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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:19 pm |
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I believe MJ requested I post a trip report from our Spring Break trip to Isla Mujeres. Despite the complaining and whining of my husband, er, I mean kids, I made an executive decision to go somewhere new for break this year. This is the first year that our spring break week fell over Easter week and I just wasn't sure that I was up for the Semana Santa crowds. We love the island all the time, but the most when it is relatively empty, like in August. So....off we went to Mexico.
Since this is a Culebra forum, most of what I say will compare Isla Mujeres (IM) to Culebra. Also, this is what we did the whole time we were there. I do have to say the tourist based facilites around Cancun are VERY clean and VERY efficient. There are 3 ports that have passenger ferries that go to IM. One is in the Cancun Hotel Zone and the other 2 are about 1/2 hour from the Cancun airport. High speed catamarans leave every half hour all day/evening long and it costs $3.50 USD per person/one way. There were unusually strong winds on our ferry to the island, which made for some fun *tickle tummies*. Luckily, the whole trip only lasts about 20 minutes, so the *tickle tummies* stayed fun the whole time.
IM is much more developed than Culebra, yet still retains a small island feel. The downtown area is laid out in a grid pattern, with the ferry coming into the west side. The street that runs parallel to the water on the west side is a divided road and that area always seemed quite busy. Just north of the ferry area is a large stretch of beach called "Sun Beach" that looked like a typical public beach. Beautiful white sand, vendors, but exposed to more wind.
In the center of the downtown grid is a pedestrian only avenue (Hidalgo) that runs north-south. All along this are multiple open air restaurants, bars, and shops. We wandered down there almost every night and just looked at the menus until something struck our fancy. Once we got money (more on that later), we found some really fun and beautiful things there. There are also other shops and restaurants on the other side streets.
On the north end of downtown is another main beach area called Playa Norte. We stayed in a condo/hotel there. Seven stories high, brand new, beautiful 2 bedroom unit with granite, stainless steel, leather furnishings and gorgeous balconies looking out over the water. There is another "sister" property directly next to it that was built first. There were designated beach areas for each property with lounge chairs and food and beverage service. All very nice and easy, but not what we prefer. Apparently Semana Santa begins on Thursday, because the bank was closed and the beaches got VERY crowded that day. Still not as crowded as the Florida beaches we have been to, but crowded. Apparently the beach here used to be wider, but the water has taken over a good amount of it (a couple different areas had sandbags to try to stop it). The upside of that is that the water was really shallow for a long way out. All day long on the beach you are asked to buy things from vendors; clothes, food, jewelry, baskets, hair braiding, etc. We bought some things here and there, but by the end of the week it was starting to wear a little thin. We yearned for the quiet peacefulness of Flamenco.
The island is almost completely flat compared to Culebra. We rented a golf cart (nobody rents cars there as far as I know) and explored the rest of the island. There are some beautiful areas and there is a Dolphin Discovery that brings a large amount of people over from Cancun. There is also a small turtle farm that helps in the conservation, so we visited/donated there too. There are multiple *beach clubs* around the island that offer restaurants, beaches, lounge chairs and sometimes pools for a price or the commitment to buy food. Most of these clubs have daytrippers come over from Cancun. We were told by a local real estate guy that normally the island sees a couple hundred daytrippers every day. The Thursday of Semana Santa they had 16,000!!! He said it was busiest he has ever seen it. Nevertheless, we would still see people we recognized almost every evening at dinner. Especially a family from Philly staying at the same place we were, we ran into them everywhere!! That definitely made it feel more like Culebra.
On the down side, our daughter got sick the day after we got there and was in bed for 2 days with a high fever and then had a bad cough and runny nose after that. Also, during my research for the trip, it was said that the ATM was the best, easiest way to do money there. Credit card fraud is rampant as their receipts still print out the whole number. Well, I checked with our bank before we left, was told our ATM card would work fine. We got there and......nope!! We did have some cash with us, but by the time we realized our only option for obtaining cash was to get an advance on our Visa, the banks were closed for 2 days, the money wire services too. Even got an emergency pin number issued from Amex and IT didn't work on the ATM there. Our bank found out that the card works in Cancun, but not on IM, even though the actual ATM is through the same bank. This all took us a couple days to learn (and I am really scared to see our cell phone bill!), but live and learn!! Also, there are a high number of stray dogs and cats on the island. We didn't eat in one place that there wasn't a cat or dog very carefully begging for food. One of them had a donation box for the local Animal Welfare Group (which we contributed, to, of course), but it was just so sad to see all the hungry animals just waiting for some scraps to be thrown their way. Well, except for one really fat cat at a beachside restaurant called Sunset Grill. She obviously ran the place because she was not hurting for nourishment AT ALL!
We had to leave the island the day before our fight home, since it left early in the morning. We decided to take a journey down to Tulum (about 1 1/2 hours from the ferry port) to check out the Mayan ruins. The setting there is just beautiful, right on the water with two gorgeous beaches and high rocky perches between. A busy tourist attraction, my husband and I both preferred the inland ruins of Coba we had seen 3 years earlier. But there is no disputing the beauty of Tulum.
