Jackieinpdx's Blog

If you Google “day trip from Cancun” or “day trip to Isla Mujeres” you find a ton of sites that have reviews or sites to book a day trip to Isla Mujeres. Depending on the trip an adult might pay anywhere from $25 – $60+. Some trips are “all inclusive” providing booze and a meal. Others might just be a boat trip with free but warm beer.

Over the years I have talked to many day trippers about their experience coming over to Isla for a day. Many of them say things like “I wish we had known we could take a ferry over for $3.00 and rented a gold cart on our own to tour the island”. Or “you mean you really stay here?” Shocked or in awe, sometimes it is hard to tell which.

One of my favorite beach hangouts is at Sergio’s Playa Sol. I usually sit on a chair in between the two boat docks. On the right is the dock where Sergio’s day tripper boats dock and to the left is Playa Caribe where the BIG boats from Cancun shuttle 100s of people over a day. A lot of people do not like the crowds, the music or the boats but to me I find it to be fascinating for people watching. The big boats that dock at Playa Caribe used to be mostly party people but I have observed over the last couple of years that the clients more often include families and as many if not more Mexican Nationals than Americans or Canadians. That is not to say that every once in awhile you don’t see someone falling down drunk trying to get back on the boat.

During the Christmas season there might be 4 or 5 boats a day. In October, November, April or May there is usually just one or two boats and you could set your watch to their arrival and departure. The first boat arrives at 10:00 AM and the second at 11:00 AM. The boats depart at 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

These day tripper boats and their clients are big business for Isla especially during the slower months. The good thing about most of the day trippers is they are all gone by 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM leaving the streets less crowded at night. I may not always like the behavior of these day trippers but I am happy that they do contribute in their own way to the economy of Isla.

Boat docked at Playa Caribe, day trippers already on the beach

Catamaran coming in to Sergio’s Playa Sol

Sergio walking out on the dock to greet his guests

The beach vendors line up near the dock to get the last sale of the day from the day trippers

And they are off on the cattle call back to the boat and their hotels in the hotel zone in Cancun

Hasta manana day trippers

Filed under: Isla Mujeres, Mexico, vacations | Tagged: beaches, cancun, day trip, Isla Mujeres | Leave a comment »