Sea Turtles, Street Art, Whale Sharks and Beaches in La Isla Mujeres, Cancun

Isla Mujeres, the “Island of Women”, is a 5 mile long, 0.5 mile wide island with white coral sand beaches across from Cancun’s deep turquoise seas. The Maya people who inhabit the island, many of whom are still working as fishermen, enjoy the simple pleasures of a beautiful island lifestyle. Although it is only a 15-20 minute ferry ride from Cancun, it has a more relaxed and quieter vibe. Many visitors get around with a golf cart and are able to see many main attractions this way. Isla Mujeres is a place where you can find a resort stay while also having the freedom to explore all the local treasures.

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During my stay on Isla Mujeres, I will stay at the all-inclusive resort Mia Reef, on the north end of the island where the Caribbean Sea surrounds you in every direction. This is one of the most remote and private hotels on Isla Mujeres. Mia Reef Isla Mujeres is made up of 156 deluxe rooms, villas, and suites. Guests can enjoy a private white coral sand beach, an outdoor pool with swim up bar, an exercise room, private dock, bar and 2 restaurants. The all-inclusive price includes 3 meals and snacks, domestic drinks, kayak tours, snorkels, recreational activities, pool table, beach volleyball, bicycle tours, and gratuities. A kids club is available from 10am-5pm for ages 4-11.

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Mia Reef Isla Mujeres is surrounded by places to snorkel, places to wade in calm water, and places to relax by the pool. There are steps down to an snorkeling area and the hotel provides snorkels (although I prefer to bring my own).

Things To Do In Isla Mujeres:

This government and privately funded sea turtle sanctuary works to protect and grow the sea turtle population. Between the months of May and September, hundreds of sea turtles come to the beaches to lay eggs. At the turtle farm, the hatchlings are protected until they are strong enough to make it into the sea. The local school children are invited to be a part of this effort by releasing them on the shores, providing an opportunity to learn the importance of conservation and to insure the survival of this species. The sanctuary offers a one hour guided tour and also has release “ceremonies” the public can participate in.

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What is more awesome than swimming with whale sharks??!! The whale shark migration lasts from June 1- September 15. Whale sharks can reach up to 40 ft and have a life span of about 70 years. Whale sharks are peaceful giants, filter feeding plankton with their mouths wide open. The tours includes the one hour boat ride to the sharks, refreshments and snorkels. These normally solitary creatures can be found in groups of up to 20 during this annual event. Only a few licences have been granted to organizations to run an eco-tourism opportunity that has education and habitat conservation in mind. Searious Diving is a reputable organization that runs these tours.

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Punta Sur is the highest elevation on the Yucatan Peninsula on the southern tip of Isla Mujeres and the first place the sun touches at sun rise. It is surrounded by cliffs, ocean views, lighthouse, a sculpture garden and an ancient Mayan temple honoring the Mayan Moon Goddess (so cool!). Ixchel, the Moon Goddess, is the wife of the Sun and also considered a fertility goddess with great powers. In 2001, 23 artists were sponsered to create the Puna Sur sculpture garden. As you walk the paths to the temple, plaques name the sculptures and artists.

Murals line the streets of Isla Mujeres. They are part of a street art project called Sea Walls Artists for Oceans. The goal of this project is to bring the idea of ocean conservation into the public streets around the world. Artists and activists came together to help raise awareness about the difficulties facing the whale sharks and the plight of the oceans. I LOVE street art. It is so unassuming and is purely for the pleasure of anyone and everyone. It adds so much depth and interest in a place that might otherwise seem stale or barren.

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MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) consists of over 500 life sized sculptures and is the largest underwater artificial art attraction in the world aiming to demonstrate the interaction art and environmental science. All of the sculptures are attached to the otherwise bare seafloor and is made up of a substance that is conducive to coral growth creating a complex reef structure for marine life to colonize, increasing biomass. These sculptures range from an 8 meters depth to 3 meters. They can be seen by snorkeling, glass bottom boat, or scuba diving.

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My son is not happy unless every trip includes FISHING. On Isla Mujeres Water Tours provides tours that can be custom designed. They will provide fishing gear, snorkeling gear, beverages (including beer), and food for a 6 hour tour.

I can’t wait to visit Mia Reef Isla Mujeres and explore the island on a golf cart!! Subscribe to my site to be sure to see live photos and posts when I go. Be sure to have your kids snorkeling gear ready and a camera for the awesome snorkeling opportunities! I also included links to two human safe/ocean safe sunscreen you should stock up on.

There are many products out there that are damaging to the body and many products that are damaging to the environment. I went through both to find a sunscreen that is OK for the body as well as the environment.