Isla Mujeres: island bliss

The tiny coral island of Isla Mujeres is close to Cancun but, unlike the gaudy mega resort, hasn’t yet lost its charm writes Kaye Holland

Cancun can be fun if you’re looking for cheap drinks and liveliness but when you need a break from the hordes of Spring Breakers who haunt Mexico’s most popular destination, make for Isla Mujeres - aka island bliss. Unmarred by the glitz and bling of Cancun, Isla Mujeres is proof that there are pockets of paradise which haven’t been lost in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Only an hour’s boat ride away from the mainland, this laid back island is antithesis to Cancun which is all hormones and hedonism - think party nights and sleeping late. By contrast you won’t find any clamouring package tourists on Mujeres. The island  is seductively slow paced: it’s the sort of place where everyone seems to have nothing to do except sit in the shade/sun while the sound of lapping water soothes the senses. There’s a distinct lack of development here (locals still get around the island by golf cart) - it’s just you and the crashing waves.

As previously mentioned the Quintana Roo island is within easy day tripping distance of Cancun, but I’d recommend staying on the island for a couple of nights so as to open that book you’ve been dying to read and to check out the diverse dining scene. For Mujeres boasts a smattering of excellent restaurants that are a world away from the 'all you can eat' boozy buffets of Cancun. Rather Mujeres' restaurants are the kind you wish you lived around the corner from, owing to their super friendly service and interesting menus.

Little wonder then that for many who come, Isla Mujeres immediately becomes their favourite holiday hot spot. I met several travellers during my two day sojourn who confessed that they had come here on holiday  one year and, as the island’s small town vibe and slack pace worked its magic, booked to return.

And for good reason. At the risk of descending into copywriting, the beauty of Mujeres - all sparkling  white sands and the smell of coconut in the breeze - is truly dizzying. Even commitment phobes like me will want to get married, just to have a honeymoon here.

All told, Mujeres is the perfect place to begin Chinese New Year. Enjoy it - before the crowds really start rolling in.

Tee time

What is the fascination of chasing a little white ball for miles? This was the frequent question upon my lips each time my Mother set off for a game of golf. Finally, fed up with my bewildered wonderment, my Mother decided to sign me up for a lesson at her new club, unaware of what she was about to start.

From the safety of the sofa, golf was the simplest sport in the world. What could be so difficult about whacking a little ball with a great big stick? No problem, no fear. If I wanted to play golf, I would be able to play golf.

Fast forward to reality and my first ever golf lesson, a patience testing process! There was so much to take in. The posture, the stance, the swing and the problem posing task of getting the grip right. Having mastered all this, I was allowed to take a swing at the ball. This is when I caught the bug. Watching the ball fly through the air, admittedly not on the first attempt, was a positively exhilarating and uplifting experience. I was hooked, well and truly hooked.

I have since been back for more lessons and getting to grips with other shots such as chipping, putting and bunker shots. My half set of clubs consisting of a sand-wedge, putter, three, five, seven and nine iron are my prized possession - a 30th birthday present from friends who regard my new found passion with mixed feelings. Those that play golf themselves are thrilled, having decided that golf is something we can all do together. So carried away are my golf enthusiast friends that they are already talking of future holidays to golfing resorts. The golf haters, however, are less than happy, having lost another friend to the allure of the golf course.

My clubs are cleaned with loving care on a regular basis before my trips to the golf club and even the focus of my shopping sprees has now changed. No longer do I shop for going out gear. The emphasis is now firmly on golfing attire. Titeliest and Callaway have replaced Mango and Massimo Dutti as the new desirables.

My golf vocabulary is also improving as I attempt to familiarise myself with terms such as eagle, birdie, bogey and so on. I am fast developing opinions on what went wrong in my shot and those of others. I have aligned myself with certain players - step forward Sergio Garcia - too.

If you are thinking of taking up golf, then now is the time! More than three and a half million people played golf this year in the UK and a further six million want to take it up. Hundreds of young players are swinging clubs for the first time, spurred on by the hyper success of Tiger Woods who is back to winning ways once again, following his sex scandals.

It is not just ordinary folk that have taken to golf, but those above par (pardon the pun) too. It seems that any self respecting pop star, TV personality and footballer is seen sauntering across the perfectly manicured greens of a golf course sporting a pair of golf slacks and a diamond shaped jumper. The new golf worshippers include Robbie Williams, Chris Evans, George Clooney, Matthew McConnaughey, Samuel Jackson, Cindy Crawford and Vinnie Jones - all of whom have elevated the game to previously unseen heights of ‘coolness’.

If you are not already convinced to take up golf, then think on this. Learning to play golf could be one of your best career moves ever. Golf and business deals have been natural partners since the invention of the sport and the trend is still growing, witness the increase in corporate golf days. It would seem that more deals are stuck on the golf course, than at the dinner table.

Golf is a sociable game and can provide you with a completely new set of friends - golfing friends. However the real bonding experience is arguably on the 19th hole.

Yet the real beauty of golf is that it is accessible to all, whether we are fat or thin, tall or short, young or old. As Mark O’Meara once said: “The ball doesn’t know how old you are when you hit it.”