Isla Mujeres East Side — The Wild, Open-Ocean Side of the Island

The east side of Isla Mujeres is the least visited stretch of water in the entire Cancun and Isla Mujeres boating scene — and that's exactly what makes it worth doing. The island acts as a natural shelter from the open Atlantic, creating calm, deep water on its eastern shore that almost nobody reaches by private boat.

We cross to Isla Mujeres via Punta Norte, Punta Sur or both depending on your chosen route and take our time working down the coastline, choosing where to anchor and swim based on conditions on the day. The water is deeper here and swimming in it gives you a genuine open-ocean feeling while staying protected. This is the route where dolphins are most likely to appear, where mating sea turtles surface regularly and where local fishermen free-dive for fish just off the rocks. If they've had a good catch we can sometimes buy directly from them and cook it on board.

The east side works best as an add-on to one of the other Isla Mujeres experiences — plan for a longer day and come ready to explore. One hour covers the full length of the island from tip to tip. A fresh prepared lunch or charcoal BBQ option is available, along with soft drinks and open bar throughout.