After a few weeks of hard work, our yacht’s guests flew out to Cuba for a few days which allowed us to explore and enjoy a day and night in Isla Mujeres. The quaint island off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, attracts tourists wanting to escape the Spring Break congestion in Cancun and experience some authentic Mexican culture. The small low-key island caters to international visitors yet manages to maintain its local Mexican flavor.
Conveniently, our yacht was docked off Villa Vera Puerta Isla Mujeres Hotel Marina and Beach Club, which has a spectacular pool set up. After meeting some Iguanos baking in the sun alongside our yacht, I joined my fellow stewardesses on the comfortable sun loungers with Kindle in hand to get a much-needed dose of vitamin D. In between chapters of Steve Job’s biography, the warm pool was a refreshing break with fountains and seated areas – they even have bar stools submerged under water where you can enjoy a beverage. Genius! This little slice of Utopia is a great way to kick back, relax and recharge batteries.
As the sun set, Isla Mujeres’s night live ignited along Avenue Miguel Hidalgo, which can easily be reached by taxi or the popular transport option of golf carts. The avenue has a variety of stores, restaurants and pubs to cater for all tastes. Our yacht’s crew enjoyed a lovely dinner at Rolandi’s with tasty margaritas, appetizers and pizzas. Buskers mingle amongst tables accentuating the island’s laid back ambience.
For a true Mexican tequila experience, Steak House’s corner bar offers giant bottles of tequila inhabiting pickled scorpions. For the daring and adventurous you can eat a scorpion with a shot of tequila for 10USD. Once the tequila and scorpions had been sampled we followed the live music to the neighbouring Fayne’s Grill and Bar who host a live band every evening. They perform a wide range of music from Reggae, Rock to local Mexican hits. We joined the locals and danced like we hadn’t seen land for weeks. The friendly locals, great music and perfect summer night have been pinned into my memory pin-board for many years to come.
The last spot we visited was Rock Bar, a small bar that offers drinks specials and karaoke! The comprehensive Rock playlist was performed by my crew with back-up vocals by passing tourists. With the thought of work the following day, I headed back to the yacht feeling satisfied after giving my itchy feet a good scratch on land.
As I lie on my top bunk, a postcard of Isla Mujeres has been added to my crew cabin collection. Although a brief visit, I would recommend Isla Mujeres to anyone travelling in Mexico.
For more information on activities to do on Isla Mujeres and surrounds visit http://www.isla-mujeres.net/.
