Mexico Dec 2008 Day 7: Isla Mujeres

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Our plan was to go to Isla Mujeres, a small island just off the coast of Cancun, about 1km by 5km. You have to take a ferry to the island. There are 3 points where you can get on and off. We got a tip from our concierge and headed to Puerto Juárez, the furthest point from Zona Hotelera. This is better because the ferry is more frequent, runs every 15 minutes or so and upto midnight or later. It is also half the price as the other ferrys.

We disembarked at Playa del Norte (North beach), the main beach, but didn't spend much time there. Rented a moped and headed south to Punta Sur (southern tip). On the way, we made a quick stop at Hacienda Mundaca, an ancient museum/garden, which wasn't much and in my opinion, a waste of time.

Punta Sur was amazing and we were unprepared because we had not read or heard anything about it. At Punta Sur, theres a lighthouse, some small Mayan ruins and a promontory known as the Cliff of Dawn. It is the easternmost tip of Mexico and the sun rises here earliest. This cliff has a pathway that skirts the rocks and the waves come charging at you spraying you with ocean surf. Terrifying. The place was very quiet and secluded and absolutely breathtaking. We spent hours marvelling and clicking pictures.

On the way back, we stopped at a beach filled with shells and coral rock. We were the only ones on the beach. Saw pelicans (or some similar bird) circle and then dive into the ocean at 90 degrees, seemed straight out of National Geographic. Headed back, relaxed on the sands of Playa Norte for a bit and then caught the ferry back to Cancun.

We ate dinner at an authentic Mexican place (as authentic as it can get in Cancun) called Cantina - Margaritas y Marijuana. The mango margaritas were thick and very tasty, the marijuana non-existent.

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