Been pondering of packing your luggage and jetting off straight to Cancun now that summer season’s mainly knocking at your door?
On the subject of all-inclusives, high quality time on the seashore, and only a hassle-free, zero-bureaucracy worldwide vacay, Mexico’s tourism powerhouse is actually laborious to beat, however earlier than you go forward and act on that burning FOMO, hear us out:
As counterintuitive as it could sound, summer season’s probably not a good time to be in Cancun. Sure, resort charges are cheaper, and crowding on the major public seashores could also be at a minimal, however there’s one main downside most vacationers naively overlook, solely to get their total seashore trip ruined:
Sargassum.
Ever seen these downright terrible footage of Cancun’s waterfront, with a thick strip of foul-smelling seaweed tarnishing what would in any other case be pristine, powdery white sands?
Yep, this time of yr, the Mexican Caribbean is usually battered by the annual sargassum bloom, and from the Lodge Zone right down to the quieter seashore cities of Playa del Carmen and Tulum, there appears to be no escaping the phenomenon.
…till you are taking that 20-minute ferry to the paradise island straight dealing with Cancun:
Paradise Discovered Simply Off The Cancun Coast
Unimpressive by measurement as it could be, as a small island at solely 4.3 miles lengthy and 0.4 miles extensive, Isla Mujeres punches way above its weight.
From powdered-sugar white seashores and turquoise seas, to laid-back resort zones the place the mainland site visitors chaos doesn’t apply, it’s Cancun on a much-smaller scale, and utterly surrounded by water. That is a good-enough trade-off for us, however there’s extra:
In contrast to a lot of the mainland Caribbean coast of Mexico, Isla Mujeres stays virtually clear and devoid of sargassum in summer season, when the algae usually proliferates at a sooner fee, each as a result of warming seas and as a result of stronger nature of the currents that carry it ashore.
Why, you ask? It is all to do with geography:
We would should get slightly technical for a second, but it surely helps clarify why Isla Mujeres is commonly much less affected by sargassum.
How Does Isla Mujeres Keep away from Most Of The Seasonal Sargassum?
Most sargassum is carried towards the Mexican coast by prevailing easterly and southeasterly winds. Isla Mujeres sits simply offshore, whereas lots of its hottest seashores face west towards Cancun and the mainland, in addition to north.
The consequence? A lot of the sargassum drifts previous the island and continues towards the mainland’s east-facing shoreline, the place it’s extra prone to wash ashore. This pure positioning helps defend lots of Isla Mujeres’ seashores from the worst of the seaweed buildup.
To sum it up, the island is of course protected, and if you happen to’re asking which seashore is the least prone to see any quantity of sargassum this season, not solely on Isla Mujeres, however all the Mexican Caribbean, this may be Playa Norte, or ‘North Seashore’.
Typically listed in these prestigious, bucket-list-worthy ‘Greatest Seashores within the World’ rankings, it’s Caribbean perfection materialized:
Fantastic white sands, lagoon-like crystalline seas, so shallow you may stroll deep into it and nonetheless by no means sink beneath your waist, and a dozen or so cantinas dispensing recent seafood and refreshers.
On that be aware, be sure to swing by Javi’s Cantina, just a few blocks from Playa Norte, for decent-priced margaritas and a killer shrimp ceviche with guacamole. Travel Off Path seal of approval.
How Secure Is Isla Mujeres Proper Now?
One other space the place Isla Mujeres excels, aside from sargassum-free, paradisiacal seashores, is security.
It scores a powerful 84/100 on the Traveler Safety Index, primarily based on stories by vacationers who’ve truly been to the place, not some keyboard bureaucrat bunkered up in a basement someplace, spewing out overcautious journey steerage for this or that authorities.
Let’s simply say if you happen to’re seeking to actually unwind and luxuriate in your much-needed time within the solar and not using a fear on the earth, you simply cannot go fallacious with Isla Mujeres, much more so than Cancun:
These spectacular security ranges are attributed to the truth that the island’s economic system revolves closely round tourism, and native authorities do not play around in the case of their company’ well-being and security.
It is simply over 4 miles lengthy, and roughly half a mile extensive, so the vacationer zones are compact, walkable, well-lit at night time, and highly-surveilled.
Bag-snatching and pickpocketing, albeit unusual, aren’t precisely unheard-of, so we would preserve our wits about ourselves when going for a dip on the seashore and leaving objects unattended on the sand, however violent crime affecting vacationers?
Extraordinarily uncommon.
The Good Cancun Dupe
We should say that, regardless of its small measurement and the very fact it would not have its personal airport, requiring a brief ferry switch and with most arrivals being filtered via Cancun Worldwide Airport (CUN), Isla Mujeres does get very busy no matter season.
The North Seashore particularly can really feel notably hectic with the day-trippers, and seeing it’s now one in all solely a handful of seashores in all the area that has restricted, if any sargassum, it is best to count on larger crowds to assemble right here in the course of the day.
The cool factor about this island, nevertheless, is that it is not merely a Cancun dupe for when seaweed batters the Mexican coast: it is a full-fledged vacation spot that possibly warrants all the weekend.
Earlier than you go forward and e book that point off, do be sure to run a fast vacation spot test on the Entry Requirement Checker: that is your be-all, end-all software for verifying visa restrictions that apply to U.S. passport holders, and entry and keep laws.
Again to Isla Mujeres.
Extra Than Simply Seashores
Punta Sur, the intense south of the island, has clifftop paths, crashing Caribbean waves, sculpture gardens, and unimaginable sundown views. The best option to attain it’s renting a golf cart—one of the simplest ways to get across the island—and happening a leisurely loop of the rugged shoreline.
In addition to the surroundings, Punta Sur hosts the stays of a temple devoted to the Mayan goddess Ixchel, which the traditional folks believed represented the moon, fertility, and childbirth.
Isla Mujeres can also be on the northern finish of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, and the coral-rich waters alongside its japanese facet are one of many major points of interest. Assume clear water, distinctive coral formations, colourful tropical fish, and underwater sculpture websites that seem like total sunken misplaced cities.
For a glimpse into island life, try ‘Downtown’, or as locals name it, ‘Centro’:
The principle settlement on the island, it’s centered across the shop-lined Avenida Hidalgo, the place you will discover your typical mixture of memento outlets and family-run eating places, or take slightly detour out to La Gloria, a laid-back neighborhood that retains a lot of its fishing village character.
How To Get To Isla Mujeres This Season
The best option to get to Isla Mujeres this season is to fly first into Cancun.
When you get to Cancun (town), head straight for Puerto Juárez, and hop on the 15/20-minute ferry, operated by Ultramar, that travels straight to the island.
Ferries run just about each half hour, even now within the low season, so you’ve gotten loads of flexibility and leeway to discover Isla Mujeres both as a day-trip tour or a complete vacation spot.
A bit of recommendation? This isn’t a type of locations you wish to rush via. Keep the night time.
Hell, keep all the week, as a result of when you’re there, it is the leaving that looks like the actual trouble.
