Getting around Isla Mujeres: the cart, the taxi and the last ferry
Isla Mujeres has one road that runs the length of it and one town at the northern end. You can walk the town and Playa Norte from the ferry, and for everything else — Punta Sur, the east coast, Garrafón — you need wheels. Almost everyone rents a golf cart, which is a good decision made badly about half the time.
What you can do on foot
The ferry lands at the northern tip, in the pueblo. From there, Hidalgo and the restaurant streets are immediately in front of you, the market is a few blocks in, and Playa Norte is about a ten-minute walk. If your plan is lunch and the best beach on the island, you do not need a vehicle at all.
Everything south of the pueblo is a different matter. The island is eight kilometers long and the road has no sidewalk for most of it.
The golf cart
What you need
A valid driving license and usually a credit card for the deposit. Check the minimum age with the company.
Book ahead in season
There are a finite number of carts on the island and in high season they are gone by mid-morning. Reserving the night before is normal.
Check it before you leave
Photograph the existing damage, check the battery or fuel level, and ask what happens if it stops.
The loop
About forty-five minutes without stopping. You will not get lost — there is one road.
Electric carts are common and their range is real but finite. If you plan to do the full loop plus Punta Sur plus a lot of stopping, ask about the charge and where you can top it up.
Scooters and bicycles
Scooters are cheaper and quicker to hire, and the road is narrow with carts on it. Fine if you ride; not the place to learn. Bicycles work for the northern third of the island and become hard work in the middle of the day.
Taxis
Plentiful, cheap by mainland standards, and priced by zone rather than by meter. For one trip to Punta Sur and back they are the sensible option; for a day of stopping wherever you want, they are not. Agree the fare before you get in, as everywhere in Quintana Roo.
The ferry decides the shape of the day
From Puerto Juárez the crossing is about twenty minutes and boats are frequent; from the Hotel Zone piers they run less often and cost considerably more. Whichever you use, look up the last return before you plan anything, because there is no bridge and the alternative to the last boat is a hotel room.
Keep planning
Isla Mujeres · Isla Mujeres Ferry · Puerto Juarez
Traveler questions
Do I need a golf cart on Isla Mujeres?
What do I need to rent one?
How long does the island loop take?
Are taxis a good alternative?
What time is the last ferry back?
Sources
- Quintana Roo Tourism Board, Isla Mujerescaribemexicano.travel · checked 2026-09-25
