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Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Playa Norte, Isla MujeresView All Sizes

JOURNAL : November 10, 2004

Perfect Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres > Quintana Roo > Mexico

Series Perfect Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres
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Although there are quite a few nice beaches around the island, Playa Norte is the best. If Isla Mujeres is shaped like a fish with nose pointed downwards, then Playa Norte is along the fan of the tail. The entire area around the "tail" is a shallow playground for water sports like boating and jet-skiing, and the SCUBA and snorkeling are great. Lots of fun stuff can be organized in town. The beach itself has the fine whiter sand found on most Caribbean beaches. The water? Well we got pictures here so I don't need to tell you the water was clear and various shades of aquablue. Needless to say, it ranked high on the Liz List of favorite beaches.

Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Liz at Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres

Starfish found at Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres

Camouflaged StarfishView All Sizes

Island Critters

We apprehended these starfish stationed just offshore. They were dressed in army camouflage and behaving like land mines. Luckily we didn't step on any. In the same area a gang of fish adopted us for about fifteen minutes, following us around and darting around our feet. They were incredibly playful.

Turtle Farm

Turtle Farm

Turtle Farm

On another adventure on the island we ducked into a turtle farm. Turtles in various stages of development dominated a series of large tanks. In one tank were tiny hatchlings, and in other ones were senior citizens. Mexico has a problem with poachers nabbing the eggs. An extract is perceived as an aphrodisiac. Demand has destroyed the population and nurseries like this are countering the trend, in tandem with a particularly controversial public awareness campaign featuring sexy models.

Downtown, Isla Mujeres, from the Ferry to Cancun, Mexico

Downtown, Isla MujeresView All Sizes

Shell House on Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Shell House on Isla MujeresView All Sizes

Clouds over Cancun, taken from Isla Mujeres

Clouds over CancunView All Sizes

Crane

Crane

Along the way around the island one day we saw the magnificent clouds featured above, and then shortly afterward drove by a rather unique house shaped like a shell. In the photo, behind the house you can see some of the clouds from other photos.

Playa Norte

Homer Boat Harbor on the Spit.

Homer Boat Harbor

This huge hermit crab was trekking along this low wall near the visitor’s center at Isla Contoy, a bird sanctuary island off the Yucatan Coast and a few hours north by boat from Isla Mujeres. He was remarkably similar to the hermit crabs that invaded our campsite at night on St John in the Virgin Islands. They’re about as big as a fist, and solid as stone.

Hermit Crab, Isla Contoy

Afternoon in Mercure, France

Mercure, France

Descending the vines of the first leg of Crystal Canyon.

Descending Vines

View of Paris from the Eiffel Tower, looking across the Seine River

View from the Eiffel

Skier, overlooking Canaan Valley Resort, West Virginia

Canaan Valley

Inside the Envelope of a Hot Air Balloon

Hot Air Balloon

The Sunken Garden from the entrance

Butchart Gardens

Looking South over Mt. Ka’ala

Waianae Side

Random Adventures!

Pavilion near Peak, Victoria Peak Garden

Pavilion

Union City, Manhattan, Hudson River from the Empire State Building

Manhattan and Union City