You’ve likely heard of the idyllic Mexican island of Isla Mujeres, but you probably haven’t heard of Isla Contoy. Although Isla Mujeres is gorgeous, it doesn’t quite contend with its smaller sister island.
We’re going to be sharing with you exactly why Isla Contoy is the ultimate beach paradise and how to make the most of your trip to this dazzling Mexican Caribbean island.
What is Isla Contoy known for?
Isla Contoy is a tiny island located less than 30 minutes by boat from Cancun Mexico. Although you don’t often hear much about the island, in our opinion, it has some of the most incredible beaches and ocean life we’ve seen in The Riviera Maya.
Isla Contoy is a heavily protected national park and hosts over 150 bird species and only a handful of conservationists who live on the island. The island is located at the beginning of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which is the second-largest reef in the world. You can expect to spot turtles, dolphins, giant manta rays and even whale sharks if you visit in the right season. It is a bit of a hassle to get there, and you need to preplan a trip to Isla Contoy. We’ll be showing you exactly how, later on.
Isla Contoy vs. Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is a beautiful island in the Riviera Maya, known to have some of the most gorgeous turquoise waters.
As Isla Mujeres is located just a short ferry ride away from Cancun, you can bet that this little island sees hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.
Although the island is incredibly beautiful, the hoards of tourists may be a bit off-putting to some.
Isla Contoy on the other hand is a nearly untouched island, with some of the most phenomenal sea life you’ll find in one spot.
Because of the strict protection laws of Isla Contoy, the natural habitat is virtually untouched and you’ll find the most idyllic turquoise waters and white powder sand.
The island also happens to sit right at the start of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which is the second-largest reef system in the world.
Can't read now? Pin it for later!
Why Isla Contoy is 100% worth visiting
Before we get into why Isla Contoy is worth visiting, there is something important to know before you consider booking your trip.
Because Isla Contoy is so heavily protected, there is a strict limit to the amount of guests permitted to visit the island per day. In addition, the only way to reach the island is by taking an organised tour, but we’ll explain how this works later on.
One more thing to note; most tours will only permit around 2.5 to 3 hours on the island before you’ll have to pack up and leave. Despite all that we just mentioned, we still 100% recommend booking a trip to Isla Contoy. This spot is possibly the most underrated in the entire region, at least in our opinion.
Firstly, you’re almost guaranteed to see some kind of incredible marine life because you’re cruising right along The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Near this reef, we’ve personally seen whale sharks, dolphins, a giant manta ray, an eagle ray and tons of friendly turtles. Not to mention starfish along the shore, and some of the most spectacular bird species.
The beaches are the most beautiful, calm and pristine we’ve seen so far in Mexico. The beach is outlined by lush jungle, while the white sand is soft and powdery. The water is so clear that you can see all the little fish swimming beside you and all you’ll hear is a symphony of over 200 bird species. It truly is a magical spot.
To top it all off, the tour we went on had a fresh and abundant buffet waiting for us under the ‘palapa’. We had some of the freshest fish we’ve tasted and even went back for seconds. You won’t easily find this kind of intimate experience anywhere else in The Riviera Maya, and that is one of the major reasons we’re so passionate about this spot.
Our must visit spots to your google maps?
Get over 400 of our favourite activities, sites, restaurants & secret spots in The Riviera Maya Mexico, on Google Maps!
What to know before visiting Contoy Island
As we mentioned earlier, Isla Contoy is heavily protected so you will be somewhat restricted on what you can and can’t bring onto the tour.
Prohibited items: For the sake of protecting the island and surrounding habitat, most of the things you’d normally apply to your body are prohibited. Sunscreen and bug repellant of any kind is not allowed at all and you are discouraged from arriving to the tour with excessive make-up.
The reason for these items being banned is that as you enter the water, all of these products disperse into the water. The residue binds and creates a thin layer on top of the water, which deflects the sun’s rays. The loss of nutrients from the sun causes the reef and living organisms to slowly die out. This not only affects the health of the reef but all the animals that feed off of it.
Sun Protection: As a pretty light-skinned person, not being able to wear sunscreen on a full-day water tour was really tough. If you’ve ever spent hours on the water before, you’ll know that the sun’s rays hit you at every angle, making it hard to stay away from a nasty sunburn. No matter your skin type, I’d highly recommend wearing UPF 50+ sun-protectant clothing. This is the only way I was able to prevent my arms, shoulder, chest and back from getting burnt.
