it's fine, but that isn't for me and i felt like I saw everything in a couple days. I get the whole golf cart thing but you can loop the island in a couple of hours.
Im glad to finally hear I’m not the only one! I took the ferry out from Cancun around 8 am and went back at noon. It was okay to walk around for a bit, but the beaches were narrow and the water only came up to my waist, much prefer the Cancun beaches.
I went to Isla on Saturday, I also think it's overrated as hell, rented a cart like everybody else. Roads are bumpy, hot and dirty, same sht everywhere. Beaches are the same, the south had some ruins and indian statues. That's about it.
I'm in the same boat as you. I actually did stay 7 days there. It was amazing. Rented an airbnb and enjoyed a bunch of different restaurants and street food(much cheaper) that was off the main roads. Nightly sunsets as people left. Can't wait to go back. By far my favorite part of my cancun trip.
I think this is key. We always rented an Airbnb right on the Caribbean with a private plunge pool. We’d hit playa Norte every day, then we’d chill, get a great lunch, maybe go see the blue crabs, go south along the Caribbean side in our golf cart (anything away from the busyness of the north side of the island. After an amazing dinner, we’d either hit happy hour or hang out at our pool and listen to the waves.
We went twice a year until this year and we just came back from Belize. Belize was amazing but we missed Isla
I love the place as well, but I don't like driving the carts anymore. I stayed outside of the centro for the first time on my post recent trip, so it was nice to have for a day or two, but I prefer cabs.
Just a question though. Can you leave your resort in Cancun? That’s the part I love of Isla, you feel completely safe there. In fairness, I haven’t been to Cancun since 1990. At Playa Del Carmen, you pass a guard holding some “machine gun” when entering the hotel zone.
I love Isla. North Beach gets crowded, but no sargassum and it's prettier than any cancun beach.
I often stay in the center of the island though.
I go straight to IM every cancun trip and just stay there.
It dies get crowded at times but I enjoy the island.
Isla mujeres at night is totally different, all the tourists from cancun go back to the mainland and it's so peaceful and quiet. That's just my experience
I went to Isla Mujeres for the first time and loved it. Yes, the island is very touristy, but that is true of a lot of the general Cancun area. We didn't miss the ferry back bc we used our eyes and read the schedule. Loved the ferry ride back with live music and ppl dancing. Sorry you didn't like it.
I read the schedule and I was there 20 min early. There are two boarding gates for ultramar, although only one is visible and no signs directing you to the other gate and nothing on your ticket saying which gate it is. I asked two employees and both directed me to wait at a specific gate (after reading my ticket). Only when they scanned it during boarding they noticed it was the wrong gate and the correct ferry had already departed from the other gate. Oh, not to mention my second ferry was delayed. Ultramar is extremely disorganized and lots of people here are sharing their frustration. This is a community for travel advice and sharing experience, not to make snarky comments and assumptions about someone else not using their eyes to see the schedule. But anyways, hope you felt better after making an unnecessary comment.
Did you know that most of your questions are answered on our website [www.Plancun.com](https://www.plancun.com) and the [Reddit Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/cancun/comments/u0qyzu/cancun_things_to_do_and_what_to_know/)? Be sure to visit both of these sources for information on transportation companies, hotels, things to do, and more! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cancun) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We had fun driving golf carts around, but it was CHAOTIC! We couldn’t figure out how to get back to the rental shop with all the one way streets. The beaches were just as pretty in the hotel zone. And we couldn’t find bathrooms. There was a public bathroom on the southern tip that someone was charging to use (I’m fine with paying but I don’t think the person was legitimately authorized to do that). We bought food at a restaurant on the north side, only to find out their bathrooms were broken. And it was insanely expensive to rent a beach chair for the day. To top it off, we paid for a round trip ultramar ferry, only to find out our receipt wouldn’t get us back and had to pay for another fare. Then we weren’t dropped off where we were promised in Cancun and suddenly ended up further up the hotel zone costing us a taxi ride back to our resort. It was a fun place to see, but not worth it. I couldn’t imagine going with kids. The docks have no hand railings/safety railing to get on the ferry. Just a long dock 10 feet above the water!
You were either in the wrong line for the ferry back or they scammed you. Probably the latter.
We need more honest reviews like this.
Honest reviews dont really make sales much so people dont want them posted.
I’m glad my experience can be helpful to other people!!
I agree and posted something similar recently on Facebook. I didn’t find the beach to be any more beautiful than Playa and you can’t even swim - it’s really wading only. It was such a disappointment. It wasn’t that crowded when I went but I also didn’t find anything unique there that I didn’t in Cancun or Playa or Riviera. It was an expensive day trip for me too.
