Really the only way economical way to travel to Isla Mujeres from Cancun. Sure you have to take the ADO bus and a 15 min cab ride in between, but it's much cheaper and more comfortable this way. Way better than shared rides (squeezed in vans).
We went to Isla Mujeres, so I'll detail how to finagle that.
The TL;DR version: download the ADO app and buy one ways for the bus, buy your round trip Ultramar tickets online, and estimate 1.5-2.5 hrs between the island and the airport.
Getting to the island, in detail:
When you land at the Cancun airport, withdraw pesos from the ATM (bring a card that doesn't charge you conversion fees like CapitalOne 360), and buy tickets at the designated ADO booth without leaving the airport premises (pirated tickets galore).
- Cash only in person, and it's 98 pesos (US$5) each way to ADO Bus Terminal in Cancun metro. You could also buy it on the app, but I haven't tried.
- Buy one way, because round trip tickets fix your time and they won't let you on earlier or later. The round trip savings are about US$1 anyway. Not worth sitting at the terminal for 45 mins on your way back (where do you think I am writing this right now?).
From the bus terminal, get a taxi for 70 pesos to go to Puerto Juarez. Don't ask how much; just offer: "Setenta (70) pesos al Puerto Juarez?" They'll counter anywhere between 150 and 250, but walk a few steps out, cross the street to go to McDonalds, and a cab driver there will take you. Ignore the counter offers on your way to McD*, and on the third-ish try, you'll get a nice gentleman to take you. Pay upon arrival, ofc. This leg should take 15 mins (but bake in 20).
*To put your savings in context, 75 pesos is a strong, yummy mezcal-rita/cocktail at happy hour on the island.
(Also, the cab price that locals pay is 50-80 pesos for this route, so 70 isn't a bad offer.)
Get to the port. By now you hopefully have a PDF of the Ultramar ticket that you bought online, but if not, do that for the next ticket, and buy round trip. It comes with a QR code, and you can use your return ticket any time within the next 6 months. $39.80 for round trip tickets for two people, so just shy of $20 per person.
Boarding begins 20-30 mins ahead of departure. If it's 6pm or later in the evening, sit on the top deck for the sunset and ocean winds. Any other time, sit inside and enjoy the AC. The actual boat ride is 22 mins even (they claim 18 but we left 3 mins late); add in 5 mins to disembark (safe to say the whole trip is done in 30 mins).
Huge error on the website, btw: it says a boat leaves every half hr in the morning, but as of now (Jul 2021), it leaves every hour on the hour, both directions (Cancun-Isla Mujeres and vice versa), so nota bene there!
For the more skeptical, my timeline leaving the island was:
- 10:40am Get in line for the 11am ferry
- 11:03am Ferry departs; docks in Cancun at 11:23, take a few mins to get off the ship
- 11:25am Walk out of Port Juarez past cab drivers asking 250 pesos; cross the street and walk towards the Oxxo store, and get a cab driver to accept 70 pesos
- 11:42am Arrive at the ADO Bus Station; learn that I can't get on an earlier bus. Wait 48 mins.
- 12:30pm Get on the bus and head to the airport.
- 1:10pm Arrive at the ADO bus platform at the airport (order of terminals is 4-2-3; idk about T1). Walk out, then into Departures.
So I took 2.5 hours getting to the airport but with 45 mins of unnecessary wait time that you can avoid. Time it well, and you can do it in 1 hr 30-45 mins.
I also had to get tested for COVID at the airport (see my review for LabCare); per the CDC, antigen tests, which require 20 mins for results, are accepted to get into the US. If you're going to France, though, you need the other one (which takes much longer to get results), so plan accordingly depending on your destination.
My Isla Mujeres collection is public under my account. Enjoy the beach and your mezcalritas! read more