Isla de la Pasión is an exclusive insular area of Mexico of great beauty and tourist interest. In this article we will learn more about this dream island very close to Cozumel, in the Caribbean of Quintana Roo.
Top things to see and do in Isla de la Pasion
You can spend pleasant moments on the beach and in the forest and coral ecosystems of Isla de la Pasión. You will tour the sandbank, you will enter the island and you will ride in speedboats, kayaks, catamarans and water bikes.
Enjoy an almost virgin beach
In one of the kilometers long that Isla de la Pasión has, there is a warm and beautiful beach with crystal clear waters and fine white sand. It is perfect for sunbathing and resting in a hammock with a delicious tropical cocktail, splashing and swimming in its provocative waters.
Get married on Passion Island
Mayan couples used to visit Isla de la Pasión to ask Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of love, gestation, the moon and medicine, for a good marriage and many healthy children.
This pre-Hispanic custom is maintained as many Mexican and foreign couples use the island as a place to get married.
The bride and groom, families and guests are installed in the cozy cabins of the place. The religious ceremony is celebrated in a picturesque palapa-type Catholic chapel surrounded by coconut palms, built for marriages.
Kayak through the Laguna Ciega
Laguna Ciega is the body of water that separates Isla de la Pasión from Isla de Cozumel, a space with dense mangrove forests and casuarinas used by pirates and corsairs to rest and hide boats.
You can kayak through these mangroves and observe exotic birds, iguanas and endemic species, in the company of a guide.
The excursion, Jungle Kayak, is organized by Isla Pasión Sun & Fun. It includes transportation to and from the island, specialized orientation, open bar, buffet and amenities. The tour ends on the island’s Edenic beach.
Go on a jeep adventure
Jeep Adventure is another Isla Pasión Sun & Fun excursion that takes place in Cozumel and Isla de la Pasión.
The exciting experience begins in Cozumel driving an SUV through the Selva Enana, crossing a path with obstacles until reaching the Laguna Ciega. There you will board a boat that will take you to Isla de la Pasión Cozumel and its exotic beach.
In the sandbank you will have an open bar but the only one who will not be able to drink alcohol will be the driver of the SUV. You can sunbathe, swim, rest in a hammock and enjoy the buffet included in the excursion.
Accelerate your emotions in a Twister boat
With this frenetic and crazy ride on a speedboat you will get the most intense emotions on your trip to Cozumel and Isla de la Pasión.
The madness begins at the Cozumel pier and ends at the Isla de la Pasión. Along the way you will jump, brake suddenly, skid and spectacular 360-degree turns, which will make you live an unrepeatable experience.
Then you will enjoy a delicious buffet of dishes prepared by the island’s chef, accompanied by drinks created by the barman.
Take a catamaran ride
This tour begins at the Cozumel pier in a catamaran to tour the Cozumel coast and the north coast of Isla de la Pasión. On the 30-minute walk you can admire the majesty of the island until you reach its picturesque pier.
You will spend some time on the beautiful beach enjoying entertainment activities on the sand, as well as an open bar and a delicious buffet prepared by the chef.
Tour the coast of Isla de la Pasión on a water tricycle
You will be able to get to know the surroundings of Isla de la Pasión in one of its fun water tricycles and explore its hidden and mysterious corners. The two-seaters are ideal for living a new experience as a couple.
practice paddle boarding
The calm waters of the Isla de la Pasión beach are excellent for paddle boarding, an entertaining sport in which you row while standing on a board while maintaining your balance.
Rest in a floating hammock
On Isla de la Pasión you can enjoy comfortable floating hammocks moored in the shallowest part of the beach, so you can swing pleasantly on the waves.
Watch the video of Isla de la Pasión:
What to do on Isla de la Pasión: have fun with the beach games
The Isla de la Pasión beach is a good place to enjoy with the family. Children and adults have entertainment to spend a fun day sunbathing, throwing frisbees, playing beach volleyball and tug-of-war.
How to get to Passion Island
This jewel of crystal clear waters with almost virgin spaces of 1 km in length is north of Cozumel.
The only way to get to Isla de la Pasión is by sailing on boats that depart from the main towns in the Mexican Caribbean, such as Cozumel, Cancún and Playa del Carmen.
A comfortable way is to travel to Cozumel whose main city, San Miguel de Cozumel, is 12 km away.
The history of Passion Island
Isla de la Pasión is a strip of land 1 km long, very narrow on its north side and somewhat wider on the south.
