We've just been enjoying visiting with other boaters and getting acquainted with the El Milagro Marina Staff and Isla Mujeres. They are the best. Everyone wants to dock here, but they are full, at least until we leave. Dockage is very reasonable here especially when compared to the states. We are getting into high season now and the prices are going up including the dockage, so we will be getting out of town soon.
Its been so nice to be just be able to lay on the beach or just bike around town. Though Isla is not that big; you can probably cover the island in a hour on a bike.
The beach here is just beautiful. The sand is like powdered sugar and the water turquoise! And the sunsets. . .omg! You're probably getting tired of seeing sunsets, but I cannot help myself!
I imagine Isla has changed a lot in the last few years. Prices are going up, especially in high season. We have seen the price of beer and restaurant food increasing daily. Isla is still rather third world, especially during off season. But they know how to make money during the season.
There are 3 passenger ferry's that run back and forth every hour or so to Cancun, ($14 US round trip) and there is a vehicle ferry. There are two large catamarans that take tourists to snorkel. They charge $55 US to go snorkeling, but require you to wear a life jacket. You could probably see just as many fish snorkeling off the beach.
There are several beach bars, complete with swings, hammocks, and beds for relaxing. The handicraft peddlers selling handmade purses, rope and silver jewelry, tablecloths, snacks, t-shirts, and sarongs roam the beach front daily. You can also get a massage for about $40 US!
You can get a taxi easily for $30 pesos, $3 US, though it appears that the locals travel for almost free. We've noticed that Mexico takes care of Mexicans first; gringos have a different set of rules and pay different prices even wait in different lines, especially if it's with government services such as the ferry's. There is also one tour bus, though we chose to explore on our own. You can also rent a scooter or golf cart for the day or week for about $60 US per day. Golf carts are gas driven not electric, batteries are to expensive and hard to ship. Though it is not very easy to find bicycles to rent, some of the hotels or marinas offer them to their guests. Most of the locals use scooters, and golf carts for transportation.
They do have a convention center (if you can call it that) and a few 1st class, hotels which offer beach views for $125 US, but there are small hotels in town where you can get a nice room with a balcony over Hidalgo Street for about $40 US, as well as several hostels.
There are two farm markets that sell fresh chicken and vegetables, though we chose to purchase our food in the grocery stores. They also have a gravel baseball field! The center of town has a public square, complete with a basketball court, where people seem to congregate. They have basketball games, complete with referees! The main attraction is the Catholic church. Mexicans are very good church goers.
There are several elementary schools, but to educate children beyond the 8th grade, you will have to pay for books or private school. They do permit immigrants to enroll their children in school.
The homes here are cement, and many are in disrepair. They sleep in hammocks, have TV's, and sofas, but not much else. They wash clothing by hand, or take it to the local laundry; they charge about $100 pesos per kilo. You cannot go to a laundry and use their machines. Their lifestyle is not extravagant, but very meager, compared to life in the US.
There are a lot of restaurants in town, and of course, most offer Mexican food. There are only a few that offer American dishes. Drinking water is usually bottled water, although the city water is treated and clean, most gringos don't drink it. We've given up on a few Mexican places, as we learned our lesson the hard way! It's just not worth getting sick. You have to be cautious of the fruits and vegetables. Limones (limes) are served with most dishes, but they don't always clean them well and the result is not pleasant! There are many street vendors that offer tacos, tamales, fajitas, empanadas and such, but you are certainly risking Montezuma's revenge if you don't make certain it is disinfected.. Jax's is the best American restaurant/bar in town; if we're lucky we can even watch the Steelers there, but of course that doesn't matter since they are OUT for this season. The Soggy Peso is another great American bar; they offer a daily special and snacks and are within walking distance from El Milagro marina.
A couple of restaurants actually share the same retail space; one will provide breakfast and lunch, then the other owner will change the sign for dinner! A good idea!
The Naval station has a commissary here and everyone is permitted to shop there. They offer some things not available in the grocery, like liquid detergent and small appliances and their prices are a little better! You can buy Malibu rum for $130 pesos! The commissary doesn't offer fresh fruits, vegetables or meats.
The two groceries offer fresh vegetables and fruits. I've learned they don't use non dairy creamer much, I wish I had bought more in Key West. You can buy prepackaged boneless chicken breasts. . . .they pound a half breast flat and wrap it in cellophane, four to a package for about $6 US per pound! They also offer, sliced ham, pork and beef, but fewer cuts. The one grocery store has a deli; they offer rotisserie chicken, rice, beans (of course), and usually corn or a green vegetable. . . just like home! They also offer lunch meats, cheeses, pastries and rolls. They also offer lunch meats and cheeses.
There are many shops on Hidalgo, ( the main drag through town ) but most of the shops offer pretty much the same things, lanterns and garden decor, silver jewelry, pottery, hats, blankets, hammocks and such. Nothing I need on the boat! Boat parts and hardware supplies are very difficult to find; most have to be obtained in Cancun or ordered online. Shipping is very expensive and slow.
We are disappointed that we have not found a museum or library in Isla. We did tour the cemetery and found the tombstone of the pirate, Mundaca, who actually died in Merida, from the late 1800's. The tombs are quite cramped, with only very narrow paths. For more information on the pirate, Mundaca see our link to Isla Mujeres history.
The other disappointment in Isla is that we can't fish here! It is a national preserve. You can charter a boat for fishing, some are quite reasonable, others quite expensive ($800 US). You must be well off shore to be able to fish legally. Even the locals have to follow this law. The other day Michael (the Captain and owner of Jax) took his fishing boat out. He caught two huge groupers (which you can catch here), and 5 big snappers! A good day! You can be sure they will end up on the menu at Jax!
We usually give $$ to the Marina Manager, Jaime, and he will go next door to the Coop and purchase fresh fish pretty reasonably. A couple of times, the Marina guys hosted a BBQ, ($10 US per person). They grilled a couple of fish, rice, ceviche, and grilled bread. It was very, very good!
We have taken the ferry several times to Cancun, but there really isn't much there for us. They have a Walmart and Costco, but pretty much everything I need I can get here in Isla and Cancun is more expensive.
Cancun's beaches are very wide, and very clean, like Ocean City, MD. The hotels line the beach; lots of nightclubs and shopping, but too touristy for us. It is a big draw for the younger set. We can't understand why more people traveling to Cancun don't visit Isla, they don't know what they are missing!
It seems quite customary for Mexican men to have a wife, several girlfriends and of course, many children. The men just stop by to visit their families and drop by with food and necessities. Most Mexican women do work outside the home, by either preparing food, making handicrafts, or working in the shops or restaurants.
The newspapers here are very descriptive. On the front page of Por Esto, the local paper, was a picture of two men that had been decapitated and chopped to pieces! Parts of inter city Cancun are very dangerous because of the local drug wars which seem to be still going strong.
We went into town with a group from the marina the other evening and it rained quite hard. The streets were flooded in no time. The water was up to the taxi doors! A tropical storm or hurricane would surely do a lot of damage here. Even though it's been five years since Wilma, there are homes still in disrepair.
We are leaving Isla Mujeres on Saturday, December 26th. We will be hopping anchorages down through Belize and Honduras; within several weeks we should be in Guatemala! Yeh!
Stay tuned!
