Isla Mujeres started recorded history as a province of the Mayan Empire in the early part of the AD time period. The island was not a human inhabited area but instead a shrine to the goddess Lxchel, who was very important in the Mayan religion at the time. The island lay untouched as a temple to the greatness of the goddess until the Spanish discovered the island and gave it the current name which translates into Isle of Women from the Spanish. This was due to the fact that the island was full of statues of the human woman form that the goddess had taken on. The Castes War would bring new life to the island as thousands fled and established a settlement on the island. This would spawn the development of the area and the population started to grow by leaps and bounds from there out. Agriculture was setup and the fishing industry started to boom as well. The Isla Mujeres area is now a resort location with plenty of room and of course plenty of natives.

Water Sports
Surfing is not as popular here as some would like it to be but it still maintains a presence on the island with the younger population. The bulk of the water sports is actually revolved around fishing and swimming. The charter boats run on day long shifts so you get the most for your money. Many people are found to catch some of the biggest fish of their life a board the boats at open sea. The swimming is far above par because of the white sand beaches and the wonderful warm water. The beaches are mostly private by resort so check the signs before jumping in.

Island Diversity
The native culture of the island is no longer alive as the Mayans died out and took with them many of the their traditions. The bulk of the residents are Spanish these days and the visitors that come in are from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Activities
One of the most popular activities is the day boat tours that take you to the other islands in the region. There is also the guided tours of the Mayan ruins on the island. Several historians are in residence to tell you all about the ruins and the Mayan culture as it once stood.