Isla Mujeres
At 21 kilometres off the coast of Cancun and with a regular boat service to and from the island, Isla Mujeres is within easy reach of the city and makes for a great getaway. The island is 8 kilometres long and less than 800 metres wide, and easy to get around. Once home to a small fishing community, the economy here is now largely driven by tourism. However, in amongst the hotels and tourist attractions, there are still many people living a more traditional way of life.There is plenty of accommodation available on the island and a lot of visitors choose to spend a few days or more here, but there's also the option of making this a day trip. Ferries from the mainland leave early in the morning getting you there in time for breakfast, after which you can take a taxi to see some of the main attractions. For those who have more time and energy, it's highly recommended to walk or cycle around the island. Everything is very accessible this way and it will allow you to soak up some of the island's relaxing ambience.If you want to go snorkelling, Garrafon Natural Reef Park is a good bet. You can use their gear if you pay the entrance fee to the park, and spend the day floating over the colourful corals and fish. There is great visibility all around the island, making it a popular scuba diving spot too.If you're here between May and September you'll have the unique opportunity of swimming with whale sharks. These enormous creatures are the world's largest known fish, and they come here on their annual migration in search of warmer waters. Seasonal boat trips to go and see the whale sharks can be arranged on the island.Isla Mujeres provides a wonderful chance to get away from Cancun’s resorts and traffic fumes. You’ll find plenty of eateries on Hidalgo Street where you can try out some local favourites, while the beach bars are good places to meet people and try out your Spanish.Isla Mujeres is easily reachable by boat from the hotel district of Cancun. The journey takes around 25 minutes.