Located within the Caribbean only a brief distance offshore from Cancun, Isla Mujeres is a small island that punches above its weight by way of providing an eco-friendly journey expertise. The Yucatán Peninsula has lengthy been impacted by mass tourism and that hasn’t gone unnoticed by native officers who’re involved for the area’s fragile ecosystem.
Isla Mujeres is understood for its laid-back stress-free ambiance, a far cry from close by Cancun. Whereas many vacationers merely make an effort to take a day journey to the island from the mainland, Isla Mujeres is greater than deserving of being the only focus of any journey to this area of Mexico.
Attending to Isla Mujeres
Some islands require a little bit of effort to go to, Isla Mujeres will not be one in every of them. You merely take one of many common 30-minute ferries that run from Cancun to Isla Mujeres.
Puerto Juárez’s Gran Puerto ferry port is the primary approach most individuals entry ferries that run to the island, however there are extra routes main from Cancun’s Lodge Zone together with departures from El Embarcadero, Playa Caracol, and Playa Tortugas.
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As quick because the journey is, most could be pleased if it have been to take longer because the surroundings aboard the ferry is a fairly good appetizer for what’s to return. Most of the ferries make the most of engines which might be designed to scale back emissions as a lot as potential and the consolation onboard is fairly spectacular for a ferry even when on a regular ticket. Nonetheless, there’s additionally a first-class part in case you want to take pleasure in much more consolation.
Isla Mujeres and its Dedication to Sustainability and Environmental Safety
Quintana Roo, which is the state that features Cancún, Isla Mujeres, and Cozumel is proving its dedication to preserving the native ecosystem. The Distintivo S program was created by the native Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with EarthCheck and Rainforest Alliance. This system gives certification and numerous advantages to native companies that undertake sustainable practices like conserving power and lowering water utilization.
There have additionally been signed agreements that look to develop methods for preserving pure assets and some tasks within the works that look to advertise the usage of power from natural waste. There’s even an annual Sustainable and Social Tourism Summit held in Cancun.
The opposite factor you’ll discover on Isla Mujeres is how few vehicles there are. Whereas vehicles aren’t banned, it’s golf carts which might be the primary mode of transportation. You’ll be able to hire them practically wherever on the island and you’ll even have them awaiting you on the ferry terminal upon your arrival or dropped at your resort.
Whereas most of the island’s golf carts are sadly nonetheless gas-powered, it’s nonetheless higher than the emissions that vehicles would create. Attempt inquiring whether or not electrical carts can be found to hire to be able to scale back your carbon footprint additional.
Most of the lodges and resorts on Isla Mujeres are additionally dedicated to sustainability and the preservation of the native setting. Some make use of onsite sustainability managers to assist higher handle the resort’s sustainable measures, and others even have wildlife refuges on their properties.
For Instance, MÍA Reef Isla Mujeres has its personal Tern Sanctuary and is dedicated to the conservation of the species. They have been providing big day passes the place you might go to and observe the birds with out reserving a keep, a portion of the proceeds going to the continuing preservation of the sanctuary. Chances are you’ll want to inquire if that is nonetheless obtainable.
Different lodging suppliers have on-site composting, make the most of photo voltaic power, promote tree planting on the islands, and supply natural produce from native growers in close by mainland villages.
Even a lot of tour firms on the island use proceeds to fund environmental preservation, analysis, and academic applications. Quintana Roo has additionally now banned single-use plastic supplies and utensils.
High 3 Sustainable and Eco-Pleasant Experiences to Get pleasure from on Isla Mujeres
Go to an Underwater Museum Serving to to Fight Local weather Change
It may be a problem to offset the impacts of mass tourism descending upon the native reefs annually. A technique that’s being finished is thru a singular underwater artwork museum generally known as Museo Subacuático de Arte or MUSA.
Positioned off the coast of Isla Mujeres within the Cancún Nationwide Marine Park., MUSA is a museum that doubles as a man-made reef. Whereas many synthetic reefs are created by ships and particles which were unintentionally or purposely positioned on the seafloor, MUSA has created submerged artwork galleries crammed with a whole lot of fascinating statues created with pH-neutral cement that not solely permit coral and marine vegetation to develop on them but in addition have particular crevices and holes the place marine life can stay.
Artwork is sort of actually saving the oceans right here, the underwater galleries serving to to offset the consequences of local weather change on the reef and the impacts brought on by vacationers. It is going to additionally improve the reef system’s general biomass.
