Want to visit Mexico, but hate crowds? Consider a visit to Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women, where time passes slowly and your dream vacation becomes a reality. Located just eight miles across the Bahia de Mujeres (Bay of Women) from Cancun, Isla Mujeres is only five miles long and half a mile wide with a downtown area of just four by six blocks. Accessible only by a pleasant 15 minute ferry ride from Cancun, the average temperature is 80 degrees with 60% humidity.
My destination is the Avalon Reef Resort; a five minute taxi ride from the ferry pier. An all inclusive resort (room rate includes all meals, drinks, transportation to and from the resort/ferry/airport, gratuities and taxes) with 140 ocean front and ocean view rooms to choose from, Avalon offers budget minded travelers perfect accommodations. The main building, known as the Tower, is the center of all activity and offers standard rooms for two people and one- or two-bedroom suites that can accommodate up to six. A more secluded setting is the villas located on the tip of the islet that border the ocean. The villas offer studios for two people or one-bedroom suites that accommodate four.
With a choice of one king-size bed or two twins, this is the perfect place for singles, couples and families. Each bed has a wooden headboard with a sun and moon face. Each studio or suite includes a kitchenette with coffee service, bottled water, microwave, mini refrigerator, sink, dishes and utensils. All rooms are furnished with a desk and chair, an upholstered club chair, and an armoire with storage drawers and cable TV. A large closet offers more storage space with an iron and ironing board plus an in-room safe (when you check-in, request the lock and key). White stucco walls and ceiling and white tile floors with rich oak wood furniture are a pleasant backdrop for magnificent views of the ocean waves and blue skies through the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door and picture windows.
Each villa has a private balcony overlooking an amazing view of the ocean and depending on which side you face, a colorful sunrise or sunset.
Bathrooms are very roomy and contain basic amenities - sewing kit, bath soaps, shampoo, conditioner and hair dryer. A swan made out of towels, fresh flowers and tissues, sat on the bed to greet me as I entered my villa studio.
Avalon Reef has three restaurants; two require reservations and are open for dinner only with two seating times; 6:00 or 8:30 pm.
Mi Casa es Su Casa (reservations required) serves traditional Mexican fare, in a relaxed air conditioned setting. To get your taste buds going, homemade chips and salsa with lots of fresh cilantro are served instead of rolls and butter. Appetizers include fish ceviche and turnovers filled with Oaxaca and Asadero cheese. Sample a taco salad, shrimp and citrus salad or traditional lime soup. Entrée specialties include chicken breast stuffed with seafood and spinach, tenderloin filet perfectly grilled in a pepper sauce and traditional Mexican dishes such tacos, fajitas, burritos and enchiladas. Be sure to save room for dessert; Pancho Villa's three milk cake; a moist vanilla cake made with eggnog or Zapata's Natilla; a banana cream pudding with chunks of fresh banana. Make sure to order a Mayan Coffee with dessert and get treated to a fiery show. The waiter mixes Kahlua and an anise flavored liquor, sets it on fire and pours the blazing liquid from one serving dish to another, before pouring it into a clear coffee glass and adding coffee and whipped cream.
North Beach Terrace (reservations required) serves Japanese fare and is located outdoors next to the beach. Specialties include various pieces of sushi and sashimi, spicy tuna tartar, fried ramen salad with sesame dressing, stir fry teriyaki sirloin and pibil chicken satay.
The third restaurant is Kelly's Bar & Grill serving buffet-style breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast consists of assorted fresh fruits, cereals and breads, breakfast meats and eggs to order. Lunch is a variety of salads, cheeses, sliced deli meats, hot-off-the-grill burgers and hotdogs, Mexican style fish, chicken and rice dishes and assorted desserts. If you prefer table service, you can order tacos, nachos and other Mexican specialties from a menu.
Dinner is themed and selections change daily. Some highlights include hand-carved roasted pig or turkey, Mexican style fish and chicken dishes, vegetables and rice, assorted breads and rolls. Assorted desserts and coffees complete the meal. If you want to eat on the beach, your balcony or in your room, take-out containers are available.
If you don't feel like going to one of the restaurants, the resort offers a limited room service menu.
Avalon Reef Resort has a spa where you can pamper yourself silly with a selection of massages, body wraps, facials, hair and nail treatments.
You can have massages either in the spa or in a gazebo located at the tip of the islet overlooking the ocean. It's a perfect locale to get pampered, enjoy the ocean breeze, and watch the sunset over the horizon; assuming that you can keep your eyes open long enough. An 80-minute combination massage includes shiatsu, reflexology and Swedish; a perfect end to a fabulous day of tanning on the beach.
Two of the spa's newest body wraps are the chocolate wrap said to reduce cellulite and a grape wrap to help reduce free radicals. Being a chocoholic, I had to go for the chocolate wrap. It begins with an all over body scrub and a quick rinse in the shower before the technician applies warm chocolate scented liquid all over your body. Then you are wrapped from neck to toe in plastic and cotton sheets to allow the warmth of the chocolate to soak into your pores. While enjoying the wafting aroma of chocolate you get a head, face and foot massage. Then you're unwrapped and off for a shower to wash off the chocolate. After toweling dry, the technician applies lotion to your entire body. The process takes approximately 50 minutes, but you spend the rest of the day or evening enjoying the aroma of chocolate gently effusing from your body.
Some nice touches the resort offers include waiter service to order drinks while at the beach or pool, herbal scented chilled washcloths to cool off while sunbathing and take-out containers available at Kelly's Bar & Grill for those times you just want to take your food and go.
Whether you go to get married, enjoy your honeymoon, take a family vacation or just relax with friends, Avalon Reef Resort is Paradise Found.
For more information:
Visit the website at: http://www.avalonvacations.com/Avalon_Isla
fax: 954-252-2088
email: info@avalonvacations.com
phone from the US/Canada: 800-261-5014
phone from Mexico: 01- 800-713-8170
Article and all photos ©Hillary Bloom, 2005
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