Isla Mujeres is a small island a short ferry ride from Cancún, and for some travelers it makes a better base than Cancún itself — smaller, slower, and built around a walkable (or golf-cart-able) downtown.
Getting there
Passenger ferries run frequently from Puerto Juárez and Gran Puerto on the mainland, with a crossing time of about 15–20 minutes. Car ferries exist but most visitors don't bother — golf carts are the island's real transport.
What staying there is like
Small hotels and guesthouses rather than mega-resorts, a laid-back main street (Hidalgo) for dinner, and Playa Norte — regularly rated among the best beaches in the region — a short walk or cart ride from most stays.
Good to know
It's genuinely smaller than it looks on the map; most visitors see the whole island by golf cart in half a day. That makes it an easy base for day trips back to Cancún or out to Isla Contoy, rather than an isolated retreat.