A beautiful beach with an amazing family and a Corona in your hand? Could you ask for anything else for a perfect Christmas holiday? I think not. And for those of you who could come up with a few examples….shush! Let me have my moment.We stayed in a beautiful little beach house that my mom rented for the week, Casa Rosa. It was perfectly perfect for our family; we loved the pool and the backyard beach. There were iguanas all over the yard (you will find this everywhere on the island) that could be found scrounging for food during the day. Don’t worry, I never fed them…

We frequented downtown Isla Mujeres (via golf cart) and enjoyed every minute of it. One of my favorite bars will go unnamed because I had one too many Coronas before entering it (and thus do not remember the name). It’s a little garden bar, with fun signs and fun bartenders. And by fun, I mean perfectly adequate for me, my parents, and my stepdad’s parents. We are party animals obviously.

Quite possibly one of the prettiest places on the island is Playa Norte. The beach is unbelievable; the water is clearer than you could imagine, the sand is perfectly spotless, and the sights keep you quite busy. Although we found this beach too populated, and thus spent more time at other beaches, it was still the prettiest.

Since we had a house with a full kitchen, we took advantage of making afternoon tapas at home. Primarily guacamole and chips. With homemade guacamole. I think I ate almost the whole bowl. It’s normal to eat it by the spoonful right? When in Mexico…

Having afternoon/evening snacks at home, we were able to catch some beautiful sunsets at home, this being the best one.

And the drumroll please….

My favorite day on the island was most definitely the day we visited Tortugranja. Tortugranja is a sea turtle sanctuary, costs $3 USD to get in, and low and behold: IT HAS BABY SEA TURTLES. I was in heaven. Although my bucket list would tell you that I want to witness them hatch on shore, scurry into the ocean, and take off in the surf….this was a close second. It’ll have to do for now.

Holding baby sea turtles? Does it get much better than this?

Food. It’s clearly one of my favorite things. Another one of my favorite things? This Chile Relano Stuffed Pepper (pictured below). I thought maybe I had died and gone to heaven when it was brought out, set in front of me, and someone handed me a fork. I hadn’t. I had just stepped into Mango’s Cafe, on the island, for the best breakfast I’ve had in my entire life. You haven’t lived until you’ve been to Mango’s, and I think a piece of my heart was left on the empty plate of this pictured pepper. 

The beach restaurant that we frequented, Playa Lancheros, is located on the opposite end of the island from the tourist crowd. It’s close enough to the snorkeling park, Garrafon Park, which draws large crowds (if you’re interested in snorkeling, I suggest stopping at Garrafon de Castillo – only a few dollars will buy you snorkeling equipment and it’s relatively the same as the big park). At Lancheros, you’ll find cheap beer, cheap tacos, and a great scene. I think a few tequila shots were even taken…but I can’t fully remember…

Overall, Isla Mujeres exceeded my expectations for beauty and for fun. It’s the perfect place for a family get-away, or just for friends that want a low-key vacation. Just a few minutes by ferry from Cancun, it’s even worth a day trip. But nothing can compare to a week-long stay on the beautiful island.‘Til next time Isla: Adios!

PS: Can you tell I’d love to be a travel blogger?!?