 Isla Mujeres is an ideal vacation choice, aside from its legends
and history, the island processes great natural charm and spectacular scenery. It's
only 8 kilometers long and 1.5 km wide, you can sightsee the entire island, including both leeward and windward coasts, on a bicycle,
golf cart or motor scooter. Downtown (Centro) is host to many fine
boutiques and art and crafts stores and the restaurants offer a wide range
of fine cuisine. You will see many brightly painted traditional Caribbean
wooden houses and at night, locals and tourists stroll the street and
relax in the town square and share the experience of life on Isla Mujeres.
 A generous strip of the
Great Mayan Reef, the longest system in the hemisphere, runs the length of the Isla Mujeres.
Diving and snorkeling this gorgeous underwater world are favorite pastimes,
as is sunbathing on Playa Norte, the island's most popular beach. The water here is clear and shallow, making it the perfect water sports arena.
A boat tour around these beautiful waters is a must for all visitors as is
a trip to nearby Isla Contoy.
Isla Mujeres was visited hundreds of years ago by the ancient Maya, one of the greatest cultures the world has ever produced. They believed the island
was sacred to the mother goddess Ixchel, and erected statues in her honor along
the shore. These blatantly feminine figurines captured the imagination of Francisco Fernandez de Cordoba when he and his
men arrived in 1517 and to him goes the credit for the islands provocative name,
Island of Women.
In the centuries that followed, Pirates and adventurers of every kind landed on the islands velvet shores. One of them, Fermin Mundaca, fell hopelessly
in love with a native girl and built her a wonderful hacienda. She turned him down
flat, fleeing the island in the arms of her Mayan lover. Utterly dejected, Mundaca let the place go to ruin. It was later used as a Pirates hideout and is still standing today, a favorite tourist attraction.
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Isla Mujeres is an ideal vacation choice, aside from its legends
and history, the island processes great natural charm and spectacular scenery. It's
only 8 kilometers long and 1.5 km wide, you can sightsee the entire island, including both leeward and windward coasts, on a bicycle,
golf cart or motor scooter. Downtown (Centro) is host to many fine
boutiques and art and crafts stores and the restaurants offer a wide range
of fine cuisine. You will see many brightly painted traditional Caribbean
wooden houses and at night, locals and tourists stroll the street and
relax in the town square and share the experience of life on Isla Mujeres.
)