Isla Mujeres is a Mexican island in the Caribbean Sea, located 9 miles from the mainland of the Yucatan Peninsula, almost opposite Cancun. It is not for nothing that he is spoiled by the attention of all tourists who come to relax in Cancun. If you are looking for the neatest white sand beaches, you will definitely find them on Isla Mujeres. Even during the period of the most intense algae invasion on the Cancun coast, the beaches on the north side of the island are usually clean. If you prefer beaches without waves – the main beaches of Isla Mujeres rarely have strong surf. The water here is always clean and of the very signature «Caribbean» azure color.

Get to Isla Mujeres is available exclusively on ferries that depart from several terminals in Cancun.

You can still, of course, rent a yacht or buy a tour of the island, including snacks with drinks, sea fishing, or snorkeling – but that’s a slightly different story.

1.Terminal Ultramar in Puerta Juarez

The most popular ferry route to the island starts at the Ultramar terminal in Puerta Juarez, in the northern part of Cancun. The city bus R-1 goes there from the Hotel Zone, and the fare is approximately $0.6. From central Cancun, you can also take the R-6 bus.

  • Taxi from the Hotel Zone to Puerta Juarez will cost about $9.5.

Ferries leave every half an hour from 5:30 to 23:30. The last ferry returns from Isla Mujeres in Cancun at 24:00. Travel time is 25 minutes.

Fare for adults: $8 one way, $15.5 round trip.

The price also includes the carriage of one piece of baggage weighing up to 55 lb.

Tickets can be purchased at the box office of the terminal both in cash and with a bank card. You can pay with foreign bank cards without any problems. When paying by card, you may be asked to show your ID. Tickets can also be purchased on the ULTRAMAR website.

Useful: on Isla Mujeres itself ferry terminal only one. Accordingly, you will not get confused with the berth for departure back to Cancun. It will be in the same place where you arrived on the island.

Ultramar ferries are ultra-modern and fast. There are two decks on the ferries – the upper one is open and the lower one, with air conditioning. There is a bar for those who want to have a drink along the way. Even a short walk along the sea will leave an unforgettable impression on such a ferry.

2.Old ferry terminal in Puerta Juarez

Now, this terminal serves the ferry company Naveganto whose ferries are not as modern as those of Ultramar, but they cost somewhat less.

Getting to it is as easy as getting to the Ultramar terminal: it is a little further down the road. If you are taking the R-1 bus, just get off at the terminus near the Ultramar terminal and walk 500 yards ahead. You can choose the bus route R-6, it stops right next to the old terminal.


Naveganto ferries leave about once every two hours from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. The schedule is best specified on the company’s website. The price also includes the carriage of one piece of baggage weighing up to 55 lb.

Unlike Ultramar, which never has any discounts and promotions, Naveganto often offers its tickets with attractive price offers.

In addition, the company offers significant discounts for groups of 10 people or more – $11/person round trip.

Tickets can be bought both at the box office of the terminal and on the company’s website. You can pay in cash or by credit card.

As soon as you get to the old ferry terminal in Puerta Juarez, you will immediately be surrounded by barkers offering to take a trip to Isla Mujeres on small boats and yachts. The capacity of such vessels is up to 20 people. Additionally, at this point, they will try to sell you sea fishing, snorkeling on the island, and other sightseeing fun.

  • You can and should haggle over with them! Prices can go down up to $7.5 per person.


  • The main disadvantages of such boat trips are that sometimes you have to wait until the needed number of passengers is recruited, and the reliability of ships is often in doubt.

3.Ultramar Terminals in Cancun Hotel Zone

In the hotel zone of Cancun, there are three terminals of the Ultramar ferry company at once. These are exclusively tourist terminals. Any of these terminals can be reached by city buses R-1 or R-2, as well as by taxi.

The cost of traveling to Isla Mujeres from the Cancun Hotel Zone:

  • Adults: $15 one way, $21 round trip.
  • Children: $10 one way, $15 round trip.

  • Terminal at Playa Tortugas. Ferries leave almost every hour from 9:00 to 20:30. 
  • Terminal at Playa Caracol. Ferries leave 6 times a day from 9:00 to 16:45.
  • Terminal El Embarcadero. Ferries leave every 1:15 from 9:15 to 18:45.

Schedule, just in case, better to check on the ULTRAMAR website. Tickets can be purchased at kiosks near the terminals or on the company’s website.

We recommend that you decide in advance on the route that you are planning on Isla Mujeres, to at least roughly understand when you will need to return to the pier.

If you want to spend time just on the beach, usually, daylight is enough for you. If you are interested in a more extended entertainment program, don’t forget about the ferry schedule. It is advisable to get to the pier before 23:00. Otherwise, you will have to look for an overnight stay on the island.