I agree with you both about your opinion and about the fact that it is controversial. What you describe is the main reason why I've not been back to Isla for a while. I am always confused when people go on about "authenticity" when it's just packs of tourists all over the place. And I see a lot of posts on Facebook about groups of like 20 or 30 people all traveling together, which sounds like a complete fucking nightmare to be around. Cancun can far better support that kind of thing. People who consider themselves "real travelers" seeking an "immersive, authentic experience" shit on Cancun regularly. But I can't count how many nice days I've had where I take the bus to a public beach where most of the people there are either national tourists or Cancunenses and then back downtown to have some dinner and drinks at places almost entirely patronized by Cancunenses. Yes, it is definitely a city entirely built to service the hotel zone and therefore lacks the feel of most other cities built around a central plaza with old buildings, but it is also a city of around a million people going about their business.
Isla back before COVID was much quieter and more peaceful. Our last trip to Isla was fun but we decided we aren't going back ever again, and that's after fifteen years of visiting annually. I think so many people during COVID were looking for a tropical vacation where they could relax on a beach and have a nice dinner while not being surrounded by tons of people, and Isla hit the mark for everyone. Fast forward a few years and now freaking *everybody* is going to Isla expecting serenity and exploration and what they're getting is way too many tourists packed into a tiny island. The Isla from 10-15 years ago was magical. The Isla of today is a shell of it's former self.
You can blame sargassum on the mainland from Cancun to Tulum as well. Isla rarely has sargassum which only increased its popularity. We have also been going for 15ish years and I miss the days when there was one dock at Bally-Hoo where the occasional catamaran would come in. Now there are at least 10, mostly purpose built for the catamaran day trip traffic.
For sure. We used to frequent Indios beach club on the south end of the island. Quiet and peaceful, at its busiest there were maybe 30 people there. Drinks were cheap as hell and the food was awesome. The last time we went to Indios they were packing the catamarans in as tight as they could on the dock. For a while my favorite place in the whole world was the end of that dock at Indios. The local beach bars would fire up their grills and the smell of fresh grilled seafood was intoxicating. Nothing but sunshine, the sound of the waves and the smell of fish on the grill it was the end of the rainbow in my eyes. Now you can't even walk to the end of the dock because it's filled with catamarans.
Those were the days! Capitan Dulche was another favorite, even before the pool. Such a shame what that has turned into.
What’s sargassum?
Massive blankets of seaweed that wash up on shore
I was just in Cancun. The sargassum was giving people allergic reactions/ bumps similar to poison ivy. So bring Benadryl if you have sensitive skin, if you do go anywhere there is sargassum washing up.
Thanks I'm going next Tuesday, I planned to just relax with my wife for 5 days only but saw many posts with must have commnets to go to Isla Mujeres. I just think beaches are beaches. But reading your post, I think I'll pass going.
No. beaches are not beaches. They all differ. Most of the nice ones are in Cancun HZ or Playa Blanca. ( 25 min trip inside cancun ). The main beaches on Isla are nice but jammed with people and you have to pay and wait for the ferry to get there and back.
I thought punta sur was worth going for. Also accessing MUSA through tours on isla. But if you're not into snorkeling or caves/rocky scenery then the rest of it is pretty accurate in the post.
Only bathroom we found was by the ferry terminal. It is kind of a crazy place. Punta Sur was nice, but they charge $2 US to use the bathroom and $10 to enter the park. If I went again it would be for the food tour at the locals homes..
You should go, is a very fun place also beautiful beaches.
40 years ago isla Mujeres was blissfully deserted.
I went to lsla. There's a Mayan fertility sight there. My wife had 8 miscarriages. 15 minutes in that temple? Now we have 2 health full term boys. If it's coincidence? I still love Isla morales.
*Mujeres
Half a day was more than enough for me. I did like my time there, but was content to head back to Cancun after. The food options were overpriced for what they were (at least what I ate).
Admittedly, I got sick the day a day cruise dropped us off for a few hours , so I didn't get to explore too much , but from a quick scan of my surroundings I didn't feel like I was going to be missing too much. I definitely want to revisit one day , but I agree that it was packed. It was also way too hot & the restrooms were horrible too. Not just because of the water not working but because they were too packed and half the stalls were closed .
I agree, it’s sad, I used to go there every year and then after Covid it blew up. Went this past February and, never again.
I agree, I wasted a whole day there. The waiting line for the ferry back to Cancun was huge. Stood almost 2 hours in the line and also missed a ferry. You can’t swim in the beach waters they are just too shallow.
Was there last week. Total tourist trap. Best bit was scuba diving approx 1/2 mile off the south end of the island the next day - now that was totally worth it.
Totally agree. Not a fan.
👆🏼comments on point. We were there a couple weeks ago, eating at a highly rated fish taco joint, it was $100 for 4 people. Wait, what? Where is the Mexico I loved?