Here are a few additional items you might like to pack for your tour:
Full-day tour: Depending on where your accommodation is located within The Riviera Maya, your pick-up may arrive as early as 5:30 am. You’ll also only get dropped back at your accommodation after 6pm. When planning your Riviera Maya Itinerary, schedule a full day out to visit Isla Contoy. Plan on doing something easy for dinner as you’ll likely be exhausted from a full day under the sun.
Sea sickness: It’s not very common to experience seasickness in the Mexican Caribbean as the waters tend to be pretty calm and flat. The boat ride out to Isla Contoy is pretty far and you may experience choppier than normal conditions. I personally took Dramamine the night before the tour and about an hour before we got on the boat and didn’t experience any seasickness. It’s also a great idea to drink ginger tea before boarding to help with feelings of seasickness.
No drones allowed: Due to the dense bird life and heavy restrictions on Isla Contoy, you will not be permitted to fly your drone anywhere near the island. As much as we would have loved to have captured the beautiful island from a birds-eye perspective, the protection of the native wildlife is extremely important.
Pack Light: The boats are not particularly spacious or luxurious, so you’re encouraged to travel light. Aside from our camera gear, we took one small back-pack and brought these goodies along;
How to get to Contoy Island from Playa del Carmen
As the island is heavily protected, the only way to reach Isla Contoy is by taking a tour from an approved tour provider. Most tours will offer a pick-up service from most large hotels and landmarks along The Riviera Maya. We’ll talk more in-depth about the exact tour we took to Isla Mujeres, but in terms of transportation, the provider was on point.
A few days prior to our booking, an employee reached out to us to confirm our pick-up address in Playa del Carmen and gave us a time slot to be picked-up. Because we were the first pick-up of the group, we had to be ready and waiting at 5:30am. The bus arrived right on time, the guide and driver were warm and friendly and they offered us water and bananas for the journey. The bus was new, well-maintained and clean and we felt confident in the hands of our driver. Having a pick-up and drop-off service available as part of the tour is amazing and takes so much stress out of the whole experience.
Different tour providers will depart from different docks, but all will be based in Cancun or Costa Mujeres. In case you book a tour that doesn’t offer transportation, you’d need to rent a car, or use a taxi. Our recommendation is to book the tour we did because it was so well organised and executed, but if not, a rental car is our best option as the taxi drivers will likely charge more than a 24 hour rental.
🚗 Looking for an affordable rental? Here are the best options!
The best tour to Isla Contoy
We chose to go with a company called Ocean Tours and we were so impressed with the whole experience. From booking to our final drop-off, they nailed it.
Some of the things we loved about the particular tour we went on is the awesome pick-up and drop off service, the fresh and delicious meals provided through out the day, the friendly and knowledgeable tour guides. As we live in Playa del Carmen, we’ve gone on our fair share of tours and we can confidently say that this was one of the most well-organised and executed tours we’ve been on. We also can’t say enough good things about our guides, they were so much fun and so knowledgeable.
There are only about 250 spots available to visit the island per day, so booking in advance is highly recommended. In addition we’d suggest booking at least 48 hours in advance as the operator will need to contact you to confirm your pick-up time and location.
What to expect from your tour to isla contoy
As we mentioned earlier, this is a full-day tour, so be sure to block-out a full day on your itinerary. Depending on your accommodation location, the bus will pick you up any time between 5:30am to 7:00am.
Once you arrive to Flamigoes Dock, you’ll be welcomed by a light breakfast buffet, including pastries, fresh fruit, fresh juices and coffee. The boat will head to Isla Contoy and you may spot some awesome marine life on the way over. Once you’ve arrived on Isla Contoy, you’ll have the option to take a 20 minute guided tour to the highest point on the island to drool over the postcard-worth views.
You’ll have around 2.5 hours on the island to enjoy the water and the beach. During this time, you’ll be served a delicious and fresh buffet style lunch that includes some of the freshest fish we’ve tasted.
Once your time on Isla Contoy is done, the boat will head off to the part of the Mesoamerican Reef called Ixlaché, where you’ll get 30 minutes snorkel time.
To end-off the perfect island-hopping day, you’ll arrive at Isla Mujeres for an hour of free time. In all honesty, 1 hour is not nearly enough time to experience Isla Mujeres, but it is enough time to roam a bit of the downtown area and grab a refreshing ice cream.
