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 This small island, which is located near Mexico’s famous Mayan Riviera, is just five miles long and two and a half miles wide and visible from the shore of Cancun.
There are several different stories as to how Isla Mujeres (Island of Women) got its name. One version is that it was given to the island by the Mayans who worshipped Ixchel, the goddess of fertility, childbirth and rainbows.
Another story claims that it was the Spanish conquistador Hernandez de Cordoba who landed here in 1517 after he was blown of course to Cuba. When he landed here with his crew they saw half-naked women and female-shaped clay idols.
Others say that it was a legacy from pirates that would stash their women on the island before heading out to sea to rob ships.
Isla Mujeres became a small fishing village until the 1970’s when day-trippers came over from Cancun. Now, Isla Mujeres is a retreat from the hustle and bustle of Cancun.
Since the 1970s there has been substantial development of tourism on the island. Ferry boats run every half hour during daylight between Isla Mujeres and Puerto Juárez or Puerto Cancún on the mainland. The island is popular with day trippers, but activity dies down in the evening after the tour groups leave. There are numerous places to eat fresh seafood and hotel prices vary from cheap to very expensive at the resorts on the south-west end such as Hotel Villa Rolandi.
Isla Mujeres is located close to one of many coral reefs, and the area is popular for its snorkeling and scuba diving. |
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