Not solely do the statues present a man-made reef the place marine life is flourishing, it additionally helps to draw vacationers who come to view the underwater museum and the marine life it attracts by snorkeling, scuba diving, and glass-bottom boats. This implies the realm’s pure reefs see much less visitors and have a greater likelihood to heal.
The museum is simply in its infancy so to talk, as there are a lot of extra galleries deliberate which can create properly over a thousand completely different synthetic habitats.
Go to Isla Contoy
Isla Contoy is a nationwide park and one of many prime eco-tourism websites within the area. Entry to the closely protected island is restricted to only 200 fortunate individuals a day to be able to protect the native ecosystem.
The island is commonly nicknamed the “island of the birds” because of the reality greater than 150 resident and migratory birds go to the island. Simply among the species that cease on the island embody nesting peregrine falcons, pelicans, ospreys, herons and egrets, boobies, and frigatebirds.
To achieve the small island that’s roughly 20 miles from Isla Mujeres, it is advisable undergo a licensed vacationer supplier of which solely a choose few can be found. The guides that supervise excursions to the island should undergo intensive coaching to make sure the safety of the island.
You gained’t discover any retailers or lodges on the island, the closest are in Isla Mujeres. Solely a restricted variety of scientists are allowed to remain on the island to hold out analysis. In any other case, the island is really reserved for the native wildlife.
Each insect repellent and sunscreen are actually banned from the island, even these which might be biodegradable and reef-safe. There are additionally no single-use plastics allowed and smoking is prohibited. All of that is to make sure the influence of holiday makers is stored to an absolute minimal each to ensure the safety of the wildlife right here and the island’s Ramsar-listed mangroves.
The island additionally gives nesting for sea turtles, and the encircling water is house to hawksbill, inexperienced, loggerhead, and leatherback turtles. Excursions to the island usually will let you go to Ixlache Reef off the south finish of the island. This reef is taken into account to be the start of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef which is thought to be the world’s second-largest.
Swim with the World’s Largest Fish
No journey to Isla Mujeres is full with out swimming with whale sharks, however you’ll need to ebook your journey between June and September when the world’s largest fish is current within the close by waters.
Animal encounters can all the time be questionable journey actions when you think about how usually these experiences can put the lives of animals in peril and trigger a substantial amount of stress. Nonetheless, when finished correctly, experiencing our pure world by moral wildlife excursions generally is a win for each us and the animals.
Moral animal encounters carry consciousness to the significance of varied species and funds from excursions will be funneled again into conservation efforts. Swimming with whale sharks off Isla Mujeres is fortunately an moral expertise.
Following security and sustainability rules is strictly enforced and tour operators and their guides should undergo a whale shark biology course amongst different issues earlier than being granted permission to run excursions.
Boat excursions that search out the whale sharks through the season after they feed within the plankton-rich waters are capped to only 10 passengers and solely 2 individuals moreover the guides are allowed within the water at any time when the chance to swim with the whale sharks presents itself.
Not solely are you not allowed to the touch the whale sharks, there are additionally minimal distance necessities in addition to not being allowed to dive under the floor. That is enforced by means of making life vests obligatory which forces you to stay on the water’s floor.
As soon as once more, even reef-safe biodegradable sunblocks are banned, as these can have destructive impacts on whale sharks. Single-use plastics are additionally not allowed on tour boats and diesel engines are prohibited because the residue they create can hurt the fish.
Regardless of all these rules, it positively doesn’t distract from the expertise. And whereas sightings are by no means assured since they aren’t pressured, there’s a very excessive likelihood of witnessing a number of whale sharks on every particular person tour through the season. Some fortunate excursions witness a number of dozen in a single outing.
How You Can Journey Extra Responsibly
Properly over a billion individuals journey overseas annually, which implies sustainable tourism is a should if environments and cultures are to be preserved. Whereas tourism can contribute to local weather change and the destruction of native ecosystems, it could possibly even have a constructive influence if we’re all keen to do our half.
It’s your responsibility to change into a extra accountable traveler, and it begins with reserving eco-friendly lodging, adopting a ‘Go away no hint‘ perspective and selecting to go together with sustainable tour operators. Search for firms which were licensed or confirmed to be dedicated to sustainable tourism and possibly even filter a portion of their earnings again into the area people, environmental conservation efforts, or the preservation of necessary native websites.
Don’t be afraid to behave as a accountable journey advocate and encourage others to suppose about methods they’ll scale back their destructive impacts whereas touring. All the time report any violations of human or animal rights you witness whereas touring and provide options to companies on how they might change into extra sustainable.
