I’ve been to Mexico on four different occasions over the past decade and Punta Sur Isla Mujeres is still one of the most unique places I’ve come across during those trips. Usually my decision to go there starts with the desire to do an affordable & relaxing beach vacation.
In terms of accessibility, affordability and quality of the resorts you can stay at it’s no surprise that Cancun is a popular destination.
For those on a budget to those looking to book higher end resorts Cancun has a little bit of something for every type of traveler.
If you’re planning to visit Cancun this year (or other nearby destinations like Tulum) keep on reading to learn why you need to check out Isla Mujeres.
Specifically we’ll talk about getting down to Isla Mujeres Punta Sur (the island’s southernmost tip) and Playa Norte (the northern beach area). My only regret during our trip to Isla Mujeres was that we ONLY made a day trip out of it.
We quickly realized that the island has so much more to offer. The beaches, bars and restaurants are top notch and next time I find myself in Mexico I’ll be sure to book a couple nights on the island.
Did I mention the island’s primary form of transportation is by golf cart?!
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How do I get to Isla Mujeres?
First let’s talk about the logistics of getting to Isla Mujeres which is where Punta Sur is located. If you’re staying in Cancun the island is easily accessible via the Puerto Juarez Ultramar Ferry. You can purchase your tickets in advance which I highly recommend.
Any chance I get to avoid waiting in a line when traveling I’m always going to take it and the Isla Mujeres ferry is no exception!
You basically have three options for getting to Puerto Juarez. If you rented a car, there’s plenty of parking at the ferry terminal so this is your most straightforward option. If not I’d recommend taking a taxi.
Any cab you hop into will know where Puerto Juarez is and the terminal entrance serves as a taxi stand which means you won’t have any issues getting a cab for your return trip.
You can also take a bus to get here. If you’re staying at a resort in the Hotel Zone the front desk where you’re staying should be able to help you coordinate which bus to take.
Isla Mujeres has an entirely different vibe than Cancun – the mix of locals, expats and tourists makes the beach area an eclectic melting pot of beachgoers
Is one day enough time to see Isla Mujeres?
There are two important takeaways I hope to pass along to anyone reading this post. The first being how to spend a fun day exploring Isla Mujeres. While the second key takeaway is that you really need to dedicate more than one day to seeing all the island has to offer!
The amount of FOMO we experienced when it came time to pack up our things and head back to the ferry terminal was next level.
Hopefully I can help others avoid making that mistake. For what it’s worth, I did get a really good lay of the land and the next time I find myself near Cancun or Tulum I certainly plan to budget a couple days for staying on the island itself.
If you haven’t booked a room yet you can search for deals on hotels at Isla Mujeres here. Or if you’re planning to day trip the island, here’s a list of hotel deals back in Cancun.
You can buy snacks, water and beer at the ferry terminals on either side. The ferry ride itself is fairly short at 20 minutes or so.
You can ride on the top deck to enjoy views departing Cancun and arriving at Isla Mujeres, just keep in mind there really isn’t any shade up there so depending on what time of day you’re traveling you could be cooking in the sun!
Where can I rent a golf cart in Isla Mujeres?
Once you arrive at Isla Mujeres head out towards the main road. We rented our golf cart from the place directly across the street and it ran us about which cost us about $35 bucks and we had it out for about 7 hours.
Not bad on an hourly basis! After you hop in your new whip head south along the main road until you dead end into the Punta Sur area.
You’ll find retail vendors, a coffee shop and a restaurant in this area. We spent a couple hours wandering the park area out towards the small Mayan ruins and seaside cliffs.
After enjoy the coastal views and getting some cool pictures down near the water we enjoyed lunch at the restaurant (yes it sells booze!!).
Once you’ve spent some time taking in the Caribbean views, exploring the park area, having lunch and doing some shopping it’s time to head to the island’s northern beach area which is known as Playa Norte.
If you came down to Punta Sur along the western coach, switch up your views and come back up the eastern side. The journey back north will take you through some of the island’s local communities and past the ornate Cementario Municipal.
Stop and check it out if you have time – even if cemeteries aren’t your thing you’ll want to stop at some point along the way to hop out and enjoy the views so this makes for the perfect pit stop!
It doesn’t take too long to reach Playa Norte even when you’re all the way down at Punta Sur. If you take your time and stop you’ll still probably only need to budget 30 minutes for crossing the island.
Is there golf cart parking at Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres?
Once you make it to the Playa Norte area be mindful golf cart parking will likely be crowded if it’s later in the day (especially on weekends) so you might have to walk a little bit to reach the beach!
Fortunately the area is drowning in bars, restaurants and shopping which makes wandering around by foot enjoyable in its own right.
We spent 2-3 hours on the Punta Sur part of our day trip and 3-4 hours hanging out at Playa Norte. If there’s one place I’d be sure to recommend for food and drinks it would be The Green Demon Beach Club. Tropical cocktails? Yup. Great food? Absolutely!
They have killer vibes with a DJ and it’s located right along the beach which means you’re steps from the water.
After enjoying the beach it was sadly time to head back to the ferry terminal for us and return our golf cart. It was at this point that I realized you really need to spend more than a day in order to experience Isla Mujeres to the fullest!
What are the lizards at Punta Sur Isla Mujeres?
The toloks that inhabit Punta Sur look like something out of Jurassic Park.
If you’re lucky enough like we were you’ll encounter toloks during your stay. Tolok is the Mayan word defining the iguanas living on Isla Mujeres.
After paying the $3 entrance fee, while on your way out to the islands southernmost tip keep an eye out for the well camouflaged toloks that inhabit Punta Sur.
While harmless – try not to get too close or disturb them. We passed a group of three sunbathing toloks when we visited (two shown here, the other was in the grass).
I always enjoy a good wildlife run in, especially the non-venomous variety!
Check out these activities available in the area
Looking for more ways to fill out your trip itinerary? Be sure to check out the list of activities below from GetYourGuide.
Learn more about Isla Mujeres and Punta Sur
I hope you enjoyed this post about visiting Punta Sur Isla Mujeres and Playa Norte when spending some time in Cancun. I’ve also put together a guide covering things to be careful of in Isla Mujeres that also touches on additional activities to do while exploring the island.
Be sure to check that out if you’re still planning your trip.
If you’re looking for other things to do in this area, nearby Valladolid makes for a great jumping off point to visit Chichen Itza. Be sure to check out my YouTube video guide on what to see and do in Valladolid!
I hope you find this guide to exploring Punta Sur Isla Mujeres helpful during your trip planning process!