How to Get Around Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is a small Mexican island, half-a-mile wide by five miles long. It has at least one beach on every side. Isla Mujeres is so small and easy to get around that you may not need a map or a car. The island is situated eight miles from Cancun, across the Bahia de Mujeres (Bay of Women). You can take a very short, scenic flight or take a ferry, which is the most common and inexpensive way to get there.
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Instructions
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Download a map of Isla Mujeres. You may not need the map much after you get oriented on this little island.
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Hire a taxi. For more island flavor, hire a porter on a tricycle to help transport you and your bags to your hotel when you first arrive to Isla Mujeres.
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Walk to interesting places nearby. If you are staying at a hotel downtown, walking may be your only necessary mode of transportation. It is easy to walk to restaurants and stores in the four-by-six block downtown area.
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Rent a bike, moped, golf cart, or monster cart (a 4-wheeled motorcycle) to go to the other end of Isla Mujeres, or to places that are a little further afield. (Car rental agencies do not exist on the island.) The rental cost should require only a small amount of cash, but the deposit is where you may be able to use your credit card. There are many rental shops on the island for these modes of transportation, as they are very popular. They can be rented by the hour, day or week. Check out your rental item before you leave the premises, and let them know if anything is damaged. If you return an item with any new unreported damage, whether new or old, you will have to pay for the cost of repair.
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Take a taxi. Another way to get around Isla Mujeres is by taxi. Agree on the price of your trip with the driver before you settle into the taxi. You will be charged by the trip, not by the person, and the driver may pick up more passengers if your cab has any empty seats. You might even be able to get a tour of the whole island in a taxi.
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Take a bus. The buses go from the downtown market to the ferry docks, and they will stop if you hail them. The Isla Mujeres buses are more for locals than tourists. You can't get to all the beaches or the shops this way, but you can see a lot of the island for next to nothing.
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Tips & Warnings
Although English is spoken in stores and hotels, you can be a better tourist and maybe get better service in Isla Mujeres if you learn some key Spanish words or phrases, such as hola (hello ), gracias (thank you), por favor (please), and buenos dias (good morning). Always have some pesos on you. Try to use those where you can. Your exchange rate will be much better.
Watch your luggage when you are first arriving on the ferry. The pier can have a lot of bustling activity, and you want to get to the hotel with all your bags. Put your cash in different pockets. Put small amounts in your easy-to-reach pockets, and hide a larger amount somewhere else in your clothes, to have easy access for small purchases, and be one step ahead of any pickpockets.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit www.cancunairtaxi.com
