The Island of the Dolls
The Island of the Dolls
3.5
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3.5
23 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
2
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
6
Tomek K
New York City, NY204 contributions
Mar 2015 • Solo
Isla de las Muñecas is just one of many island on the canals of Xochimilco in Mexico City. Or is it? The former inhabitant of the island was hanging old and disfigured dolls on tree branches which resulted in a horror-like scenery. Surely one of the creepiest place I've been to and surely worth visiting. You can take some really unique pictures here...
From my embarcadero it was roughly 2 hours each way and with the stop at the island I pad 1000 pesos. There is also a small fee when you enter the island. I found this website quite useful when planning my trip: http://www.isladelasmunecas.com/
From my embarcadero it was roughly 2 hours each way and with the stop at the island I pad 1000 pesos. There is also a small fee when you enter the island. I found this website quite useful when planning my trip: http://www.isladelasmunecas.com/
Written 10 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sylwia L
Belfast, UK177 contributions
Oct 2017 • Friends
Certainly, Isla de las Mu'necas, or The dolls' Island, makes a crazy impression on anyone who experiences a closer look.Even the very photos from this place seem to move, scare or sometimes hypnotize. People who are looking for dark and mysterious places come here from all over the world and admire the work of a man who was to appear a phantom.Currently, there are more than a thousand dolls on the island. The huge number of dolls that are on the island is to be a tribute to a girl who died a few years ago. This small, mysterious island is located in the south of Mexico City, in the Xochimilco district, which is abundantly cut by canals. The lake where the island is located is on the UNESCO World Heritage LIST.It is very beautiful there and it is worth to go there by boat. The island is an hour and half from Embarcadero Cuemanco. The only way to get to it is by trajinera.You have to be very careful of cheaters. On the way to the right island after about half way, there is a replica of a real island that very often takes tourists.
Written 14 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Derek
1 contribution
Jun 2022
TL&DR:
The only legit use for those large boats is for locals hosting cheap parties (bringing 20 people, food, drinks, and share that 2000 MXN / boat fee between the group). If you are a tourist with small group, AVOID this at all cost. If you don't speak Spanish, AVOID this at all cost. If you are here not for the party but only for the island, AVOID this at all cost.
Whole story:
I was one of those tourists who was attracted by this "Island of the Dolls" story. This places seemed controlled by local gangster so that you HAD to pay for those slow large boats even if you have only 1 person so that they could charge you 2000+ (plus all following scams). If kayak / motor boats were allowed, it's literally 15min to get to the island (instead of 5 hours roundtrip)
OK I paid them them 2000 MXN for the island, and the boater was like a 14 year old boy (is it even legal?), and he took me to all those "you must pay to see nothing, otherwise you have to wait here 30 min" places. I asked 1000 times please take me directly to the island, obviously he ignored.
Eventually he took me to the island (fake one). I did the research and started asking "Could you please take me the the original island?". Well the answer is NO, this is the one (lying).
Took me another 30 mins for back&forth conversation with this boy to let him admit this was the fake one, he asked another $500 b/c "we delayed too much time on other spots". SERIOUSLY? who delayed all those time drinking beer when I asked to be taken to the island directly?
OK I decided to pay this scam and in the end I was taken to another island. I don't know whether this was the "REAL" one, as those people were doing music loudly and BBQ on the island, is there no vibe for "Creepy" at all with all the BBQ smoke.
PLUS, those dolls looked super merchandised and tourism. IF this was the original island, I highly doubt locals made up the story to trap tourists. PLUS, when I stepped on the island, 5 strong men surrounded me to charge $200 for entrance. I took my stand and negotiated down to $50 (b/c other folks posted on reddit said it should be $40). The negotiation process looked like I'm dealing with gangsters.
Special note for my boater, he intentionally made it super slow (all other boaters bypassed), made endlessly stops to fix his boat / drink beer / make phone calls. I didn't know why, until he told me this boat is paid by hours :)
The only legit use for those large boats is for locals hosting cheap parties (bringing 20 people, food, drinks, and share that 2000 MXN / boat fee between the group). If you are a tourist with small group, AVOID this at all cost. If you don't speak Spanish, AVOID this at all cost. If you are here not for the party but only for the island, AVOID this at all cost.
