Shopping tour by the downtown of Isla Mujeres

Situated in the Caribbean Sea, close to Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Isla Mujeres is a charming and picturesque island of only 8 kilometers long and almost a kilometer wide at its widest point. Only 13 kilometers away from hyperactive Cancun, Isla Mujeres is a throwback to Mexico’s ancient days. Isla, as it is known, is a place that has incorporated a few services without losing its Mexican roots. Though the island is now increasingly being visited and discovered by tourists, it still retains its cozy and relaxed atmosphere. You can still stroll on sandy, unpaved roads into villages where hammocks take the place of beds in colorful, Caribbean-style houses placed between eye-catching places, such as colorful family-run hotels, seafront inns, bric-a-brac stores, cafes and stylish restaurants. There is something for everyone! 

Isla Mujeres is not just golden beaches. It is also shopping! Shopping in Isla Mujeres is a casual activity. Most shops are on Avenida Hidalgo, and there you will find from Saltillo rugs, onyx, silver, Guatemalan clothing, blown glassware, masks, folk art, crafts, beach equipment, and T-shirts in abundance. Prices are lower than in Cancun or Cozumel.

You can shop the day away or just browse the shops until the sun goes down! The north end of the island concentrates the majority of shopping activity. You will find a wide variety of shops on Isla Mujeres, from ultra-fancy jewelry stores to Mexican souvenir and craft stores, all within a couple of blocks. Hidalgo and many streets are crowded with shops where you can buy anything a tourist could want: decorative plates, silver and other jewelry, t-shirts, bags, magnets, postcards, and ornaments. As you walk by, sellers keenly encourage you to "take a look." Prices are geared towards tourists although they are not really high. Actually, if you hesitate whether to paying or not a product at a given price and act as if you're going to leave, vendors will probably ask you to offer another price. You can sometimes bargain them down some dollars. Most shops accept pesos or US dollars, but not credit cards. If you pay in dollars, you probably should get change in pesos. In Isla you will find many little t-shirt and souvenier shops. It's the same kind of souvenirs that one would find in other Mexican or Caribbean tourist areas. You can find lots of silver jewelry and Mexican woven blankets on Isla. You'll want to make sure you negotiate for the best prices as the original price is usually twice as much as what you can actually buy it for. 

Isla has many T-shirt shops, all rationally priced. Among the most popular T-Shirt shops you will find The Caribbean T-Shirt Factory, T-Shirt Shop Boutique, The T-Shirt Corner, T-Shirt Club Beach and T-Shirt Boutique. There is one t-shirt for every taste, from those that have Mexican patterns to shirts with original phrases on them. Apart from T-shirts, you can find gorgeous hammocks on almost every corner of Isla Mujeres picturesque downtown! You can get them in specialty stores, in little tourist stores, on the local market, on the streets or if you just walk around you will eventually end up where the makers live. They will give you a lot of explanation, and even show you how they make them.

In your shopping tour round Isla Mujeres you will also find a great variety of grocery stores. Two of them are just close the town square, and the other is farther south, close to La Gloria. For instance, one of these stores has the best selection of ground coffee. The other stores mostly just have instant coffee. You can also find a great variety of fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables, apart from local spices and fresh canned fish.

As regards craft stores, there are many options if you want to buy typical Mexican handicrafts. For instance, you can go to Artesanías Arcoiris, which has Mexican blankets and other handicrafts, or to Artesanías Lupita, if you are looking for Mexican ceramics and onyx jewelry. Casa del Arte Mexicano is another store which offers a great collection of Mexican handicrafts. Last but not least, Mercado of Artesanías is a very interesting market where many local artists display their beautiful works. Isla is also a great place for jewelry lovers. Gold and Silver Jewelry is a shop that specializes in precious stones, while Joyería Maritz sells jewelry from Taxco and crafts from Oaxaca, at reasonable prices.

If you are planning to take advantage of shopping opportunities on your visit, make sure you leave some empty space in one of your suitcases. This way you can fill it with your Isla’s treasures and gifts for your beloved ones. You will really enjoy the charm and atmosphere of shopping and browsing through the shops on Isla Mujeres!   
         
Verónica Torres