The Mayans made a pilgrimage to Mukyaj Peten, the indigenous name for Isla de la Pasión, during pre-Hispanic times, to venerate Ixchel, the goddess of love.
A Mexican businessman bought the island to turn it into an exclusive destination for weddings, social, sports and ecological events, after being hit by a hurricane.
How long do I take from the Cancun airport to Isla de la Pasión?
The easiest way to get to know Isla de la Pasión Mexico is to go by land between the Cancun International Airport and Playa del Carmen (40 minutes) and from there take the ferry to Cozumel (40 minutes).
Then you have to add the travel time by sea or by land-sea between San Miguel de Cozumel and Isla de la Pasión, which will depend on the means of transport provided in the contracted tour.
If you don’t wait too long at the intermediate stops, the trip between Cancun Airport and Isla de la Pasión could take 2 hours and a half.
What are the best restaurants to eat in Isla de la Pasión
The Isla de la Pasión restaurant only prepares and serves food to diners who hire tours and those who rent its facilities for weddings and events.
In San Miguel de Cozumel and on the coastal highway there are excellent restaurants to eat on the way to Isla de la Pasión, such as Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., La Cucina Italiana, Habanero’s Grill & Bar, Colores y Sabores, and Diego’s.
What are the best tours in Isla de la Pasión
Tours to Isla de la Pasión are organized by Isla Pasión Sun & Fun, whose contact information is as follows:
Cozumel, Mexico: +52 987 872 5858.
They include adventures around Cozumel in an ATV and a journey to the island in speedboats, catamarans and classic boats.
Other tour operators carry out tours in luxury catamarans such as the tour of the Cozumel coast, including the sighting of Isla de la Pasión.
Tips to enjoy Passion Island
If you are not going to rent the island with its facilities to get married or celebrate a special event, you can get to know it on one of the excursions already mentioned.
Some useful tips to go to Isla de la Pasión are the following:
- The best season from a climatic point of view is November-March, when the temperature is more pleasant.
- The period of greatest risk of hurricanes in the Mexican Caribbean is between August and October. If you prefer, visit Isla de la Pasión outside of those months.
- Isla de la Pasión is a clean and almost virgin space. Throw the garbage you generate in a basket or take it home.
- The use of biodegradable creams and lotions helps preserve the environment.
Curiosities of Isla de la Pasión
In pre-Hispanic times it was a pilgrimage site to ask the goddess Ixchel for marital happiness. Now, Mexicans and foreigners visit her to celebrate her wedding.
Its forests provided refuge for pirates and corsairs during the colony. In addition, the movement of the tectonic plates is bringing it closer to Cozumel.
What are the best hotels near Isla de la Pasion
The cabins on Isla de la Pasión are only for those who rent the place for private events. The tours to the island do not contemplate spending the night on them.
Nearby, in Cozumel, there are magnificent hotels to enjoy a comfortable stay and get to know Isla de la Pasión. Among the best are The Westin Cozumel (5 stars), Iberostar Cozumel All Inclusive (5 stars), Casa Mexicana Cozumel (4 stars), Hotel Cozumel & Resort (4 stars), Hotel Mary Carmen (3 stars) and Hotel Villas Las Anclas (3 star).
Passion Island is public
No. Isla de la Pasión is a private territory owned by a Mexican businessman. Its beach, cabins and other attractions are only accessible by paying the corresponding excursions and rents.
Passion Island Holbox
Holbox is another of the paradisiacal islands of Quintana Roo, 10 minutes by boat from Isla de la Pasión. It is part of the Yum Balam Biosphere Reserve and Flora and Fauna Protection Area and is accessible from the port town of Chiquilá, in the Quintana Roo municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas.
The main attractions of Holbox are its beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters, the observation of the reserve’s flora and fauna, and the fresh and delicious lobsters caught by its fishermen.
Mayan stilt houses project
In Isla de la Pasión, the development of a project of private villas and a boutique hotel is planned to expand the lodging capacity. The possibility is being considered that part of the suites are stilt houses conceived as typical Mayan houses.
Ready to do one of the exciting excursions in Isla de la Pasión?
See also:
- Learn more about Playa Ballenas, Cancun: what you should know before going
- We leave you our guide on Playa Tortugas, Cancun: what you should know before traveling
- Click here to learn more about Playa Las Perlas, Cancun: what you need to know before you go
