Isla Mujeres in Quintana Roo was chosen one of the top five island destinations in Mexico and Central and South America by Travel + Leisure magazine’s World’s Best rankings.

Isla Mujeres came in third place behind Ecuador’s Galapagos Island and Chile’s Easter Island, in the rankings, which are determined by a poll of Travel + Leisure readers. Fourth and fifth place went to Ambergris Cay and Caye Caulker, both in Belize.

The magazine described Isla Mujeres as “a relaxing spot that is perfect for visiting,” and “a peaceful place surrounded by coral reefs.”

Isla Mujeres also came in third place in the 2018 rankings, which are based on readers’ ratings of activities and sights, natural attractions and beaches, food, friendliness and overall value.

The municipal government of Isla Mujeres released a statement saying the municipality works constantly to promote a good image and maintain Isla Mujeres’ status as an important destination on the Mexican Caribbean. To achieve that, the municipality promotes efforts to maintain the island’s beaches and mangrove forests and runs programs to educate residents and visitors about the environment.

The municipality also employs permanent clean-up brigades on the three beaches that have been designated Blue Flag beaches by the Foundation for Environmental Education.

Source: La Jornada Maya (sp), Travel + Leisure (sp)