Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres is known in Spanish as “The Island of Women”. The island is about 13km east from Cancun. This island is my favorite spot in all of the Yucutan Peninsula. The name with women reference for the island has nothing to do with my favoritism for this place, it is more the laid back relaxed culture associated to the island.
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.

Isla Mujeres aerial view

ARRIVAL
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.

Turtle Farm

Carlos Santana cover songs on the ferry to Isla Mujeres

ACCOMMODATION
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.

Hotel Privilege Aluxes

North Beach

THINGS TO DO:
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.

Daytime:
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.

Night-time:
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.

Wild Dolphin performing for us

Whale Shark Side on

Whale Shark face to face

CUISINE:
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).

WILDLIFE:
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.

Sea picnic after the tour

The coconut stands not to be missed

COSTS:
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.

CONCLUSION:
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.

Valladolid

Valladolid is located 53km east of Chichen Itza and about 202km west of Cancun international airport. It is a small town with less than 50000 inhabitants. When making a trip to Chichen Itza it is usually a mandatory stop with most tours.

ARRIVAL
Entry into the town is by road. They have local buses coming in here from the bigger cities like Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Merida. There is lots of street parking so an easy city to get into and explore.

ACCOMODATION
There are several hotels around town but they are 3 and a half star at most. It would be wiser to stay at Chichen Itza near the site if you looking to spend a night or two in the region. I would recommend The Lodge at Chichen Itza

THINGS TO DO
Daytime: Exploring the town on foot to see the central town Square (Parque Fransisco Canton Rosado). The Catedral de San Gervasio is the main attraction in the town square, quite hard to miss this one. There is a Cenote Zaci within walking distance of the square as an options as well. The cool part of this town is the colonial style architecture which gives the town its character.

There are lots of souvenir shops around the central plaza as well. So when passing through its perfect to pick up some artistic wooden carvings, ceramics and clothing items.

Caution: A wooden item I had bought here actually had dry wood termites. The owner said it was treated wood and okay for customs. So look for small holes in the wooden carvings to be sure it is not home to these little guys. If you really want the wooden souvenir and unsure about termites, then buy it and place inside a plastic bag before placing it in a fridge for 24 hours. This will fix the problem.

If this is your hub for several days, then you can coordinate excursions around the area and really explore the Northern part of the Yucatan peninsula. There are many Mayan sites close by like Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, Coba, Ake, and many more. Throw in the hundreds of Cenotes & caves where Scuba cave diving is possible and this might be your hot spot.

Night time: Lots of local restaurants around so some good food and drinks with the locals & tourists would merit a decent night here.

Town Square

Catedral de San Gervasio

WILDLIFE
Mosquitoes will be the main issue here but your next worst thing would be black scorpions (Las Alacránes) which are about 4 inches long but not poisonous unless you have an allergy. General rule is be careful with wet gear hanging outside or shoes as they provide a cool of area. Scorpions love this cooling zone. Also the showers will be an attractive location for them to cool off if there is water still around. They are uncommon but depending on where your lodge is it can be issue. Ants and cockroaches are also common but the latter works like a ninja and always out of your line of sight.

COSTS
The place is a small town and costs are low as well. Hotels can go from $20 US dollars to $60 per night. Entry to ruins are from $10-$20 US dollars. Food and Beverages will cost less than $15 US dollars a day.

CONCLUSION
It is a small town and good for a stopover or perhaps as your hub for discovering the Northern part of the Yucatan peninsula. If it is a HUB then you would definitely need a rental car to make your days more efficient travelling around. It is a cozy little colonial style town and it grows on you. Worth the visit and the experience. Locals are super friendly and very helpful.

Ko Phi Phi Don Island Travel tips

The most popular island on the Southern Thailand tourist radar. Situated in the middle of all the locations, east of Phuket, south of Krabi, and west of Lanta, this island welcomes a lot of traffic. I chose this as my last location to visit on the Island hopping tour as research indicated this place will be noisy. However my 2 nights here were fantastic but perhaps that is because I stayed away from the chaos that makes up Tonsai Bay and Loh Dalum Bay.

Here are some useful tips when staying on this beautiful island:

**Arrival to Tonsai bay

This is the main port on the island and the ferry pier is busy. We have your large ferries on the west of the pier and a small drop zone for private speedboats or long tail transfer boats on the east of the pier. This place is very crowded with travelers trying to exit and enter via one main pier.

Large Ferries: You can arrive via the large ferries from the neighboring islands but expect large crowds on the boats. A lot of day trippers use these to arrive early in the morning and then catch another ride to Ko Phi Phi Le Island to visit Maya bay where the movie “The beach” was filmed.

