96 hours in Isla Mujeres
Do you ever feel so stuck in your routine that you actually have no idea that you need a vacation? Or a few days off? And once you get those few days off, you realize how much they were needed? This is exactly what I felt the moment I sat down in a hammock on a beach in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. I sat on that hammock, shut my eyes, let out a deep breathe, and felt lighter. I felt at ease.
I had booked my trip to Isla Mujeres a few months prior on a whim, initially planning on going by myself for a few days of relaxation, solitude, and seeing what Isla Mujeres had to offer. A solo trip quickly turned into a girls trip with my friend, in which we were both incredibly excited for. Things took a turn, however, when my friend’s brother—who is lovely—invited himself on the trip a week before we left.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect on this trip, but I knew we would have fun. The three of us started giggling like crazy as soon as we passed through security at Toronto’s Pearson airport and we saw not one, not two, but three Cake Boss vending machines with Buddy Valastro’s face painted across it.
After a long flight of the three of us getting confused by the time changes, and watching The Rock’s Skyscraper—what I insisted was a decent movie, but turned out to be truly terrible—we arrived in Cancun’s chaotic airport, hopped in our transfer, and made it to the ferry to Isla Mujeres. The three of us were running one two hours of sleep each, but we still managed to take pictures, enjoy the warm air, and somehow, make it to the top of the ferry deck where we thought there would be seats (spoiler: we were wrong and ended up sitting on the floor). By 3pm, we made it to our hostel, which was both of my friends’ first hostel experience, and quickly changed into our swimsuits. The hostel—Selina Isla Mujeres—was a gorgeous compound with a beach, bar, tattoo studio, private rooms, a movie room, kitchen, common room, bar, pool, and DJ area that was in the perfect location. We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging, reading, getting to know fellow travellers, and drinking incredible margaritas with tajín rims. That evening, we went to an incredible elevated Mexican restaurant where we indulged in grilled octopus, ají shrimp, and incredible mezcal cocktails.
Each day in Isla Mujeres, it felt like we lived at least three different lives. We would grab coffee in the mornings from one of the island’s many incredible cafes, do a crossword (or three), make our way to the beach around noon and get a bit sunburned, grab a late lunch, then make our way into town. It was so easy travelling with the two of them; we were all on the same page about everything we wanted to do and how we wanted to spend our time. We rented a golf cart, we watched the sunrise at Punta Sur—the first sunrise in Mexico—swam in the sea, and sought out good coffee. We would make wildly inappropriate jokes, listen to techno music, dance at the parties hosted by the hostel, indulge in some bad habits, and enjoy each other’s company more than we could ever imagine. I’ve had some pretty incredible trips in my lifetime, but this was probably in my top three experiences. I have never, ever, laughed as hard as I did on this trip, or feel as free, recharged, and zen throughout my time there.
The three of us all needed this time away. Our personal and professional lives were stressful, of course, and we all felt we were at the edge of burnout. This trip, even though it was only four days, was the perfect opportunity to get away and come back feeling brand new.
While I did come back from Isla Mujeres with a nicotine problem (only when I drink, thank you!), and inside jokes that don’t translate well outside of the three of us, I also came back with a lifetime of memories and a new-found tradition of taking a trip each year with my two friends so we can continue on with our bad habits and bad jokes—just in a different country, this time.
