Island tour more fun in speedboat

Speedboat between Playa Mujeres and Isla Mujeres amps up adventure at new Mexican resort

Halfway between the peninsula and the island, Captain Julio opens up the speedboat. All 125 horsepower. Saltwater flies. We get slapped with the spray and squeal in delight.

My 15-year-old daughter, Grace, and I are on a private speedboat being whisked from Playa Mujeres to Isla Mujeres.

The sun is shining and the Caribbean Sea glimmers varying shades of melted gemstone blue and green. We feel special. After all, Scuba Caribe calls this outing the VIP Private Speedboat Tour.

But, the reality is anyone can book the excursion for two hours for US$175.

That’s cheaper than the US$210. it would have cost for the two of us to spend all day on a big party catamaran with the tourist hordes. We made the right choice. Scuba Caribe drives us on a fiveminute private shuttle from the new all-inclusive Riu Dunamar Resort where we are staying to the marina to meet Captain Julio and board the 24-foot Canadian-made SeaDoo speedboat called Lucky.

As we skim eastward, Playa Mujeres fades into the distance and Isla Mujeres, 10 kilometres away, looms closer.

This is when Captain Julio tells us Playa Mujeres translated from Spanish to English is “beach of the women” and Isla Mujeres is “island of the women.”

They are named after the Mayan goddess of love and fertility, and all who live or visit here are considered to have good luck.

We anchor off the northern tip of the island and plunge in with our snorkel gear to spot schools of colourful and translucent tropical fish under docks and darting among the coral.

Masks off, we run along a sandbar and soak up both the sun and the scenery.

Back at the resort we find out the Spain-based Riu chain is the first to develop a 740-room five-star allinclusive on this stretch of Playa Mujeres a 45-minute drive north of Cancun Airport.

“This is a new resort zone and Riu is the first to the party,” said assistant manager Matias Pons.

“The beach is pristine here and the ocean gorgeous, so it’s perfect.”

Riu Dunamar has enhanced the natural environs with a luxury allinclusive of rooms in five-storey stunning-white buildings facing six sparkling pools and palm-treed beach.

There are four speciality restaurants (seafood, Asian, Italian and steakhouse) and the requisite buffet with a decent amount of outdoor seating.

Of course, bars abound, including two swim-ups.

Sunwing, which flies more Canadians to the sun than any other airline, has partnered with Riu to offer enticing all-inclusive vacations.

Sunwing flies non-stop to Cancun from 30 Canadian cities, including Kelowna every Saturday.

Check out Sunwing.ca.