This was a wonderful experience all around. Booking was quick and easy. We received excellent directions and Jose gave us a warm welcome and a quick overview of the tour. At each stop, he explained the food and gave us tips on how to eat it. He asked just enough questions to find out if we had any preferences and find out how hungry we were. He sat at the table with us and chatted as we ate. He never rushed us or pushed us to eat more or less than we wanted. My kids tried everything, which is extremely rare.

We loved learning more about Jose and his community. We talked about how our lives were similar (two working parents sharing responsibilities, eating dinner late and enjoying time together as a family) and different (safety and crime in Isla vs Chicago, ability to travel across the border).

Jose spoke fondly of his family and island. He showed us pictures of his daughters and wife. He talked about the close community ties and how people helped each other out. For example, he told us how he always stops if he sees a tourist broke down on a golf cart and offers to call the rental company for them. We also talked about the current divisiveness in the US in which Jose said, “in Mexico we love everyone.”

This tour allowed us to get a real look at island life without being intrusive. I was delighted to learn about how this tour helps create a sustainable economy. At one is the restaurants, a couple from Delaware excitedly approached us as they recognized Jose. They have visited the restaurants several time since their tour and raved about their experience. In addition, Jose raved about his work at Cultural Cruisers and was proud of his contributions. Although we didn’t talk to everyone at the stops in detail, they were all warm and friendly. When there was a language barrier, Jose translated for us.

We have been to Isla with the kids 3 times. We have met locals and explored the island but this is the first time I felt like we really experienced it. Meeting Jose was a wonderful experience and we can now say we have a friend on Isla.