Isla Mujeres, “The Island of Women,” sits just northeast of Cancun and about eight miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. It is easily reached from the Gran Puerto (pictured left) in Puerto Juarez, a modern facility offering covered parking, shaded waiting areas, a convenience store and places to eat.
>
The ferries transporting us between mainland and the island have multiple decks and offer fantastic panoramic (from the top-deck) views. The ferries depart from the newly built Puerto Juarez every half hour. The first departure from the mainland is at 5am and continues until 11:30 pm. From Isla Mujeres it begins at 5:30 am with the last departure at midnight. The trip takes approximately 20 minutes from dock to dock.
We arrived at Isla Mujeres around noon. We walked straight off the boat and onto main street. It is a bustling little island city with lots of pedestrians, scooters and golf carts. There are plenty of shops and a variety of waterside eateries. There is no lack of things to do once you set foot on this little piece of paradise.
The two-lane parkway shows off its bronze statues expressing the island’s love for the sea and its bounty. We find a quaint little beach bar by the name of Picus Cockteleria to have lunch. The seafood is fresh (pictured below, right) and prepare to order. The beverages go down easy and the food tastes great. The tab is very reasonable compared to most touristy places.
After a fantastic lunch, we venture down the street and rent a golf cart to tour more of the island. Isla Mujeres is 4.3 miles long and less than a half-mile across at its broadest point. It is highly recommended to rent a cart and explore the island at your leisure. The island has a road that runs in a complete circle around it, going from Playa Norte (North Beach) to Punta Sur (South Point).
We begin our travels by pointing our compass south. We come upon a hand painted sign along the road that reads “As seen on the Discovery Channel.” There is another homemade sign next to it explaining the tour and its documentary credits that include the likes of Ripley’s Believe It or Not and MTV’s Extreme Cribs. We are reading the signs when Richart Sowa, a British artist and the architect who designed the island yells out to us. He asks if we wanted to take a tour. I looked up at him and say “why not!” He pulls his plastic supported boat to the dock and transports us back to his island sanctuary.
Once we make it to the artificial island, Richart gives us a personal tour and explains how he uses reclaimed materials to sustain his island’s survival. Richart Sowa (shown below, right) explains how his shower works with capturedrain water. The whole island floats on plastic bottles that Richart collects from the sister island of Isla Mujeres. He takes full advantage of the naturally formed hydroponic system below the island’s surface, created by the plant’s expanding roots syatem that also helps support the self-made terrain. Nothing seems to go to waste on this eco-friendly island. This includes an outside workout area made from reclaimed wood and discarded plastic liter containers. We have the opportunity to sit down and chat with Richart for awhile. He tells us about his past adventures and the plans he has for a chain of artificial islands. He is designing a self-sustained community where all the islands will be connected. They will support their inhabitants without using any fossil fuels or outside energy. The food will be totally organic and free of pesticides and herbicides. The drawings are quite sophisticated and modern in design. After visiting with Richart, we make our way back to the main island and finish our tour of the south end.
We eventually head north on the eastside of the island, taking us back towards downtown. This part of Isla Mujeres still has undeveloped land and offers gorgeous views from its low-rise cliffs. It would be hard to deny that the Caribbean Sea has some of the most beautiful waters in the world. We makee it to Playa Norte and stop for a couple of refreshments. The water is turquoise blue and the sands are a fine white powder — a great place to relax after a journey around the island. We return the cart and explore more of the downtown area. The city of Isla Mujeres takes its name from the island’s given name by the Spaniards in the 16th century. As we make our way to the center of town, there is a pedestrian-friendly avenue by the name of Hidalgo. It is lined with shops, restaurants and various street entertainment. It is very similar to 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen. After visiting a
few of the unique boutique shops we find a restaurant named Tapas Bar. It has street side dinning and offers a variety of Mexican cuisines. We finish our dinner and enjoy a beverage under the beautiful island’s night sky until it’s time to catch the ferry back to the mainland. While we zip along the Gulf waters back to Puerto Juarez, we have time to review the day’s adventures. It was fun to see all the island’s sights and experience its enchanting fragrance for life. This is a place where I could spend more time relaxing and enjoying pure serenity. Island life is definitely for me!
Author: Anthony Scopel
Photographer: Maureen Scopel
YMATD
