Isla Contoy Tour Mexico: Everything You Need to Know (2023 Guide)

Do you want to visit Isla Contoy Mexico? You’ve come to the right guide!

Located just a few miles off the coast of Cancun, Isla Contoy is an uninhabited island that will leave you with a jaw-dropping first impression.

I’ve seen a lot of pretty beaches while living in Playa del Carmen and Isla Contoy is simply the best I’ve ever seen!

Plus, it makes for a fun island day trip from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or the Riviera Maya.

In this post, I’m sharing everything you need to know about visiting Isla Contoy, including tour recommendations, visitor information, and top tips for visiting the island.

Read on for my complete Isla Contoy tour guide!

About Isla Contoy

Isla Contoy is a stunning tropical paradise, offering visitors an exclusive and totally untouched beach retreat. And since the island is so remote, you’ll need to book a tour to get you there!

First, let’s start with some of the basics on Isla Contoy:

Where is Isla Contoy?

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.

Why visit Isla Contoy Mexico?

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 tour experiences 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 is right for you!

How to Get to Isla Contoy

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.

Rules for visiting Isla Contoy

As I mentioned, 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

About the Isla Contoy Tour

Here’s everything you need to know about the Isla Contoy excursion:

What’s included in the Isla Contoy Tour?

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 alcoholic beverages (domestic open bar) on the boat
• Sterilized snorkeling equipment
• Bilingual Guide

NOT INCLUDED:

• $15 USD per person dock fee and Isla Contoy National Park Federal Tax
• Professional photos
• Money for tips

How much does the Isla Contoy Tour cost?

There are many tour options available but the average cost for the Isla Contoy tour is around $130 USD per person.

Considering everything that is included, I think it really is a good value for a full day tour and completely unforgettable travel experience.

How to book the Isla Contoy Tour

I personally booked the Isla Contoy tour with Contoy Adventures (also known as Caribbean Connection), which can be booked online here.

It was a great tour experience with fun, friendly, and knowledgeable guides, but it’s a little larger boat with a max of 50 participants.

If I did it again, I would book the Isla Contoy tour with Ocean Tours, just for a smaller boat and a more intimate tour experience. I’ve done other tours with Ocean Tours and really loved the smaller group vibe.

👉 Book the Isla Contoy tour with Ocean Tours by clicking here!

Alternatively, if you have a larger group, I would highly recommend booking a private tour to Isla Contoy (also with Ocean Tours).

It’s not that much more money if you split it between the group and having a private tour experience on this Caribbean island would be pretty epic!

Isla Contoy Tour Itinerary

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.

• 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

Pickup and transfer to Cancun

The Isla Contoy 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.

Punta Sam Marina (Cancun)

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.

Our tour boat was a large, two-level boat with rows of table seating on the first level, and open-air seating on the second level. There is also a bar and bathrooms onboard.

Isla Mujeres

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. Check out my full guide here!

Snorkeling

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.

My mask didn’t fit the best so I would recommend bringing your own snorkel set if you have one.

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).

🤿 Check out my Playa del Carmen snorkeling guide to discover some of the most impressive snorkeling spots in Riviera Maya and the Yucatan peninsula.

Isla Contoy

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.

Lunch

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.

Leisure Time

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.

Return to Playa del Carmen

After you depart Isla Contoy, it is about an hour boat ride from Isla Contoy back to Cancun. I would recommend sitting on the top level of the boat for the best ocean breeze 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!

What to Bring on the Isla Contoy Tour

Here are a few must-have items I would definitely recommend bringing on the tour and a few items that would be nice to have:

Must Haves

• 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.

Nice to Have

• 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 essential if you need sun protection.

What to Wear on the Isla Contoy Tour

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.

• Swimsuit coverup: You’ll also want to wear a lightweight swimsuit coverup or shorts that can be easily removed when you’re ready to get in the water.

• Flip flops: You’ll want to wear flip flops or waterproof sandals that can be removed easily when you’re snorkeling. The tour guides will also dump water on your feet to wash off the sand before getting back on the boat.

• Sun hat: I would also recommend wearing a sun hat but makes sure you have one that fits very securely on your head as the wind can be strong on the boat. It’s also great to have when you’re on the beach at Isla Contoy to protect your face and shoulders from the sun.

• Change of clothes: You’ll also want to bring a change of clothes so you can change out of your wet swimsuit before the ride back to your hotel or resort.

Isla Contoy Tour Tips

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. Most tour operators offer flexible booking options so it’s easy to cancel or reschedule if needed.

• Book a private or small group tour: If you can, I would recommend booking a small group or private tour. It can be a little more expensive, but I’ve always had a better experience with smaller tours where you really get to bond with the guides and other tour goers.

• Bring biodegradable sunscreen: As I mentioned, don’t forget to bring biodegradable sunscreen. It’s absolutely essential if you need sun protection.

• Bring cash for tips: This is something I often forget then feel terrible when I don’t any cash on hand to tip the tour guides. Make sure to bring some extra cash (dollars or pesos) to give the tour guides a little something extra. They work hard to deliver great experiences.

Visiting Isla Contoy: FAQs

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

Final Thoughts: Isla Contoy Tour

Overall, I was absolutely floored by the natural beauty of Isla Contoy. 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.

As I mentioned, I had a great experience on the Isla Contoy day trip with Contoy Adventures, but if I did it again I would probably book a smaller group tour.

The boat was very large and it often took a lot of time for them to get everyone organized and explain the directions in multiple languages.

But regardless, the tour of Isla Contoy from Playa del Carmen has been one of my favorite tour experiences and definitely gets my vote for being one of the best things to do in Riviera Maya!

It’s truly an unforgettable experience you won’t want to miss!

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