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With travel restrictions lifted and the hot July winds blowing, Mexico is expected to witness its busiest summer in yearsas millions of Americans will flock to its pristine beaches for a much-needed sunny getaway.
While most of them will be vacationing in Cancun, however, a smaller number of guests will be heading to an island paradise just a stone’s throw from the tourist area of the coast, and which has become very popular as a quieter alternative to the crowded mainland.
In this article, we will give you 4 reasons why Isla MujeresThe island in question is the most important beach destination in Mexico this season and why it is there that you should go:
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If you disapprove of Cancun’s increasing internationalization and the city’s opening up to unrestricted tourism, which often leads to a decline in the quality of services provided and even in the level of luxury offered, you’ll be happy to know that Mujeres is its polar opposite.
As an island with more limited capacity and home to a much smaller community, Isla Mujeres can feel much more exclusive than the packed coast.
Many five-star resorts and hotels on the island prioritize quality over quantity, and to ensure a reasonably priced spot, reservations must be made weeks or months in advance.
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Weekly rates for the emblematic Hotel Belo, the highest rated accommodation listed in booking.comthey start at just US$1,387, while the Izla Beach Front Hotel has week-long stays valued at US$1,336.
less sargassum
Unlike the Riviera Maya proper, that is, the mainland, Isla Mujeres is not affected as much by the increase in sargassum levels.
Despite not being exactly dangerous, except when it exists in abundance and it is a matter of releasing toxins, algae can be very harmful, causing the closure of beaches and other inconveniences.
it is also infamous mars the pristine white sands of the Mexican Caribbean and turquoise oceans, as well as emitting an unpleasant odor compared to rotten eggs. Fortunately, as we have already covered in this accompanying article, Isla Mujeres has geography on its side.
The most fashionable stretch of beach on the island, north beach, extends over a part of the sea where the currents are not as strong as in Cancun or adjacent municipalities. As you know, sargassum often washes ashore from rough seas.
As the waters in the north of Isla Mujeres are extremely calm, sun seekers rarely have to deal with this phenomenon. This means that the beaches remain open and clean throughout the year, and the sands keep their appearance intact.
calmer atmosphere
Over the years, the Riviera Maya has earned a reputation as the center of the party in Mexico, with numerous beach clubs popping up along the coast and Tulum’s jungle rave scene making international headlines.
While this bodes well for party enthusiasts, especially young people traveling abroad with friends for their bachelor party, bachelorette party, or other celebrations, those who aren’t exactly interested in joining in on the fun, nor do they get the lure of blaring music and drinks. you may feel a little left out.
Luckily for them, Isla Mujeres is much calmer. You will find the occasional bar and beach club, as well as a handful of night clubs in some of the main settlements, but it is nowhere near the level of insanity in Tulum, not even the local authorities promote the island as a party destination.
Instead, people come here to relax, bury their toes in the sand, spend some quality time with loved ones, and enjoy nature, and whether it’s exploring off-the-beaten-path Mayan treasures, exploring marine parks, or discovering hidden marine coves, there are enough attractions to keep you busy for days.
Safer than other parts of Mexico
Crime may have skyrocketed in certain parts of Mexico, mainly along the US border due to gang activity, but since it is a small municipality on the coast where policing is stricter, Isla Mujeres enjoys lower crime rates than those no-go areas.
That’s not to say it’s perfectly safe. Like Cancun and other places in the Mexican Caribbean, local authorities struggle to tackle petty crime and the illicit drug trade, but it’s certainly not as dangerous as Tamaulipas, where American visitors were recently kidnapped and killed.
Isla Mujeres exists in a completely different world than the arid badlands that separate the US from Mexico, and policing on the island is taken seriously, especially when it comes to the safety of tourists.
Incidents may occur, as there have been cases where tourists were assaulted on the beach by criminals on jet skis, but these are quite rare and have not seriously affected the general perception of safety of travelers.
As it is part of the state of Quintana Roo, the US Department of State has assigned Isla Mujeres a Tier 2 status on its Travel Advisory lists.
This means that visitors should exercise extra caution when visiting and remain aware of their surroundings, but there is no need to reconsider the trip or avoid it altogether.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