Upon your arrival back to Cancun, you’ll have time to take a shower and change for the journey back to your accommodation. All-in-all, this is an awesome, hassle-free tour and a great way to experience the best of the Mexican Caribbean.
🚨 Looking for affordable travel insurance? Get a quote right here!
What is included and what is not included
We’re speaking about the exact tour we took. Other tours may differ in their packages. This is exactly what is included:
~ Round-trip transportation from most hotels and landmarks in The Riviera Maya (all buses have AC)
~ A light breakfast and anti-seasickness medication
~ Bottled water, soft drinks and beer
~ Buffet lunch with drinks
~ Certified Bilingual Guide
~ Snorkel, fins and a safety vest
~ A stop at Isla Contoy, Ixlaché reef for snorkeling & a stop at Isla Mujeres
FULL-DAY ISLAND TOUR
✔︎ Pick-up & drop-off included
✔︎ Light breakfast & buffet lunch included
✔︎ Time on Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres
✔︎ Guided snorkeling
The only things that are not included in the price of this tour are the tips, extra money for refreshments and souvenirs, photographs and US$15 for the dock fee that must be paid in cash before departure.
What to bring on your Isla Contoy tour
Once you’ve been picked-up, the bus is on a tight schedule and likely won’t be able to make any stops for things you may have forgotten to pack. These are a few important things we’d recommend bringing along:
Snacks: Bringing along some snacks and bars is advisable, especially if your pick-up is early.
US$15 per person: This fee is mandatory for everyone departing from the dock and from our experience, most boat tours will charge this fee. The fee must be paid in cash (USD, MXN or EUR) before departure.
Biodegradable Sunscreen: Sunscreen of any kind can damage the reef, so if you absolutely need to apply, it’s best to do so before your pick-up. Biodegradable sunscreen is the least toxic and much more gentle on your skin and the environment.
Change of clothes: It’s a good idea to pack a change of clothes so you can get dry before getting into the Aircondition vehicle back to your hotel. The dock does have showers and changing rooms.
Comfortable shoes: We always recommend the rubber Birkenstock or Crocks for this type of tour. They’re waterproof and easy to get on and off.
Extra Money for souvenirs and tips: Most service employees in Mexico live on a very low wage and depend on tips to make a decent income. A 10-20% tip is generally appreciated, but not mandatory.
You’ll also get the chance to wander through the souvenir stores in Isla Mujeres and may want to purchase something while you’re there.
Our packing list for Isla Contoy: These are some of the top items we’d recommend packing for your trip to The Riviera Maya.
Can you stay on Isla Contoy
As Isla Contoy is heavily protected, there is virtually zero infrastructure on the island. The only people who are permitted to be on the island outside of the strict visiting hours and the employees who work on the conservation of the island.
The next closest place to stay would be in the hotel zone of Cancun or Costa Mujeres, which is just north of Cancun. As long as your accommodation is not too far out of the way, the tour companies will likely be able to pick you up.
😴 Here’s a map of all the closest hotels to Flamigoes Dock in Cancun:
Can you snorkel at isla contoy
Ixlaché lies to the south of Contoy Island and marks the start of the Mesoamerican Reef Barrier, the planet’s second-largest barrier reef spanning nearly 1000 km along the Caribbean coast.
You can expect to see beautiful coral and gorgeous fish. If you’re lucky, you may even spot turtles and manta rays. Weather permitting, the tour we took offers a 30 minute snorkel stop, which sounds short but it’s a good amount of time to be in the water.
We were particularly impressed with the quality and upkeep of the snorkel gear and life jackets. And we were super lucky to have swam right next to a beautiful Eagle Ray.
🌴 Headed to Isla Mujeres? These are the 9 unmissable things to see and do in Isla Mujeres
Our honest review of Isla Contoy
If you can’t already tell from this article, we absolutely love Isla Contoy and believe it is a must see on your trip to The Riviera Maya.
This is definitely one of the more exclusive tours you’ll find in this region, due to the strict protection laws preventing mass tourism to the beautiful island.
If you’re a lover of the ocean, you cannot beat the marine life you’ll likely spot. And lets be honest, there is not a single beach that competes with the one on Isla Contoy. From two experts on The Riviera Maya, we can confidently tell you that Isla Contoy is 100% worth adding to your itinerary.
