Isla Mujeres Travel Guide

Tickets

We do notmail out paper tickets for these events. You can print your PayPal/receipt if you like, but it's not necessary — we keep a guest list with us, so you don't need to bring tickets or risk losing them. We'll check everyone in from that list at the Welcome Party and give you your badge and lanyard.

If for some reason you can't make the trip, please contact us so we can adjust the guest list. Even though we cannot refund tickets, your tickets can be used at any future IslandFest or Island Showcase.

Where We Stay on the Island

Our host hotel is Nautibeach Condos — both beach concerts are walking distance from the hotel. Please book your condo directly with Nautibeach at 1.888.428.8599 and reference Songwriters Island / IslandFest — we have rooms blocked for this event.

Important: musicians' rooms are paid for from sales in our NautiBeach block, so booking within the group directly helps cover our musicians' room costs. Nautibeach has a few 1-BR condos and mostly 2-BR condos — bring friends and split the cost!

Once the rental-group condos sell out, you still have options at Nautibeach — contact these owners for additional availability:

• Keith Turner (condos 1, 7, 10, 18, penthouse 32) — kmxxx@aol.com
• Katy Hochmayr (condos 5, 6, 9, 17) — katy@nautibeachcondos.com
• Marla Bainbridge (condo 22) — marla@islamujeresvacationrentals.com

If owner units are sold out, try Expedia. And if Nautibeach is full, consider Ixchel Beach next door. For other options once these are full, email sdensler@songwritersisland.com.

Air Travel

You'll fly into Cancún (CUN). Most guests arrive Wednesday or Thursday morning to make the Welcome Party Thursday afternoon (or earlier to enjoy more island time), and fly out Monday or Tuesday afternoon.

Try not to book early-morning return flights — you'll need time to catch the ferry off the island, then a cab to the airport, arriving 2 hours beforeyour flight since it's international. If you need a night on the Cancún side, our friends own a cozy, inexpensive Airbnb called Kiosco Folk, 2 blocks from the ferry — ask for Daniela and Octavio: airbnb.co.in/rooms/21848603.

Passports

Bring your passport — and check it now: it must be valid for at least 6 months after your travel dates. Expedited passport fees are expensive, so be proactive.

Immigration & Customs

There's no longer a paper Tourist Visa card to fill out on the flight, but you may need your inbound boarding pass — don't lose it. Have your boarding pass and passport in hand when you get off the plane, then walk to Immigration (follow the crowd). They'll stamp and return your passport.

Next, go through the duty-free area to baggage claim. After you have your bags, proceed to Customs (Aduana). Depending on the terminal, you may press a button: green light = pass through; red light = they may examine your luggage. Be honest about what you're carrying — don't bring cartons of cigarettes, drugs, liquor, etc. into Mexico.

Transportation to the Ferry

Book a transfer from the airport to the ferry dock before your trip — cabs in Cancún get expensive. We have a private driver and personal friend, Lalo from Isla Fun Tours, whose team picks you up at the airport in a van and drops you at the ferry (and the reverse on your return):

• WhatsApp +52 1 998 147 7503
• Email islafuntours@outlook.com
• Facebook eduardo.torresgarcia.5

Lalo will try to group you with other show guests to save money — you pay per van, not per person. One-way is $50 plus tip, split among riders (same on return). Special: with 8+ people arriving together and nice weather, he can offer a private boat to Isla Mujeres instead of the ferry, for the same cost as the ferry.

Prefer a transfer company? We've had great experiences with USA Transfers, CARM, and Happy Shuttle. The driver (and Lalo) can sell you ferry tickets at the same price as the dock. Make sure you're going to the Isla Mujeres Ferry at Puerto Juárez / Gran Puerto — cheaper and faster than the Hotel Zone one.

After customs, go through the sliding glass doors and talk to none of the folks pushing deals (timeshares, high-priced taxis). Head outside and look for Lalo or your driver holding a sign with your name — they track your flight. The taxi to Puerto Juárez takes 20–30 minutes. Pay round-trip in US dollars and schedule your return; a few dollars tip is nice.

Ferry & Baggage

At the ferry port, if you didn't buy tickets from your driver, go into the ticket office and buy round-trip ferry tickets to Isla Mujeres (~$32 USD round-trip), then line up. The crossing takes 20 minutes; ferries run every 30 minutes from 6 AM–11 PM. They'll scan your ticket — keep it for the return.

Two ways to handle baggage: let a bellboy stow it in the back of the ferry (tip ~$1 USD / 20 pesos per bag), or carry your own bags through the line and place them in the back yourself.

Check-In

Two ways to reach Nautibeach: walk or take a taxi. For a taxi, exit the front of the ferry building to the street — the taxi stand is to the left (there may be a line).

To walk, ask a trustworthy maletero (luggage guy) to take your bags to Nautibeach by tricycle — tip ~$2 USD per bag, at least $5 total, a bit more if they carry bags up the stairs. Leaving the ferry, take a left onto the main road and walk ~5 blocks along the ocean. Where the main road curves right, keep straight down the paving-stone street. Turn right at the guard shack, continue to the rental office down the path, turn right after the pool — the office is in front of you. Check in there for keys and your pool/beach bracelets.

Booked outside the Nautibeach block? Follow the directions from your rental agency.

While You Are Here

Need anything during your stay? Go to the Rental Office — they'll help with an English-speaking doctor, tours, light bulbs, leaky faucets, anything. Daily housekeeping is free, but tips are appreciated (~100 pesos per full cleaning in the tip basket). Get pool/beach towels from the rental office.

Please remember each condo is individually owned.Don't move items between condos or leave condo items (towels, silverware, kitchen items) at the pool or beach. The pool, lounge chairs, umbrellas, and tables are for registered Nautibeach guests; the chairs/umbrellas behind Mayan Beach Club are open to everyone.

Each room has large purified-water dispensers (free) — tap water is fine for brushing teeth, but use purified for cooking and drinking. Mexico uses the same electrical outlets as the US/Canada. Most condos have their own internet — check the modem for the network name and password.

Money

Some restaurants, taxis, and stores are cash-only. Best approach: convert USD to pesos — exchange rates favor us, so food and drinks are inexpensive. Get the best rate by exchanging at your bank at home before you leave, then as needed at an indoor bank ATM on the island, the ferry port (passport may be required), or the Nautibeach office.

Most places take US dollars but give poor exchange rates, so pay in pesos. Many places now take credit cards too. If asked to charge in dollars or pesos, the answer is always pesos. We use credit cards (best rate) where we can and pay everything else in pesos.

Golf Carts

Taxis & Important Phone Numbers

Water activities (snorkeling, diving, fishing, catamarans, private water ferry) — Lalo or Ana at Isla Fun Tours: +52 558 492 5490 · islafuntours.com

Our favorite taxi drivers (call or WhatsApp):

• Yuri — +52 998 320 8628
• Marcos — +52 998 489 8793
• Alex — +52 477 114 7293
• Luis — +52 998 222 4829
• Milton — +52 998 158 6850
• Jose Lara (late nights) — +52 998 409 8616

Massage (beach or in your condo) — Monica (Mooniik): +52 998 347 2955
Concierge & shopping trips — Jules: +52 99 8161 6832

Our Favorite Bars & Restaurants

(* indicates a cab or golf cart is required)