Whole story:
I was one of those tourists who was attracted by this "Island of the Dolls" story. This places seemed controlled by local gangster so that you HAD to pay for those slow large boats even if you have only 1 person so that they could charge you 2000+ (plus all following scams). If kayak / motor boats were allowed, it's literally 15min to get to the island (instead of 5 hours roundtrip)
OK I paid them them 2000 MXN for the island, and the boater was like a 14 year old boy (is it even legal?), and he took me to all those "you must pay to see nothing, otherwise you have to wait here 30 min" places. I asked 1000 times please take me directly to the island, obviously he ignored.
Eventually he took me to the island (fake one). I did the research and started asking "Could you please take me the the original island?". Well the answer is NO, this is the one (lying).
Took me another 30 mins for back&forth conversation with this boy to let him admit this was the fake one, he asked another $500 b/c "we delayed too much time on other spots". SERIOUSLY? who delayed all those time drinking beer when I asked to be taken to the island directly?
OK I decided to pay this scam and in the end I was taken to another island. I don't know whether this was the "REAL" one, as those people were doing music loudly and BBQ on the island, is there no vibe for "Creepy" at all with all the BBQ smoke.
PLUS, those dolls looked super merchandised and tourism. IF this was the original island, I highly doubt locals made up the story to trap tourists. PLUS, when I stepped on the island, 5 strong men surrounded me to charge $200 for entrance. I took my stand and negotiated down to $50 (b/c other folks posted on reddit said it should be $40). The negotiation process looked like I'm dealing with gangsters.
Special note for my boater, he intentionally made it super slow (all other boaters bypassed), made endlessly stops to fix his boat / drink beer / make phone calls. I didn't know why, until he told me this boat is paid by hours :)
Written 5 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mike s
everton arkansas119 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
loved the boat trip to it nice and peacefull we stopped and had a beer on the water yeah its alittle creepy but I like that so have fun enjoy the strange side of Mexico.
Written 25 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer S
79 contributions
Nov 2016 • Family
We rented a boat and floated to the Island of the dolls. On the way we saw the Top Chef for Mexico on their boats. They filmed some of the show at a replica Island of the Dolls. You aren't allowed on the island any more. An elderly man met our boat at the entrance and told us the story. You could see onto the island and through the "fence" to see the island and dolls. Very creepy in a fun way. I was thrilled to finally see a place I had seen on ghost shows so many times.
Be careful to negotiate you price and time you want to spend or you could get the grand tour and pay a lot more. We took a picnic lunch with us, plenty of water and a jacket. The boats are covered and have a table and chairs. It was a fun 2 hr trip to the island and a relaxing 2 hr trip back. Go in the middle of the week for less crowded waterways. Great photo ops all along the way.
Be careful to negotiate you price and time you want to spend or you could get the grand tour and pay a lot more. We took a picnic lunch with us, plenty of water and a jacket. The boats are covered and have a table and chairs. It was a fun 2 hr trip to the island and a relaxing 2 hr trip back. Go in the middle of the week for less crowded waterways. Great photo ops all along the way.
Written 24 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HappyHolidayerz
Hong Kong, China98 contributions
Jun 2019 • Friends
The trip to the dolls was equally as fun as reaching there. Do pack some drinks to enjoy on the trip as it can be a bit dull if you don't enjoy nature. The island itself was a bit eerie and great for photos, keeping in mind it's become a tourist attraction. It's about 3-4 hours trip and leaving from embercado Cuemenco was good as there was clear signage to indicate prices and just 1 representative to negotiate with!
Written 26 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yamini B
New Delhi, India77 contributions
Apr 2015 • Solo
The creepy island will give you goosebumps.... with the stories you already heard before leaving for this island, you will surely start believing in the ghosts.
Written 25 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MBB1952
Surfers Paradise, Australia10,585 contributions
Oct 2015 • Couples
While we were sailing up and down the canals of the floating gardens a while back we came across the Island of the Dolls, we were stunned to came across this Island of the Dolls, it had teddy bears, dolls of different shape and sizes with body parts missing. When I got home and googled this sight I than understood the story behind it, very interesting.It is about a little girl drowning under suspicious circumstances and the dolls are haunted.
