The beaches are amazing with crystal clear water with none of that milky look like back in Cancun, the streets are less crowded, the island has its own relaxed feel, and the local residents are less stressed and happy with Island life. The best thing and most magical thing on this Island happens during May to September, you can go to nearby waters to see & swim with whale sharks who travel in huge groups. If you lucky you might even see a whole lot of Manta rays as well.
There are two main options here which are by ferry or by plane.
By ferry means you have the option to go from 5 different ports:
1. Puerto Juarez: located in Av. Jose Lopez Portillo MZ 84 M 5 L 6 Puerto Juárez, Cancun. It has departures every half hour from 5:00 AM to 10:30 PM and an extra one at 11:30 PM being the latest. 146 Pesos for a round trip.
2. Playa Tortugas: located in the hotel zone of Cancun, Blvd. Kukulcan. Km 6.5. It has only 8 departures per day, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every hour.
3. Playa Caracol: located in the hotel zone of Cancun, Blvd. Kukulcan. Km 9.5. It has only 6 departures per day, from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM every 1 hour 15 minutes.
4. El Embarcadero: located in the hotel zone of Cancun, Blvd. Kukulcan Km 4. It has 6 departures per day, from 9:15 AM to 4:30 PM every 1 hour 15 minutes.
5. Punta Sam: you can take a bus from downtown Cancun (Route 8) or a taxi from the Hotel Zone and head north. Water shuttles depart directly from the Hotel Zone. Punta Sam is the departing point for car ferries heading to the 2 main islands next to Cancun: Isla Mujeres and Cozumel.
Puerto Juarez is the best option and the ride across takes approximately 45 minutes. Here is some more information regarding the ferries. You can purchase the ticket once you get to the port. There are also some private boat charter options available from hotels.
By Plane: You can look intoAero Saab: to save some time and splash some dollars or you can try to grab a ride with a supply plane which is doing deliveries to the island or just a local pilot willing to take you there.
On Arrival you can take a taxi to your resort (about 30 pesos) or simply rent a golf cart for several days (About 300-400 pesos a day). The Island is about 7km long and arrival via ferry is mostly in the central end or a bit further south. All the tourist resorts and most of the action is on the north of the island.
There are quite a lot of options on the north side but I would recommend:
Privilege Aluxes: Located North West, this was a small piece of paradise with huge rooms, hot tub, ocean views, 2 swimming pools, nice spa, 3 restaurants, and a beach bar. This is also voted number 1 on trip advisor for this Island so book early and make sure you get a superior room here. Take the all-inclusive deal and you can’t go wrong. Also book the Asian restaurant ASAP as it is one that requires reservation and fills up fast.
There are many activities to do on this island and most of them take place before sunset. If you have rented a golf cart then you can see most of the island in 3-4 hours. The water activities can take longer from 5-7 hours.
1. Whale Shark Excursions: If you are here during May-September then you will be lucky enough to do this magical experience. It has to be on the bucket list. I did a lot of research on the tours here and tried two companies. Once as awesome and very professional, the other was a disaster waiting to happen. For all water activities (Whale Shark tour, Snorkeling, PADI, Diving) go with Aqua adventures Eco Divers. This is run by an American guy Jim who is a former coast guard. The boat is modern and has a toilet on board, his staff are professional and take safety seriously. I will write another article in more detail regarding the whale shark tour so you know what to expect.
2. Scuba diving and Snorkelling: Using the company mentioned earlier, you can visit Manchones Reef which begins just off of Isla's shore, and the Cuevones and Banderas Reefs which are close by.
3. Fishing: With the sport fishing scene here is big so talk to your Hotel for some hints.
4. Dolphin Discovery: There is a dolphin amusement park on the north west of the island. I did not go here as I oppose animals in captivity being used for entertainment and revenue purposes. I was lucky enough to see a dolphin out in the open ocean during my whale shark trip.
5. Turtle farm: This is a farm that is a Government-sponsored hatchery for endangered sea turtles. You get to see young turtles in pools and tanks. They are released into the wild once they are ready so you can look into this release dates.
6. Garrafon Natural reef park: On the south side offers great snorkeling options with great marine life. However this gets crowded with day trippers so timing is important. You can go close by the park and swim for about 40-80 pesos and still catch a lot of the marine life.
1. It all starts with some sun downers at the beach bar or beach (Playa Norte). Alternatively you can head to Playa Sol, further north for sunset.
2. Go to the town and have a walk around, take in a restaurant for dinner or bars for drinks. Socializing with locals and tourists is the main activity here at night, usually one is beaten from the day activities and an early night is predictable.
The food options here are quitter international just like Cancun. However the seafood dishes are the winner, try the shrimp or fish tacos, and whole fish/lobster dishes made in Garlic and butter is a local specialty. There are many taco shops open till late. The hotels are slightly more expensive than the local restaurants. A local restaurant will feature lobster and catch of the day at $15US. Try the following places: Qubanos, Sunset Grill,and Miguels Moonlight (off Hildalgo Ave).
Not much to worry about here on the land apart from occasional Mosquitoes. You can expect all kinds of ocean life from reef fishes, turtles, dolphins, Whale Sharks, Manta rays etc. I did enquire about going on a whale shark tour at night but after a few funny looks they advised me that there are some real big fishes with sharp teeth out there at night time which was the polite version of no. However this is open water at night time so nothing to worry about. Also on daytime whale shark tours the size of the whale sharks scare all other big fishes away.
The costs on this island is much cheaper compared to Cancun or playa Del Carmen. There are ATM machines in the 7-11 stores in the middle of the island. So keep your pesos on you for payment options. All hotels and bigger restaurants take cards but cash is handy for the street shops, and taxis.
I stayed here 3 nights in the first part of my holiday and returned here for my final night before heading back to the States. It offers you that relaxing Island vibe and you can really chill out here without the big crowds. Also after one swim with the whale sharks you have the urge to do it again which is another strong reason for me coming back here twice on one holiday.
So come and stay here 3-5 nights for a nice relaxing time to clear the head and get close to nature.
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