Dec 6, 20183 min read

La Vida Isla: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

I've been wishing for rain for weeks and now that the winter gloom is here I miss summer! lol The ultimate summer vibes are year round at my favorite place to travel, Isla Mujeres, Mexico. I was lucky enough to get to visit for the first time on my 30th birthday and to be completely honest, every bone in my body told me not to leave. Against my better judgement, I came home and now it is my ultimate goal to be able to move there one day, hopefully sooner than later!

The island is a 20 minute boat ride from the port of Cancun, Mexico which was about an hour away from the airport and a 4.5 hour flight from LAX. There is a 3 hour time difference from Los Angeles so the 6 hours of travel really feels like 9. Don't let that discourage you, once you arrive on the island you'll find that you have just reached paradise!

The island is small and can be toured via golf cart (which are for rent on every corner) in about 2 hours if you drive straight through with no stops. When Martin and I went, we spent an entire day exploring, swimming with dolphins, eating, drinking, and taking in the most breathtaking views.

We stayed at Mia Reef which is located in North Beach on an island within the island... I thought I was dreaming when we arrived at sunset right as the pink skies were glimmering over the water that surrounds the entire hotel. I've traveled a lot over the years, I'm not exaggerating when I say that Isla Mujeres is probably the most beautiful place I've ever visited.

We spent my birthday lounging on the beach, enjoying endless food and cocktails, snorkeling, and just celebrating life! Later in the evening the hotel manager invited us to their rooftop sushi bar with a personal sushi chef, bar tender, and the most breathtaking 360 views. It was the perfect day! In the evening there is a large outdoor bar, buffet dinner, bbq, and live entertainment.

Since the hotel is all-inclusive, your every need is met and there really isn't a need to leave... but of course we did. The next day we ventured out into town and realized that it really is a melting pot of people from all over the world. We had dinner at Olivas, a delicious Mediterranean restaurant with a romantic outdoor seating area and the best hummus and pita bread I've ever had. We had a fun night of indulging in probably more tequila shots then we should have at Tres Mentiras before heading to the Pocna Beach Club. The beach club is literally a bar on the sand with a DJ and dancing until the wee hours of the morning. I'm not going to lie, it was a little shady being owed/located by a hostel and attracting a unique crowd, but it was the ultimate dance party. As long as you're with a group, I highly recommend checking it out.

The only thing I regret about our trip was not booking a longer stay! We went for 4 nights and it was 100% NOT ENOUGH time. I want to go back and stay at least a full week, if not longer... like my whole life. lol

If you ever plan on visiting, feel free to reach out, ask questions, or better yet, take me as your tour guide!!! Until then, I'll keep dreaming of la vida Isla!

XOXO-M