All in all, it was a nice trip. IM has a great deal to offer, with a wide variety of restaurants, good prices in shops and a bustling night life (well, not that we saw that part of it!). There was interesting street entertainment a couple nights, too. Almost everyone we met there was very friendly also (with the exception of an extremely rude American woman our last night). We were told that if we came back in a week and a half it would be a much slower, less crowded place. We would consider going back at some time, especially if it wasn't during Easter week. From what I understand, the long time visitors aren't especially happy about all the big development on the island, so hopefully it won't get much worse. They did enact a 7 story limit on new buildings, but they also got a giant all-inclusive property just built on the western side of the island. We thought multiple times how thankful we were that so much of Culebra is protected or has minimum lot sizes. Also how involved and concerned her residents are to keep her from turning into a highly developed, high rise, all-inclusive, destination catering to pampered tourists.
I will post some pictures, too.
Last edited on Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:53 pm by beachbound
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:25 pm |
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The kids at the top of the lighthouse on the south end of the island.
Attachment: 100_1295.jpg (Downloaded 41 times)
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:26 pm |
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| A sloth at the Dolphin Discovery park Attachment: 100_1302.jpg (Downloaded 42 times)
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:27 pm |
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| Big turtles at the turtle farm Attachment: 100_1306.jpg (Downloaded 40 times)
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:28 pm |
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| A view of and out of the balcony of our room Attachment: 100_1331.jpg (Downloaded 41 times) Last edited on Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:28 pm by beachbound
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:30 pm |
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| A ferry coming as we were going Attachment: 100_1337.jpg (Downloaded 42 times)
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:31 pm |
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| Our scraggly group at the Mayan ruins in Tulum Attachment: 100_1348.jpg (Downloaded 44 times)
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admin
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:44 pm |
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Wow -- thanks Sue!! Great shots.....but I'll take Culebra anyday -- even with Semana Santa crowds. I pray that the development never happens to Culebra like it has in IM and other places.......
I happen to know that Bayberry will enjoy seeing this, as she has been to IM many moons ago....
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 10:59 pm |
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Your sentiments were echoed again and again in our family throughout the week. Culebra has such a profound effect on us that we can be in this beautiful, fairly peaceful, friendly, fun place and still wish to be on Culebra? Ah, well, until the day we move......
I am very interested to hear Bayberry's perspective on IM---I'm sure there are MANY changes!
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Island Woman MJ
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 11:17 pm |
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Thanks, Sue! An excellent report, I'm sure Mrs. Wigglesmith will give you an A+!!! I sure do.
The advantages and disadvantages are so obvious to those of us who live here and once lived other lives, other places (or still do). As much as we sometimes moan about changes here (and I'm a five minute drop in the bucket, often thinking of those born here 70/80 years ago...and groaning to myself for them), we still have something precious and rare and definitely not for everyone. Thank goodness!
I saw Gailin <sp?> late this afternoon. He hasn't read the article from the NYT's yet, but if we work hard, we can hold to his words...We don't want/need big...but we do want tourists who want this (major paraphrase of his quote). As long as people know we don't have and hope to never have so many of the *amenities* of so many places, we will get the right sort of visitors. Long may Culebra wave!
My son lived outside of Tulum about five years ago. It sounded like an idyllic spot of quiet refuge, but much has changed even there, it appears. The world is fast and furious to pounce on *the last remaining beautiful spot ______*. Funny, isn't it, how the Western mind is geared to do whatever it must to have more more more and what they really love and crave often seems to be places with less less less (or at least that's what I hear many times at the cart). Things that make you go hmmmmm.
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beachbound
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 11:38 pm |
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Island Woman MJ wrote: Things that make you go hmmmmm.
Very catchy, it seems to have a beat you can do to, even!
You are so right. Having never traveled much growing up, except for Florida, and not having any money when we first married, then kids came along, I was a relative newbie to the whole traveling experience. We had the opportunity to go away (without kids) for our 10th anniversary and I thought, wow, I think I need to have a beach out the door, a pool, maybe a swim up bar, a spa, beach service, etc., etc. Well, we found that place, truly beautiful and perfect.............and we were miserable. But, we got bitten by the travel bug, so packed the kids up and took them to Florida for spring break. Nope, that's not it either. Next trip, hubby and I in Culebra!! We felt like we tried on the glass slipper and it fit perfectly!! We were head over heels, for sure! Even though I am not a girly girl, I still enjoy trying on shoes now and then, but I always want to go right back to my flip-flops, er, glass slippers.
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Island Woman MJ
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Posted: Fri Apr 4th, 2008 11:51 pm |
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You are the girliest of girls, in flip flops or whatever you have on, and I mean that in the best of ways. You rock (and that guy of yours and kids aren't shabby either...even if you ARE a friend of M).
