How to get to Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen

If you are in Playa del Carmen and you would like to know how to get to Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen, here we’ll tell you some options to do it, so you don’t lose the opportunity to know this tropical paradise known as Isla Mujeres, it is a place full of history, adventure, and matchless beauty.

Isla Mujeres is one of the most beloved destinations in the entire Mexican Caribbean, there are several options to get to the island. We recommend you schedule two days to explore the place and let you fall in love with the island thanks to its atmosphere and local kindness.

Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen

As we mentioned, there are various options to reach Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen. The first thing you need to know is that you must take two different transportation, one from Playa del Carmen to Cancun and a boat to enter Isla. It is mandatory to arrive in Cancun since is the only way to cross the island, there are no direct ferries from Playa to Isla Mujeres.

Rent a Car
If you want to travel at your own pace, this is the best option. It could be very useful if you take with you a lot of things, or if you are planning to cross the car to the Island, which is an excellent option if you want to go over the island on your own. In Playa del Carmen you will find different car rental companies; Prices vary depending on the agency where you rent the car, the size, and its model, but you can find them between $ 300 MXN up to $ 2000 MXN per day.

Once you have rented the car, you will have to drive on a road, which is really very easy to follow. First, you must locate yourself on 50 South Avenue; In it, you will see a large bridge, there you must turn in the direction of Cancun. The road is in very good condition, it is a straight road; so you don’t have to worry about confusing detours, but keep in mind that once outside of Playa del Carmen you will have to cross two more bridges.

Once in Cancun, you should go to your convenient ferry station; If you want to leave the car in the city of Cancun, you can go to the ferry station of Playa Tortugas or Playa Caracol; These are located in the Hotel Zone. If you want to cross to Isla Mujeres and take the car with you, you must go to Punta Sam, a special ferry for vehicles.

Bus
Another excellent option, and a little more economical than the previous one, is to travel to Cancun by bus. You will find your best option at the beginning of 5th avenue in Playa del Carmen near the chapel; right in that place, you will get the ADO bus station. From there, you can take a bus for a price of no more than $ 100 MXN; You will also get another option right next to it, these are vans ($45 mxn) and taxis that can also take you to the city of Cancun.

Journey time
From Cancun to Isla Mujeres trip lasts 20 minutes. The ferries start from 7:00 am, and the last ferry is around 10 pm at night. You must add one more hour of travel from Playa del Carmen to Cancun and the waiting time for all passengers to get on board. The approximate time for you to be at your destination is a maximum of 2 hours.

Ferry Terminals to Isla Mujeres
Now that you know how to get to Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen, it is very important that you know where the terminals are from where the ferries depart to the island.

ferry isla mujeres

Terminals from Puerto Juárez to Isla Mujeres

Terminal Ultramar: This is one of the companies with the greatest flexibility of schedules and the most comfortable with a lot of amenities. Ferries from this terminal usually leave every 30 minutes. The cost of the ticket is $ 300 MXN round trip for adults; the single ticket has a cost of 160 pesos, children from 0 to 12 months travel free, from 12 months to 15 years, they pay 130 pesos for the single ticket and 250 pesos for the round trip; over 15 years old pay adult ticket. Quintana Roo residents with official identification pay the ticket at 146 MXN; payment can be made in pesos or dollars, in cash, or by card.

Terminal Punta Sam: Heavy cargo such as cars departs from this terminal. Currently, only the driver is allowed inside the vehicle, the journey lasts approximately one hour; In addition to the time it takes to get the vehicle to the ferry, the ticket for the car has a cost of 400 MXN.

Puerto Juárez Maritime Terminal: here you can take a tour of Isla Mujeres, normally this location is full of tour operators offering their services. These kinds of tours provide roundtrip transportation by boat, snorkeling, free time on the island, and food. It is a good option if you don’t have too much time on your itinerary.

Hotel Zone Terminals
Another way to get to Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen is from the Hotel Zone, where you will get three starting points, they are:

Tortugas beach.
Caracol Beach.
The Embarcadero.
They all belong to the Ultramar company, almost all have the same schedule, the cost of the ticket is $ 19 USD.

Now you know the different ways to get to Isla Mujeres, you don’t have an excuse to not visit this paradisiacal place. Discover Where to eat in Isla Mujeres for a complete trip to one of the top places in Cancun.