Isla Mujeres

[RiverOtter]

Got 1460 pics in the last 2 weeks, and am far from sorting them all, but here's a few for starters....
A random fisherman, that I thought made a good picture.
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_3545_zpsdabde279.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_3545_zpsdabde279.jpg.html)
Same scene, just no people and sun a little lower.
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_3526_zps50096ceb.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_3526_zps50096ceb.jpg.html)
Our youngest, experiencing her first Mexican siesta....
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0312_zps3bd59b83.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0312_zps3bd59b83.jpg.html)

[albravo2]

great pics. i know the area pretty well. used to live in punta sam, closest point on the mainland from there. spent lots of time in the water just off isla mujeres. beautiful part of the world.

[Weatherby Fan]

Awesome pictures RO,thanks for sharing.
WF

[RiverOtter]

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0364_zpsaeaa900b.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0364_zpsaeaa900b.jpg.html)
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0362_zps9818b8d3.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0362_zps9818b8d3.jpg.html)
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0353_zps8277aea0.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_0353_zps8277aea0.jpg.html)

[RiverOtter]

A bit of a crop and a little saturation...
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/77bd4d9e-9c3f-478b-aba1-50fdcd5f3dcf_zps171f5fba.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/77bd4d9e-9c3f-478b-aba1-50fdcd5f3dcf_zps171f5fba.jpg.html)

[Philcott]

Did you spend two weeks there?

We were in Playa del carmen last year and thought a trip to Isla should be in order for some year.

[RiverOtter]

Yep, 2 weeks on the island....

Had planned to do a day trip back through Cancun to see the ruins, but the gong show outside the airport when we flew in, easily changed my mind. Isla is just about the right speed for a vacation, especially if you head south and get off the beaten path a little. Snorkeling was amazing and aside from renting a golf cart to check out the island, a kayak would be a good way to explore the west side of the island and lagoons.

[Gateholio]

I'm thinking I am going to be needing a sun drenched vacation this January or Feburary. Looks beautiful. I can't just sit on a beach all day but I assume there would be some fishing and hiking and stuff to do there too?

[835]

Fishin????

[RiverOtter]

I'm with you Gates, on sitting on the beach all day, and you can add "All Inclusive" to the list as well. We rented a house on the island($1040) for 2 weeks and came and went as we pleased. Even did a little cooking, in between targeting "Hole in the Wall" restaurants to try authentic Mexican grub. Lotsa walking to be had, though I'd recommend early morning and evenings, as well as snorkeling, fishing, scuba diving or kayaking.

Google "Caribbean Casa", that is where we stayed and I'd stay there again.

[just hunt]

Fishin????

Ya what he said

[Singleshotneeded]

Yep, 2 weeks on the island....

Had planned to do a day trip back through Cancun to see the ruins, but the gong show outside the airport when we flew in, easily changed my mind. Isla is just about the right speed for a vacation, especially if you head south and get off the beaten path a little. Snorkeling was amazing and aside from renting a golf cart to check out the island, a kayak would be a good way to explore the west side of the island and lagoons.

The better half and I were there in 2006, we stayed in Cancun and headed out from there to the Mayan cities, Xcaret, the national
wildlife preserve, and a day on the Island of Women... We met up with another couple and rented a golf cart together to explore
Isla Mujeres, and yeah, the snorkelling was awesome. Dinner by the water was great too, it was a great day trip! I see great minds
think alike in most things outside of rifle scopes! :-D

[Singleshotneeded]

I'm thinking I am going to be needing a sun drenched vacation this January or Feburary. Looks beautiful. I can't just sit on a beach all day but I assume there would be some fishing and hiking and stuff to do there too?

Oh yeah, the snorkelling and dining is great, and they have fishing charters...you're just outside of Cancun and the Vegas show clubs,
if you want, and Xcaret the national wildlife preserve and it's awesome show on the history of Mexico is just south of you. As well,
the Mayan cities, Tulum the seaport and Chichen Itza, are both in the area. Excellent place to go for a holiday!

[RiverOtter]

Fishin????

Ate a tonne of great fish cooked over mesquite though, which I won't soon forget. Got a great reason for a return trip though....

[RiverOtter]

Oh yeah, the snorkelling and dining is great, and they have fishing charters...you're just outside of Cancun and the Vegas show clubs,
if you want, and Xcaret the national wildlife preserve and it's awesome show on the history of Mexico is just south of you. As well,
the Mayan cities, Tulum the seaport and Chichen Itza, are both in the area. Excellent place to go for a holiday!

While we would have liked to take our daughters to the Mayan ruins, just looking at Cancun across the bay, was way more than enough for me. I hate cities, and Cancun rates right up there with Vancouver, from what little I seen of it. Cancun makes a good airport to fly into cheap though, but once outside, I wanted to be anywhere but there.

[albravo2]

One word of caution about the mesquite grilled fish. When I lived near Isla Mujeres barracuda was a popular menu item. I ate my share and never got sick but since then I've spent a lot of time in the British Virgin Islands and only the hungriest locals eat Barracuda because they eat the reef fish that carry ciguatera, a nasty poison that attacks the liver. I know two people that have had it and it is very unpleasant and it lingers for a long time. I'm not sure if there is a difference between the two Caribbean locations as far as toxicity goes but barracuda and all the reef fish (like parrot fish) are permanently off my menu.

[longstonec]

First trip ever to the east coast mid Feb this year to Cancun I have always gone to the Baja and it was a little different. White sand, blue clear water, and hotels as for as I could see. I prefer the area around Bucerias which is north of Puerto Vallarta about 45-50 minutes. All inclusives and lots of houses for rent. We looked at afew last time we where there, I prefer cooking myself then Resort food. I always end up with the "Green Dragon"...

[RiverOtter]

Not sure where it hails from, but we ate mostly King Fish, grouper and snapper....

[sapper]

I'm with you Gates, on sitting on the beach all day, and you can add "All Inclusive" to the list as well. We rented a house on the island($1040) for 2 weeks and came and went as we pleased. Even did a little cooking, in between targeting "Hole in the Wall" restaurants to try authentic Mexican grub. Lotsa walking to be had, though I'd recommend early morning and evenings, as well as snorkeling, fishing, scuba diving or kayaking.

Google "Caribbean Casa", that is where we stayed and I'd stay there again.

Wow! That looks amazing. We've stayed outside of Playa del Carmen twice and twice in Playa Maroma but have considered going back to that area and renting a place and doing our own food/drink. This looks incredible. We don't speak Spanish though so that has been what has held us back. Was that an issue? What about the food/drink? Did you mostly eat out?

[RiverOtter]

Sapper, lots of English spoken on Isla, night and day difference to our last vacation to the west side of Mexico. Food and drink was awsome. If you want a fancier atmosphere and seating, the North end of the island caters to that, though there are still plenty of little brick and morter establishments with a more "Mexican" feel. Heading south in the evening gives you a lot of good cheap food and gets you away from the American "Day Trippers" from Cancun.
I would say we cooked about 1/2 our breakfasts at our house, as we like to start early and get breakfast outta the way, though I think we only cooked one dinner for ourselves as we wanted to sample as much culture as possible. We made a lot of our own Salsa and Guacamole, as the nearby market was cheap and had tonnes of fresh ingredients.

Pulled pork is a MUST do if you go, though it is mainly served on Sunday mornings, as they roast it Saturday night.

[RiverOtter]

About this time is when reality hits, as you know you're leaving........:-D

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/RiverOtter_2012/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_4035_zps2b504602.jpg (http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/RiverOtter_2012/media/Isla%20Mujeres/IMG_4035_zps2b504602.jpg.html)