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beachbound
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 12:55 am |
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*blush* Thanks for not holding M against us. It may not be wise, but we are rather attached to the big lug 
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Island Woman MJ
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 01:01 am |
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NEVER!!! I kind of like him a lot myself, wisdom be tossed
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beachbound
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 01:06 am |
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Diving Debbie
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 03:04 am |
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16,000 people - in one day????? Stick me on the MARTA train (local public transportation) - same effect. Ick!
I'm curious about the turtle farm. In the Cayman Islands, Caymanians still eat turtle - it's part of their culture. They created the turtle farm for conservation and to - my words - absolve themselves from the rebellion of horrified tourists realizing that they eat turtle. Kind of like - oh that's okay - we raise them and have conservation efforts, so it's okay. What's the 411 on the turtle farm in Isla Mujeres?
BTW, I have friends that have been going to IM for years, and now they hate it, and have been going further south of the biosphere, trying to get away from the crowds. Of course, I can't think of the name, but if you're willing to make the drive, so far it is relatively undiscovered.
P.S. - your kids are beautiful (and I can see where they get it from). Where are the other 10? Last edited on Sat Apr 5th, 2008 03:05 am by Diving Debbie
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bayberry
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 10:18 am |
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Indeed Bayberry and Bayberry's other half spent a week on Isla Mujeres -- but in 1969, the year before we first came to Culebra. But because of the consecutive years, perhaps my impressions are valid. When we were on IM, none of the Cancun area development had happened, in fact hadn't even been thought of. IM was a totally undeveloped get-away for the Merida area. The only place to stay was a wildly romantic set of thatched huts on a beach. I have to confess that my romantic memory was combined with one of minimal comfort -- really minimal. There were just three or four bar type places to get dinner, with totally basic rice/beans/tortilla type dishes.
The beaches didn't hold a candle to Culebra's. The sand was coarse and not a specially attractive color. The snorkling was decent, but again, not nearly as good as Culebra's was (remember I am comparing times when the coral reefs were still very healthy). We were there in January and many days were too "cold" to want to go into the water and were quite gray.
The biggest downside was lack of tidiness, cleanliness, to the point of dead animals including dogs, in unfortunatley large numbers. The upside was very friendly locals as tourists were not all that common then.
Culebra the next year was even less "developed", "civilized" than Isla Mujeres because at that time the population was only about 250 and still shrinking. The military was in the process of taking over all of Culebra and moving the locals off the island. We came to Culebra in January also and found the weather considerably more vacation/tropical type. The beaches and reefs much more attractive. Tourist options consisted of two guestrooms at the predecessor of Villa Boheme and one utterly basic restaurant at the Hotel Puerto Rico.
We fell in love with Culebra the moment we arrived -- but for its simplicity and in our opinion greater beauty. The locals were exceptionally nice, just as they are today. From what I've read (which is woefully little), I'd guess that modern-day Isla Mujeres is much more developed and seems to offer more "things to do" for families with children than Culebra.
I'd hazard a guess that both islands are still "off the beaten track" destinations, with IM somewhat less so. Enough alright already.
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Jim
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 05:16 pm |
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Thank you for your addition Bayberry!
Reading this post left me speechless.
We (meaning Culebra) just hit the new york
times again with a great review
http://www.nytimes.com/
Armchair Traveler
By RICHARD B. WOODWARD
Published: April 6, 2008
"There are 36 pages on Vieques, the island once
dominated by the United States Navy that has
been since 2003 largely a wildlife preserve.
An additional 26 pages are devoted to the even
more pristine island of Culebra.
Culebra, described by Mr. Deane as "a cross
between a sleepy fishing village and
an end-of-the-earth paradise.”
I'm posting this here so the NYT readers who find
their way here realize Culebra is more intimate and
appealing than most other places. Our perennial
tourists are some of the most loyal in the world and we
have a nice crop of next generation filling in.
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admin
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 06:56 pm |
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Here is the correct link
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/travel/06armchair.html?ref=travel
this is a review of a travel guide book which includes Culebra in it.
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beachbound
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Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 08:39 pm |
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Diving Debbie wrote: P.S. - your kids are beautiful (and I can see where they get it from). Where are the other 10?
Thanks Debbie! The other 10 kids didn't bring enough clean underwear, so I made them stay on the bus with their palm frond toothbrushes!! I honestly don't know about the cultural gastronomical appeal of the turtles on IM. Everything I read and saw only talked about conservation efforts, but I didn't talk to anyone who might have any inside info. I would love to hear more about the new place your friends found, it sounds like it would be more our speed.
It is so hard to imagine the IM that Mr. & Mrs. Bayberry saw some years back. The IM of today doesn't seem to bear much resemblance. We had a nice experience, primarily because we could avoid most of the crowds, but we are definitely a Culebra family, through and through. I asked my kids today what they thought about the trip, since they have been back long enough now to gain some perspective. Both kids didn't hesitate to name Culebra as their favorite. When I asked why, my son said simply.........it's prettier! Then he went on to name about 10 other things, but I was so glad they didn't fall for the amenities and activities offered on IM, and still love Culebra not just for what it is, but what it isn't.
Last edited on Sun Apr 6th, 2008 03:58 am by beachbound
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