Private Speedboats: The recommended way to travel in all of South Thailand. Smaller crowds and faster journey time.

If you are staying at hotels on the other end, staff from the hotel greet you at the pier and place you in a long tail boat to transfer to your selected resort.

Comparison of both the options

Transfer via Long tail Boat

**Locations for Accommodation

There are many options around Tonsai Bay and Loh Dalum Bay. It is looking great and getting away from the European winter I would be happy to settle there and just use some good ear plugs when it comes to sleeping.

Ao Ling: Northwest of Loh Dalam bay is the hidden cove of Ao Ling (Moneky Bay). Home to a colony of not so shy monkeys. Popular spot for tourists who come for picnic and photo shoots with the monkeys.

Long Beach: At the Southern point of the island had a beautiful beach and some nice hotels. We went past this area by long tail boat and it was very nice so next time I might try this location.

Rantee Bay and Pak Nam: We also traveled past these two bays and they were okay. Pak Nam stood out the prettier bay if compared.

Loh Bagao Bay: When we were travelling past this bay, the jaw dropped and we all went wow. The magnificent sight of a white sand beach with lovely turquoise water filling the bay was breath taking. Secretly hoping that this is where our hotel is because we have seen some good beaches on the way here but this was the spot.

Then slowly the boat started heading into the bay and that smile on the face was locked in. We stayed here at Outrigger Phi Phi Island . There is another hotel next to this place called Villa 360 which looks great but does not have the beach front. The beach front belongs to Outrigger. Once we checked in here it was hard to leave.

Laem Tong Beach and Hin Poo bay: Due to the Outrigger hotel being so good I did not leave to explore any further so this means another trip to this island. They do have the Twin Palms and Holiday Inn at Laem Tong beach with good reviews so worth exploring.  

**Things to do on the Island

The best choice is chilling in the pools and on the beach or take a long swimming/snorkeling sessions in the beautiful waters of the bay. Alternatively PADI courses and scuba diving is very popular here.

There is also some hiking options to a view point near Loh Bagao in the north or Tonsai Bay view point to the west. Further to the west is the Wang Long Cave. Kayaking to the caves or around the bay is an ideal option.

Daily view that is hard to escape

** Excursions from the Island

The main excursion from the Island here is to Phi Phi le. There are hundreds of boats lined up to go to Ao Maya (Maya bay) every day. Each resort has its own speedboat to take you at a fixed time. At Tonsai bay there are many operators who offer the same trip for a fraction of the price. However the main objective here is to get to the island as early as possible and pay the extra bhats to persuade the driver to depart at 7am or earlier. After 9am Maya bay fills up with tourists and remains that way till sunset.

There is also the option of Bamboo Island heading north. Thirty minutes by long tail boat to this white sand island with lovely turquoise water.

Another island up north next to Bamboo Island is Koh Yung (Mosquito Island) which has good colorful coral reefs.

There is a diving/snoreklling site called Koh Hin Klang which is 2km in front of Laem Tong Beach. It is 90 meters long and 60 meters wide and one of the best places to dive and snorkel.

**Wildlife
Mainly mosquitoes but there was the odd harmless cockroach flying in the air. Relatively calm at the resorts with bugs since they have pest control but expect to see some wilder creatures on hikes. 

**Costs on the Island

Compared to the other islands this is the most expensive island. Due to the large amounts of tourists and demand for products, a greedy markup is placed on everything. Outrigger hotel is expensive but worth it. The best breakfast we have had on all the Islands. The seafood buffet dinner at this hotel was fantastic.

Food at the hotel will cost ฿400-1000 a day. Water is quite cheap with big bottles 1.5 litres trading at ฿50. Beer is about ฿80 and cocktails can range from ฿150 to ฿400.

Accommodation prices vary from backpackers to hotels. Hotels are roughly ฿7000per night with breakfast.

**Conclusion

This is a beautiful island and a good place to chill for several days. A popular option is to stay here while visiting Phi Phi Le. There are large crowds so expectation of being alone on the beach is not possible. 

However the east side of the island is more relaxed and quiet. Take the speedboat in and out of the Island. Travel to Maya bay super early. Bring your snack supplies as shops are limited and over priced.

Try the Outrigger hotel as the service and hotel is amazing. 

Outrigger Phi Phi Hotel: Only place I arrived with dry feet thanks to the small pier

South Thailand Island Guide
Boat options for Island Transfers

Phuket Tips
Phuket Map
South Thailand 13 Useful tips
Railay Beach 
Krabi 
Ko Lanta