Isla Mujeres History

     Tourism was being developed in Isla Mujeres decades before Cancun existed. The island had scheduled amphibious airplane flights arriving in the 1930's. Scheduled ferry service began in the 1950's after a road was built to the coast from Valladolid. The bus drivers would spend the night on the isle, sleeping at the movie theater. 1930's Isla Mujeres downtown 1930's: Amphibious Flights To Isla Mujeres       In 1932 a 12-passenger amphibious aircraft was flying the "Chicle Route" from Florida to Cuba to Progreso to Cozumel, Chetumal, Belize, and Guatemala. In the 1930's, celebrated Mexican pilot Sarabia began operating his airplane company in Quintana Roo with five airplanes, which could each carry five passengers. They established the "Caribbean Route" ( Ruta del Caribe ): Chetumal-Puerto Carrillo-Cozumel-Isla Mujeres.        The famous pilot was good friends with Quintana Roo Governor Melgar, and they enjoyed bre...

The book "Yank in Yucatan" has advice for travelers visiting Isla Mujeres ~fifty years ago. It says... "Isla Mujeres is a Hollywood producer's dream of the typical tropical island"~Rolfe F. Schell        "Until March of 1959, Isla Mujeres was completely cut off from the rest of the world, with the exception of a narrow dirt jungle road, and a connecting ferry. In March, Jesus Lima, owner of the Zacil Ha, one of the two hotels on the island, inaugurated the first scheduled air flights from Merida. The little single-engined monoplane now skims swiftly over the lush jungle and dusty road, arriving at Isla Mujeres about two hours after takeoff . In the many trips I have made to Mujeres, I have never really looked forward to the two hundred miles of hot road travel (from Merida to Puerto Juarez, via Valladolid), but I have never regretted the ride either. Actually, the bus is about as comfortable as the automobile ride, ... the $1.60 fare is ...