Isla Mujeres is a beautiful gem in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. It’s close to Cancun but its atmosphere is entirely different – relaxed, fresh and picturesque.

The island itself is so small you could walk from one extreme to the other in less than 2 hours. But with so many things to do you will definitely want to stay more. Here are the 10 things you can’t miss out on in Isla Mujeres:

Admire the view from the ferry

The best way to get to the island from Cancun is on board of an Ultramar ferry boat; they have plenty of piers throughout the hotel zone and leave every hour approximately. Once on board, the adventure begins with an amazing view of the turquoise Caribbean Sea, accompanied by live music.

The ride lasts about 30 minutes but time flies on board because of how well the gentle breeze feels, how amazing the view is, and how soothing the music sounds – it usually includes acoustic covers of Mexican hit songs like “La llorona” or “Cielito Lindo”.

Once the ride ends, you’ll arrive to Isla Mujeres pier which has a gorgeous shade of blue and is a great spot for pictures. After snapping a few selfies, you should go on to the next thing on the list:

Stroll on a golf cart

One of the peculiarities that I love about the island is that everyone has a golf cart instead of a car – except from taxi drivers and those who use scooters instead.

Renting a golf cart is fairly easy and there are plenty of options on the street across from the pier. Everyone over 16 can do it! I suggest renting the vehicle for the entire day instead of just renting it for a few hours so you can go at your own pace without a single worry.

Stopping by at the cemetery

This is a little-known attractive of the island but it sure is worth visiting. Cemeteries in Mexico instead of being grey and sad are filled with the most creative graves – you could say we put the fun in funeral. However, you should be respectful while visiting this colorful place and avoid touching or removing anything.

Inside you can appreciate tombs from architects, doctors, carpenters and even a popular local musician, which is in one of the newest graves. The charm of this sacred place is that the shapes, colors and textures of the vaults are very different from one another so appreciating each one of them takes some time.

Drinking fresh coconut water

Coconuts in Isla Mujeres are huge and juicy; they’re a must in this gorgeous destination! The best part is that you can find them outside of the graveyard, by the main avenue, on the side of the road, on the beach – everywhere!

Drinking cold coconut water straight from the coconut is my favorite thing to do in a sunny day – and it is a great for taking pictures with! They’re very cheap as they cost around 50 pesos and once you’re done drinking the water you can ask the person who sold it to you to cut it and give you the copra. It tastes amazing with chilli powder, so when they ask “¿Con chile?” you say “Si, por favor”.

Going to Punta Sur

Punta Sur is the southern extreme of the island and it’s where the Mayan fertility goddess, Ixchel has her temple. At the entrance there’s a statue in her honor and locals say that if you touch her, you’ll be blessed with many babies so be careful there. Along with her statue there’s one of a gigantic iguana, in the honor of the hundreds of iguanas that inhabit Isla Mujeres.

After the statues you’ll find the box-office where you buy your tickets, they’re very cheap too! On your way to the temple you’ll see the remains of what once were colorful metal sculptures but nowadays are just rusty vestiges surrounded by grass and a gorgeous view.

Right before the temple, there’s a cross with a bunch of woman’s accessories – women left them there as an offer to Ixchel so they can get pregnant or as a thank you present for allowing them to have a healthy baby.

The temple itself is rather small, but it is surrounded by cliffs which make a dramatic view of the deep blue waves crashing against rocks. If the view looks amazing in pictures, just imagine how wonderful it is in real life.

Having seafood for lunch

Lobster, fish, shrimp, mussels… everything tastes amazing in Isla Mujeres! You can find seafood in a wide variety of dishes – from good old ceviche to pizzas, pastas, tacos and everything you could ever imagine.

There are plenty of places to eat great food in the island but the best ones are on the main street, so after Punta Sur, it is time to drive back north to eat, drink and enjoy life at its best.

Swim in Playa Norte

Playa Norte is one of the most gorgeous beaches in Mexico – whether you go there early in the morning, around noon or during the sunset, this beach will blow your mind. With its white, thin sand and crystalline waters, it is impossible to resist the urge of going in for a swim.

If you can, bring your snorkel with you because there are always plenty of fishes surrounding the island and they’re eager to swim with curious snorkelers. The best spot to snorkel is under the bridge that goes to the Mia hotel.

Did I mention the incredible potential for pictures this place has? I always leave the island with at least 300 pictures on my camera roll so be ready to take your phone, water pouch and even a portable charger with you.

Take sunset photography

Speaking of taking pictures, there is no better time for that than the sunset. While Punta Sur is the first spot to receive the sunrays in Mexico, Playa Norte is probably the best place to look at the sunset in Mexico.

And once it ends, a gorgeous starry night follows. You can either appreciate it from the ferry back to Cancun or from the balcony of your hotel or Airbnb.

Swimming with Whale Sharks

If you’re in the Island from June to September, you’re in for a treat: Swimming with Whale Sharks. These gorgeous creatures are the biggest fish on the planet and visit the Caribbean during the summer. Many tour agencies can take you out for a swim, just be sure to choose the best one.

I did it this June with Aquaworld and it was a wonderful experience. The tour departed from Cancun early in the morning, it was small group of 6 people and we took turns to snorkel with the whale sharks – it was almost magical to be so close to a creature so beautiful and so big.

After that we had lunch at Isla Mujeres and chilled a bit in a beach club before returning to Cancun in the afternoon. It was one of the best days of my life, honestly.

Snorkeling at the Underwater Museum

There is a collection of statues under the sea near Isla Mujeres called “the Silent Evolution”. It is part of the Underwater Museum of Art MUSA and it is one of the coolest experiences there is to do in the Island.

I took the tour the other day, with Aquaworld too, and it was pretty cool: The museum is only a 10 minute boat ride away from the island and on the meantime you get to gear up. They give you everything: life vest, fins, a mask and a snorkel tube which you can keep.

Once you’re snorkeling, the guides tell you where the sculptures are and invite you to dive in and watch them from up close. I tried a few times but they were too far down and I’m not too good a swimmer.

Anyway, the most impressive part is the one with hundreds of life-sized statues of humans just standing there at the bottom of the ocean. The best part of MUSA thought, is that it was made to act as an artificial reef and help the other natural reefs recover from the damage caused by tourists using sunscreen.

Now you’re ready to pack your things and discover Isla Mujeres!