Isla Contoy Tour Mexico: Complete Guide for 2025

Visiting Mexico and interested in the Isla Contoy tour? You’ve come to the right guide!

As a travel blogger that has lived in nearby Playa del Carmen for many years, I’ve personally been on the Isla Contoy tour and can tell you that it’s a truly unforgettable experience!

In fact, it’s one of my all time favorite tours in Riviera Maya and one of the prettiest beaches I’ve ever seen!

In this post, I’m sharing everything you need to know about the Isla Contoy tour, including the best one to book, detailed itinerary information, and top tips for taking the tour.

This Isla Contoy tour guide will give you an idea of what to expect, what to bring, and how to make the most of your visit.

Ready to find out if the Isla Contoy tour is right for you? Let’s get started!

My top recommendation for the best Isla Contoy tour is this Beach Escape: Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres Tour.

With over 500 5-star reviews, this is the top-rated Isla Contoy tour that will take you to the island, as well as a stop on Isla Mujeres.

It also includes guided reef snorkeling on the way to the island, as well as a light breakfast, and a full lunch.

Plus, round-trip transportation with pickup from hotels in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Riviera Maya is included for a hassle-free trip!

Isla Contoy (Contoy Island) is located just off the coast of Cancun, Mexico about 30 km north of Isla Mujeres in the Caribbean Sea.

At only 5 miles (8.5 km) in length, the small island is very remote with only a few man-made structures.

Isla Contoy also marks the start of the Mesoamerican reef system, which is the second longest barrier reef system in the world and spans over 600 miles south all the way to Honduras.

Isla Contoy is a highly protected island that is home to over 150 bird species and exotic wildlife, as well as sea turtles and other marine animals, making it the perfect destination for nature lovers.

In order to minimize the human impact, only 200 visitors are allowed to visit the tiny island each day.

Because the island is preserved from mass tourism, it is one of the more exclusive things to do in Riviera Maya offering the unique opportunity to experience an untouched Mexican Caribbean paradise.

Basically if you want to see one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico, then visiting Isla Contoy will not disappoint!

Isla Contoy can only be visited by boat and cannot be reached on your own.

The only way to get there is by booking a tour which will take you to Isla Contoy, in addition to stops at nearby Isla Mujeres and snorkeling at Ixlache reef.

If you’re staying in Playa del Carmen or the Riviera Maya, the tour will begin with a ground transfer to the marina in Cancun.

From there, you’ll board the boat to take you to the tour destinations.

Isla Contoy is a protected island by the Mexican government so there are a few rules you must abide by when visiting this natural reserve:

• No sunscreen (not even biodegradable)
• No drones
• No hanging towels or clothes on the bushes to dry
• No more than 200 visitors per day

✅ Here is what’s included in the Contoy Island tour:

• Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or the Riviera Maya
• Boat trip to Isla Mujeres
• Boat trip to Isla Contoy
• Snorkeling at Ixlache Reef
• Continental breakfast
• Buffet lunch
• Bottled water, soft drinks, and beer on the boat
• Sterilized snorkeling equipment
• Bilingual Guide

❌ NOT INCLUDED:

• $20 USD per person dock fee and Isla Contoy National Park Federal Tax
• Professional photos
• Money for tips

The cost for the Isla Contoy tour is around $169 USD per person, plus a $20 USD per person dock fee that must be made in cash on the day of the tour.

It’s one of the best boat tours in Playa del Carmen, and considering everything that is included, I think it provides great value for a full day tour and completely unforgettable travel experience.

The Isla Contoy tour can be booked online here. It’s best to reserve in advance as the tours can fill up quickly (especially during high season).

And what’s great is that there’s a 24-hour cancellation policy so you can always cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Travelista Tip: If you have a larger group, I would highly recommend booking a private tour to Isla Contoy.

Here’s a timeline of the Isla Contoy tour itinerary and an overview of each agenda item in more detail. It is a full day tour lasting about 12 hours in total.

🕖 Note your pickup time will depend on which hotel you’re staying at and will be confirmed by the tour operator after booking.

• 7:45 am – Pickup in Playa del Carmen
• 9:00 am – Arrival to Punta Sam Marina in Cancun
• 9:30 am – Continental Breakfast
• 10:00 am – Depart for Isla Mujeres
• 10:30 am – Arrive in Isla Mujeres: Hour of free time to explore the island at leisure
• 11:45 am – Depart Isla Mujeres
• 1:30 pm – Snorkeling at Ixlache Reef
• 2:15 pm – Arrive at Isla Contoy
• 2:30 pm – Buffet lunch
• 3:00 pm – Free time to explore the island at leisure
• 4:30 pm – Depart Isla Contoy
• 6:00 pm – Arrive in Cancun
• 6:30 pm – Return transfer to Playa del Carmen
• 7:45 pm – Arrive in Playa del Carmen

The Isla Contoy boat tour begins with an early pick-up at your hotel between 7:00-8:00AM.

If you’re staying at an AirBnB or VRBO, then they will likely give you a designated pickup point.

We arrived early to the pickup point and our driver was already there waiting for us!

After departing Playa del Carmen, it is a little over an hour’s drive to the marina in Cancun. This is a good time to catch up on sleep if you’re able.

Once you arrive to the Punta Sam marina in Cancun, you will enter a private terminal where you’ll have breakfast while you’re waiting to board the boat.

It is a continental breakfast that consists of muffins, cookies, cake, fruit, coffee, and juice. Additional breakfast items like yogurt and sports drinks can be purchased for an additional cost.

In the terminal, there are also restrooms and a small gift shop, where you can buy sunscreen, insect repellent, and some souvenirs.

You’ll have about an hour in the terminal to eat breakfast and get everyone boarded on the boat.

