It’s just 18 minutes from Cancun by boat, just 4.3 miles long and less than half a mile wide — and the tiny island of Isla Mujeres still remains something of a well-guarded secret. 

It wasn’t until a few decades ago that the island was more than a small fishing village, and now Isla Mujeres is a refreshing oasis just across the water from the massive tourism engine of Cancun and the Riviera Maya. 

“It feels quite away from the dense tourism and all-inclusive hotels of Cancun and the Riviera Maya and what most travelers perceive as the Mexico experience,” says Jeffrey Alan, owner of the Coco B Isla and Casa Coco By Isla boutique resort, the island’s top small hotels. (Along with a selection of private Isla Mujeres villas). 

In recent years, though, the island has evolved, Alan tells Caribbean Journal. 

“‘Isla’ has not lost its roots, with its local fishing fleet cutting through the waters every morning before sunrise, “ he says. “But as the sun rises it has evolved into a bustling enclave of water based tourism and Mexican Caribbean life.”

And Isla Mujeres quietly reopened last month as part of a wider relaunch of the Mexican Caribbean. 

“The island is waking up from its recent nap and many restaurants, hotels, and private villas are open,” Alan says. That’s along with dive shops and other tour operators. 

And what hasn’t changed, either, is the marine environment, which has drawn lovers of scuba diving, snorkeling and the water to its shores. 

Isla Mujeres even offers the opportunity to swim with whale sharks and with sailfish (the latter even brought Sir Richard Branson to the island, Alan says). 

As for Casa Coco and Coco B Isla, the property’s team is “COVID-19 trained,” having completed state certification on top of the property’s existing protocols. 

“The property has great open air spaces, that are not crowded and we have created ample amenities, procedures, spacing, and options to eliminate concerns for our guests,” Alan says. “The same cleaning and proactive practices are implemented for guest rooms, and we also offer pre check-in via web or mobile device.”

“We are an upscale bed and breakfast style offering but with a Caribbean chic feel,” he says. 

And amid the new realities of travel, a tiny, spaced-out beachy destination is just what many travelers are looking for. 

For more, visit Coco B Isla. 

— CJ