Welcome to Isla Mujeres!  Today is a travel day, and we have arranged a private shuttle to pick you up at the airport and take you to the Puerto Juarez Ferry Terminal for your 20-minute trip to Isla Mujeres.  We will pick you up at the Isla ferry terminal, and bring you to the retreat hotel, The Mermaid and The Pearl. where you can rest and unpack and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime  

 You will meet the other retreat guests and your hosts at the Happy Hour Reception, from 5 - 7 pm, with margaritas, wine, beer, soft drinks, and fresh jamaica juice on the third-floor terrace, where we will enjoy a light buffet dinner.  Afterward, we will walk just 1 block to the breathtakingly beautiful beach to watch the magnificent sunset over the sparkling blue water.  You are welcome to head back to the hotel to rest, or you can accompany us on a walking tour of Hidalgo, the walking street and entertainment center just 1 block behind the hotel.  There you will hear lots of live music from the many bars and restaurants downtown, and get a great overview of the area.  Stay as long as you like, as the music will rock til midnight, then head home for a great night's sleep.

It's Sunday, the first full day of the retreat!  You are free to sleep in, or wake up early, grab a coffee and a pastry or fruit, and head out to watch the morning arrive on the island.  We will meet at 9 AM for a sumptuous breakfast and a welcome orientation briefing.  Afterward, we will head out for an island tour by car and golf cart, exploring the island, its different neighborhoods, key landmarks, and magnificent beach clubs.  We will enjoy a late lunch of Tikinxic (pronounced tick-en-chick), which is an island delicacy of fire-roasted fresh whole fish on Playa Tiburon (Shark Beach), with your feet in the sand watching the boats go by. We will make several stops, including a quick shopping trip to Chedraui (shed-raw-wee) to pick up snacks, your favorite beverages, toiletries, or anything you forgot at home.   

Wear your swimsuit, as we will find places to take a dip along the way. You can choose to head back to the hotel, or join a group of Isla locals at DeNucios Italian restaurant overlooking the Caribbean, or across the street at El Borrocho Burro before heading back to the hotel.  We will enjoy happy hour on the 3rd-floor terrace, before walking one block to Playa Norte, where you can swim at one of the 9 best beaches in the world while watching the sunset. Amazing!  You can stay as long as you wish, then head back to the hotel, or stroll Hidalgo for a drink and music with us.  You can grab a light dinner or snack on the beach or on Hidalgo - there are more than 212 restaurants on the tiny island, and each is better than the next one!

On Monday, we will start the day with water aerobics at Playa Norte from 9 - 10 AM with other Isla residents (it's totally optional, but you will love it!), then head back to the hotel for a fabulous hot breakfast and a briefing on island living.  We will explore downtown Isla Mujeres, including the historic cemetery (see if you can find where the pirate Mundaca is buried), visit the municipal market to see where the freshest fruit and vegetables are purchased each morning by local restaurants, shop for arts and crafts, check out the tiny Isla Museum on the main square, peek into the lovely downtown church, and more.  

You will have free time to explore the island, read a good book, get a massage on the beach, or do whatever you want in the afternoon. We will meet for happy hour on the terrace, and play Bunco with local exxpats while enjoying the best pizza dinner the island has to offer.  Afterward, join us for a nightcap at one of the great bars on Hidalgo, or listen to live music and visit with expats at Tiny Gecko, a favorite hang-out on the Caribbean malecon.  And make sure you get a Marquesita (Nutella and banana-filled crispy crepe), before heading home.

 On Tuesday, we will start the day with a quick breakfast at 9 AM so we can explore the Mayan ruins at Punta Sur before it gets too hot.  This is a mystical and magical experience that you will truly enjoy. We will then visit a number of sites on the south side of the island - The Mundaca Estate if it is open, Isla Animals puppy adoption center, the Beading Cooperative, Dr. Delfinos's Isla Vet Clinic and kitty adoption center, the brand new Tourism University of the Caribbean, the Municipal Hospital, and homes of some local expats.  

 We will visit Kin Ha beach club for a dip in the ocean or one of their 3 pools, with swim-up food and drink service.  You can stay as long as you want, or head home for a nap.  

Meet at 5 PM for a quick drink on the rooftop terrace before walking up Hidalgo to El Patio, Casa de la Musica, for live music on the rooftop terrace, and the best happy hour on the island with 70-peso margaritas and a fabulous pre-arranged dinner featuring a sampling of the best island food (wait til you dive into their coconut shrimp!).  Afterward, you are welcome to stay at El Patio as the music revs up for a rocking fun night with a 5-person rock band at 9 PM, visit Tiny Gecko or other fun bar or restaurant, or take in a local festival or celebration at the Zocolo or main square of the island  It's just a couple of blocks walk back to the hotel.  You may want to stop by Gelateria Montebianco, for a  scoop of amazing homemade gelato from the Italian owner.

 On Wednesday, we will start the day with the optional 9 AM Water Aerobics class with our hostess Anna at Playa Norte, then head back to the hotel for a quick shower and full breakfast at 11 AM with a guest speaker.   Then we will head out for an afternoon at another of our favorite island beach clubs.  You will enjoy the pools, beaches, live music, gorgeous bathtub-warm water, and perhaps some margaritas and nachos!

You will definitely want to take a nap after an afternoon in the water and sunshine, with lots of adult beverages.  Grab a nap before joining us around 6 PM for happy hour on the terrace.  You have the evening to yourself to rest, explore the island nightlife, visit a restaurant you picked out earlier, or join a local festival, fundraiser, or special event.

Thursday will be a fun and relaxing day, with a full breakfast at 9 AM, and a boat tour on a clear all-glass boat!  We will stop for a frozen margarita on our way back to the hotel, and do some last-minute shopping at La Perla Negra on Playa Centro. 

You will have lots of time to relax, swim, go to the beach, and read a book, Around 6 PM, we will head to my home in La Gloria for a farewell dinner on the rooftop terrace with a breathtaking view of the Bay of Cancun, and you will be able to see the whole Cancun hotel zone 7 miles across the water.  And the sunsets are glorious from up there!  You can spend the rest of the evening as you wish - some people might even want to go late-night skinny dipping in the ocean under the moonlight - but no promises!

It's Friday, and the retreat will officially be over by 2 PM, or when the last guest departs for the airport or your next generation.  We will have a continental breakfast buffet to make sure everyone gets fed before departure. You can choose to stay over for a few days on your own, either as a guest at the hotel, or renting an airbnb elsewhere on the island, or even exploring somewhere else in Mexico.  We will schedule your transportation to the ferry terminal, and then back to the Cancun Airport with plenty of time to catch your plane home.  Feel free to swim in the rooftop pool, visit the beach, or just hang out at the hotel until departure time.  We will see you off at the ferry, and then the CARM driver will greet you at the Puerto Juarez terminal for your comfortable trip to the airport.  Remember to bring warm clothes in your carry on, as the airport is freezing after a week in paradise!  Bon voyage! Safe travels back home.