After departing Cancun, it is about a 20 minute boat ride over to Isla Mujeres. On the way, you’ll be able to see some of the most unbelievably turquoise water and passing yachts and catamarans.

Once you arrive to Isla Mujeres, you only have about 1 hour to explore the island. That’s not a lot of time so I would suggest planning out what you want to do beforehand.

I personally made a beeline for Playa Norte, which is about a 10 minute walk from the ferry and the most beautiful beach on the island.

Other things to do on Isla Mujeres include souvenir shopping, grabbing a bite to eat or drink, or exploring the downtown area. You’ll then return to the meeting point to set sail for Isla Contoy.

Travelista Tip: One hour is not much time to really get to explore Isla Mujeres so I would highly recommend returning to Isla Mujeres on a day trip!

After departing Isla Mujeres, you’ll be en route to Isla Contoy and the next stop will be snorkeling at the Ixlaché reef.

Snorkel equipment including masks, fins, and disposable snorkel tubes will be provided.

The group will be divided into a few different groups and you will set out with a certified guide to snorkel around the coral reefs.

We got to see a good amount of tropical fish and colorful coral reefs, but the Isla Contoy snorkeling wasn’t super impressive (at least on the day we went).

After snorkeling, it’s just a short ride over to Isla Contoy, which is where the real magic happens!

As you are arriving, you will be absolutely floored by the tropical beach views straight out of a movie scene 😍

Calm turquoise water, white sand beaches, and lush tropical palm trees eagerly await as you disembark the boat. You’ll want to get your camera ready!

Because the number of visitors is restricted, we were the only tour boat on the island at the time, which is such a unique opportunity to experience an untouched natural paradise.

Once you get to the island, you’ll head to a pavilion for a lunch buffet, which was actually better than expected.

I was pretty famished so I forgot to take pictures but the food options consist of salad, fresh Tikinxic fish (straight out the ocean), lasagna, pasta salad, chips, bread, and rice pudding for dessert.

Travelista Tip: While eating, be on the lookout for a few tropical island critters like crabs and iguanas.

After a delicious lunch, you are free to explore the island at leisure. Basically you can stay at the beach, check out the small museum in the visitor center, or go on a guided tour of the island to check out the birds and wildlife.

We were so in love with the beach that we couldn’t be bothered to leave! It is such an unbelievably tranquil natural setting with calm, crystal clear waters, tropical palms, and only occupied by the other people on the tour.

It’s definitely a relaxing retreat compared to the often crowded beaches in Playa del Carmen.

After you depart Isla Contoy, it is about an hour boat ride from Isla Contoy back to Cancun. This is a great time to enjoy some drinks and golden hour hues!

After you arrive in Cancun, you’ll board the vans waiting there to take you back to Playa del Carmen.

It’s a little over an hour ride and they’ll drop you off in the reverse order that they picked you up. You’ll likely be exhausted after an adventurous day in the sun!

• Biodegradable sunscreen: Any time you are going to be swimming in the ocean, it is so important to bring biodegradable sunscreen to protect and preserve the coral reefs. While sunscreen is not allowed at Isla Contoy, you are still allowed to use biodegradable sunscreen while you are at Isla Mujeres and for the snorkeling portion of the tour. You can pickup my favorite brand on Amazon here.

• Beach towel: Don’t forget to bring a beach towel to dry off after you get out of the water. These microfiber beach towels are a great option because they are super light weight and dry quickly between the multiple stops on the tour.

• Insect Repellent: When we first arrived to Cancun, the gift shop attendants told us we would need insect repellent as the mosquitos are very bad on Isla Contoy. I didn’t really believe them but reluctantly purchased some for the trip. However, I’ll admit the bugs were out in full force on Isla Contoy so I would definitely recommend bringing some bug spray with you.

• GoPro or waterproof camera: I would highly recommend bringing a GoPro or waterproof camera to capture your snorkeling and beach experience. I always bring my GoPro and am constantly amazed by the picture quality.

• Snorkel Set: If you’re concerned about comfort or cleanliness, you can always bring your own snorkel set instead of using the one provided on the tour. My snorkel set didn’t fit me very well and I was wishing I had my own to ensure the best fit.

• Rash guard: I would also recommend bringing a rash guard, which is like a swim shirt to stay warm and also protect you from the sun without the need for sunscreen. Sunscreen is not allowed on Isla Contoy so a rash guard is a Mexico travel essential if you need sun protection.

Here is what I would recommend wearing on the Isla Contoy tour:

• Swimsuit: Whenever I go on snorkeling tours, I usually always wear a one-piece swimsuit. It’s just so much more comfortable and provides much more coverage when you’re dealing with your life jackets, putting on your snorkel gear, and getting in and out of the boat.

Here are a few tips for Isla Contoy tours from my experience:

• Book in advance: I actually made the mistake of trying to book this tour the evening before and while I was able to book online, I quickly received a phone call that the tour was booked and needed to change my tour date. I would highly recommend booking online in advance to reserve your spot. There’s a 24-hour cancellation policy so it’s easy to cancel or reschedule if needed.

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about visiting Isla Contoy:

Overall, I was absolutely floored by the natural beauty of Isla Contoy and had such a great time on the tour.

I’ve seen a lot of beautiful beaches in Riviera Maya, but Isla Contoy really takes the cake for being the best beach I’ve seen throughout all of my travels.

With over 500 5-star reviews, this Beach Escape Tour to Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres is the top-rated Isla Contoy tour and one that I would highly recommend.

I thought it was so worth it given you get to visit 2 incredibly beautiful islands and is such an exclusive experience.

Plus, breakfast, lunch, and transportation is included so it’s really a hassle free trip!

So, are you ready to visit Isla Contoy for yourself?! It’s truly an unforgettable experience you won’t want to miss!