Written 30 November 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hayley970
Thorne, UK456 contributions
Dec 2015 • Couples
On a boat going through the floating gardens of Xochimilco I suddenly spotted all these cuddly toys strung up from trees. I wasn't sure I'd seen properly at first, it seemed a very strange thing to see on an island in the beautiful floating gardens district. But as the boat went closer, it was indeed the macabre and gruesome sight of dolls and cuddly toys hanging from trees. The story we were told was that a man's girlfriend left him and so he took the doll she had given him and hanged it and then hanged more toys from the trees. Whatever the real story, it is a bit disturbing, but I liked it all the same. It was an unexpected sight and had I had the chance to get off the boat and look around the island, I would have done. It was very creepy, but I'd recommend taking a look. Don't miss it if you go to Xochimilco.
Written 28 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teoso
Brooklyn, NY281 contributions
Jan 2020
There's nothing to see here except a bunch of weather worn-dolls nailed to random things. There are also two toilets with the least privacy in the world in the area. You can safely skip this.
Written 17 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes, the man who collected the dolls, Don Julian Santana Barrera, lived and eventually died there. There are also rumours that a girl's body washed up on the shore, but it's unconfirmed as to whether or not the girl ever actually existed.
Written 20 May 2020
Can anyone recommend a tour or private guide to take me from Mexico City?
Thanks
Written 5 October 2019
Hi I found this tour on Abnb but can't tell if its real or not?
the entire tour is 4.5 hours so im guessing its fake?
how can you tell besides two hours to get there and and the fence
this is the description
☠️THIS is ORIGINAL "ISLA DE LAS MUÑECAS" ☠️
Just south Mexico CITY, between Canals of Xochimico-Cuemanco you can find small place with a Mystery that NEVER intended be tourist destination. The island is known:Isla de las Muñecas
In this place Surrounded by thousands abandoned dolls you´ll know some of the MOST Mysterious and RARE in world.
☠️We´ll meet approx.3:30PM (PICK UP IN AIRBNB) to later arrive at a EMBARCADERO where we´ll take in one of the MAZE channels HIDDEN (Not Tourist) in SAFE Trajinera BOAT
☠️We´ll do a trip of about 1 hour NAVIGATION where we can see this mystical place & CHINAMPAS
☠️Finally we´ll arrive at the ISLA DE LA MUÑECAS to know its OLD LEGEND & we´ll ´ve a tour to take RARE pictures to observe its thousands dolls that live there.
☠️END. Drop Off U Airbnb.
DON´T CONFUSE.--NOT LET YOURSELF BE DECEIVED WITH THE REP
Written 2 October 2019
Can anyone recommend a guide / tour that can take me here and back from Oaxaca?
Written 2 April 2019
It's really far from Oaxaca -- I wouldn't think there was a tour available from there.
Written 2 April 2019
I'm more concerned that the parent of a 4 year old would take them on a foreign excursion without doing ANY research?
The simplest google search reveals the ghoulish nature of this tourist destination.
The takeaway for me, from your "review" (rant?) is that people need to parent more responsibly, especially when traveling.
WARNING: "The Doll's House" is the name of quite a few strip joints. Also, you'd want to avoid anything with "BoiToy" in
it's description. I hope this has been helpful and informative, and helps you navigate the treacherous waters of overseas
parenting? #blessedup
Written 21 September 2018
My thought exactly. How can you get upset if you didn’t really know what you were going into. Too funny.
Written 22 October 2018
Hi, I'm just wondering whether you actually read about the island or just assumed based on the name. Every bit of media I've ever seen has made it clear that this was a collection of found and donated objects that started after the old man felt that a ghost girl was searching for her lost doll..
Written 22 August 2018
Are there boat tours that start from the Island Of the Dolls? Or is there bridge access to the island?
Thanks for any help
Written 6 October 2017
Hello,
I work for CNN's great big story and we're working on a piece about the island of the dolls. Did any of you encounter Don Julian's nephew who now owns the place? Do you remember his name?
Thanks so much!
Sophie Varon
Written 13 September 2016
Hello!
Yes we met the nephew, he was on the island when we visited and told us the story of his uncle and the dolls.
I believe his name is Anastasio Santana Velasco.
Hope that helps!
Written 14 September 2016
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