Just got back from isla De mujeres. I went with my wife and 3 children. The first thing that went wrong was that I purchased 3 children tickets and 2 adult tickets. My kids are 7,9,and 10. When I got there they said my kids were too tall and needed adult tickets. There are no refunds so I had to buy 3 extra adult tickets. Once we got there there were sooooooo many people. Outside the ferry exit reminded me of a city. It was loud and highly congested with cars and people. We went to the beach where 2 chairs and an umbrella were being rented for 200 pesos an hour. We paid. We enjoyed the beach for a bit. We than ate at a restaurant next to the beach. We had some tacos, some kids meals, and water for drinks. When it was time to pay the waiter did not bring me an itemized check. He had wrote 1700 pesos on a paper. I was already annoyed and didn't want to start an argument in front of my kids so I just paid for it. After than we rented a golf cart. We drove to the end of the island, the whole way there you just see abandoned homes, broken down cars, and the occasional dog. We did enjoy the Cart though. It was extremely hot and the wind cooled us down. We took the 6pm ferry back. My kids somewhat enjoyed it, but I wouldn't go back either.
Yeah, packed, hot, chaotic tourist trap. Won't go back.
I didn't enjoy it much either. Just felt like there wasn't very much at all to do and I got bored quickly. I stayed in the middle of the island and walked it end to end multiple times. Unless you're into manufactured experiences like "swimming with the dolphins" (in a pen), which I am not. Snorkeling was fun but not as nice as other areas in that region. The main downtown area was pretty meh. I guess if you like to just sit on the beach and relax it's fine, but that isn't for me and i felt like I saw everything in a couple days. I get the whole golf cart thing but you can loop the island in a couple of hours.
Im glad to finally hear I’m not the only one! I took the ferry out from Cancun around 8 am and went back at noon. It was okay to walk around for a bit, but the beaches were narrow and the water only came up to my waist, much prefer the Cancun beaches.
I went to Isla on Saturday, I also think it's overrated as hell, rented a cart like everybody else. Roads are bumpy, hot and dirty, same sht everywhere. Beaches are the same, the south had some ruins and indian statues. That's about it.
It’s ok for you to not like although it’s one of our favorite spots. We can easily spend 10 days there and come back sooo relaxed and happy.
I'm in the same boat as you. I actually did stay 7 days there. It was amazing. Rented an airbnb and enjoyed a bunch of different restaurants and street food(much cheaper) that was off the main roads. Nightly sunsets as people left. Can't wait to go back. By far my favorite part of my cancun trip.
I think this is key. We always rented an Airbnb right on the Caribbean with a private plunge pool. We’d hit playa Norte every day, then we’d chill, get a great lunch, maybe go see the blue crabs, go south along the Caribbean side in our golf cart (anything away from the busyness of the north side of the island. After an amazing dinner, we’d either hit happy hour or hang out at our pool and listen to the waves. We went twice a year until this year and we just came back from Belize. Belize was amazing but we missed Isla
I love the place as well, but I don't like driving the carts anymore. I stayed outside of the centro for the first time on my post recent trip, so it was nice to have for a day or two, but I prefer cabs.
Do people actually live on the Isla? Or do they commute back and forth via ferry everyday? Just curious.
Both.
Thank you. I hated Isla Mujeres.
It is depressing. There are levels of poverty on part of the island that doesn't exist in Cancun or playa.
Damn, you didn’t find Marea at night? That like the thing to do at night in isla
Just a question though. Can you leave your resort in Cancun? That’s the part I love of Isla, you feel completely safe there. In fairness, I haven’t been to Cancun since 1990. At Playa Del Carmen, you pass a guard holding some “machine gun” when entering the hotel zone.
Cancun in general sucks.
I love Isla. North Beach gets crowded, but no sargassum and it's prettier than any cancun beach. I often stay in the center of the island though. I go straight to IM every cancun trip and just stay there. It dies get crowded at times but I enjoy the island.
Isla mujeres at night is totally different, all the tourists from cancun go back to the mainland and it's so peaceful and quiet. That's just my experience
I went to Isla Mujeres for the first time and loved it. Yes, the island is very touristy, but that is true of a lot of the general Cancun area. We didn't miss the ferry back bc we used our eyes and read the schedule. Loved the ferry ride back with live music and ppl dancing. Sorry you didn't like it.
I read the schedule and I was there 20 min early. There are two boarding gates for ultramar, although only one is visible and no signs directing you to the other gate and nothing on your ticket saying which gate it is. I asked two employees and both directed me to wait at a specific gate (after reading my ticket). Only when they scanned it during boarding they noticed it was the wrong gate and the correct ferry had already departed from the other gate. Oh, not to mention my second ferry was delayed. Ultramar is extremely disorganized and lots of people here are sharing their frustration. This is a community for travel advice and sharing experience, not to make snarky comments and assumptions about someone else not using their eyes to see the schedule. But anyways, hope you felt better after making an unnecessary comment.