One thing you have to do in Mexico is spend a day out on the crystal clear water on a catamaran boat. We did a full day tour with Joluga Travels based in Cancun, Mexico. Going on a catamaran was something on the top of my list of things to do in Mexico, but we were kind of behind the curve in booking it. Luckily, one of the vendors walked up to the beach and asked us if we wanted to go on a boat and we were like “why not!”
The tour went to Isla Mujeres and offered snorkeling, lunch on the island, and drinks throughout the ride. The tour was nearly all day and included snorkeling, time to explore Isla Mujeres and lunch. This was a great experience and a great deal for the amount we paid for it as well, which was about $75 plus a small docking fee.
The morning of the tour we bought some biodegradable sunscreen and water cases for our phone and boarded the catamaran along with about 15 other people. There weren’t official seats on the tour but people just sat around the deck. The best spots on the boat are by far the trampolines. These are sturdy nets that are put on top of an open part of the deck, which gives the sensation of sitting right atop the water.
As we laid out and started sailing they played music and brought out drinks. There was a variety of drinks, including juices, beers and some cocktails. After about 30 minutes of sailing we came to a seemingly random spot in the ocean and where it was time to go snorkeling.
This was my first time snorkeling and the experience was amazing. I loved the feeling of jumping into the water and being immersed in the ocean. There were plenty of different types of fish around, not that I could identify them, and there was also some plant life. I adored swimming around with the fish, we were able to get so close to them and having them swim around them in their schools was exciting.
Another interesting part of the snorkeling tour was the statues that they had underwater. There was a series of statues of hangs in different positions like peace signs and fingers crossed. Since I felt comfortable enough in the water the tour guide said that I could dive to get closer to the statues. For people who were more inexperienced in the water, we had life jackets so they could enjoy it and some of the guides had buoys for people to hang onto and be guided on.
After getting back on the boat we continued on to Isla Mujeres. Isla Mujeres is a small island about 13 kilometers off the coast of Mexico. The island is known for its beautiful beaches, snorkeling destinations and having a sea turtle sanctuary. On the island we had the option to walk around the island or rent a golf cart for an additional $30. We decided to take the golf cart for a spin.
There was really only one main road on the island which made navigation easy. Besides the part of town near where the tour boats drop off the island was a pretty quiet place. We didn't see much besides ocean views riding around in the golf cart but it was still a nice experience to ride around the island. We did stop for some excellent tacos though. After we dropped the golf cart off we had some time so we did some souvenir shopping and some tequila tasting. Then it was time to head back onto the boat for lunch.
The boat took us to a further part of the island that appeared to be a water-park like place pre-covid. When we visited it was very quiet and just had other tour groups. There was a lunch buffet and an open bar and nice beachside seating to relax and just enjoy the island vibes.
After about an hour for lunch we boarded the boat again for the ride back. By the time we were heading back I was exhausted from the sun, snorkeling and the food so it was an uneventful ride back just watching the water and listening to music from the speaker they had onboard. We finally came back to shore and got off the boat.
The experience on the boat was great and a highlight of my trip. The crew was friendly and always ready with the drinks. The guides were bilingual so the tour was in English and Spanish and since it seemed as if we were some of the only English speaking people on board they made sure that we received all the instructions, which was especially important for the snorkeling and meeting at the right points and times at Isla Mujeres. The lunch on this island was my least favorite part of the trip, the food was so/so and there was nothing really to do there but it was a good time to unwind a little before the ride back. For a fun day on the water and exploring Isla Mujeres I would definitely recommend this tour!
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