"The Pearl of the Caribbean"
Isla Mujeres [1996]

13,500 inhabitants live on this 8 km long and 1,5 km wide coral island,
that belongs to the second largest coral reef in the world.

We stayed at Na BaLam, "House of the Leopard", an excotic name on an excotic 4-star hotel. It is among the most expensive hotels (and best) on the island, located at the North Beach.

The only village on the island consists of narrow cobblestone streets, lined with miscelaneous shops that sells jewellery, hammocks, clothes and other items one might wish of Mexican products.

Food and drinks:
The island has a great varity of eateries, with everything from cheap local food by the so called cocinas económicas, to exclusive international restaurants. Several eatingplaces serves Comida corrida in the afternoon.
Try Huevos a la Mexicana, scrambled egg with chili, for breakfast. Ceviche, raw marinated seafood, for lunch. Pescado or Camarónes con ajo, fish or giant shrimps in garlic, for dinner.
Mexican beer, cervesa, is cheap and refreshing. Most famous is Corona. Other brands are; Supreior, XX, Sol, and Modeleo Nergro.
Wine is relatively excpensive, even that Mexico has a production of its own.
Tequila is well known by most people. The drink is made from fermented agavejuice that is destilled two times and stored for a long time. Many mexicans sip the drink, other swing it down the throat, together with lime and salt. Some drink it with Sangrita, a mixture of tomatojuice and tabasco.
Margarita is a cocktail made of: 4½ cl Tequila, 1½ cl Cointreau, 1½ cl lemon- or limejuice. Shake it with crushed ice and serve in saltrimmed glas.
Non alcohol alternative are Limonada -fruitjuice og mineralwater.
Many of the cafés and bars have "Happy Hour", some all day long.

Aveninda Ruede Medina, the largest road on the island, leads to one of the most popular attractions, El Garrafón National Park. It's a reef just a few metres from shore, with a fantastic marine life. Coral, rock formations and an abundance of fish that eat tortillias from your hand.
Suntan lotion is perfect for the beach, but it has a tendency to kill the coral and other marine life. Here they have taken the concequence of that destroying effect, you shall have a shower before you get into the sea.

Isla Mujeres is surrounded by crystalclear water that change between several shades of turqoise and azur blue. There are many offers on snorkelling- and diving trips.
The Little Lighthouse are several small rock formations that creat perfect surrondings for a great number of fish and plants. Even a madonna statue got her own place on a rockshelf.
By The Manchones Reef is it deeper wich make it more suitiable for diving. Among the abundance of fish, one can also admire La Cruz de la Bahia (The Cross of the Bay), an one tonne heavy, 12 m high and 3 m wide krucifiks. It was "planted" here as a dedication for the woman and men on the island, in 1994.
The expertdivers kan among others, try The Cave of the Sleeping Sharks, that Jacques Cousteau made famous.

On the northern end you find the best and most popular beaches, Playa Norte og Playa Cocoteros. White powder-sand, calm turquoise and bathtub-warm water.
Windsurf, waterski, jetski or just lay and relax on the cool sand, watch a beachvolley match and enjoy an excotic drink.
Even if the sun shine on the sand all day, it stays cool. Different normal sand, this consists of mikroskopic, starshaped plancton-fossils, that's been crushed very fine.

Beach and reef:
Remember when you go snorkeling or diving, look but don't touch! The coral is very sensitive and often dies if you touch it. some even gives nasty "burns" and infection. Some jellyfish, for instance Portuguese Men of War, cause a burning feeling. Wash as soon as possible with something antiseptic to ease the pain. After that, put on some aloe vera, or an other soothing creme.

Be careful of the rip curls! Don't go deeper than the thighs, if you is'nt a good swimmmer. An evening swim in the moonshine is romantic, but it's also eatingtime for many of the caribean seas bigger and somewhat rapacious inhabitants. Take a stroll on the beach instead.

Last but not least - The beach is not an ashtray or trash can. If you smoke, don't leave the filter, that actually is a kind of semi permanent fibre glas, in the sand, to be eaten by animals, fish or birds. Through trash and bottles in the garbage cans. skrald og flasker i dertil beregnede skraldespande, because broken glas is a danger to the health.