The BEST Isla Contoy Tour: An Honest Review

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Want to take the best Isla Contoy tour out there? You’re in the right place! Read on for our in-depth review.

Quick Rundown On Isla Contoy

Isla Contoy is a protected national reserve off the coast of Cancun. It’s uninhabited and contains vivid plant life and secluded beaches. The island also provides an opportunity to see wildlife like sea turtles and various sea birds.

A day spent on the island is a day spent in paradise. Only 200 people are permitted to visit the island daily, giving you plenty of space to enjoy the island with your group, your spouse, or solo if that’s your jam.

Isla Contoy Tour From Isla Mujeres Overview

On this tour, you’ll be taken by boat to Isla Contoy. It’s about a 30-minute ride from Isla Mujeres. On the way, the guides will explain the history of Isla Contoy and the regulations that protect it.

On this tour, you’ll experience:

• Plenty of time to enjoy the quiet secluded beach
• Buffet-style Mayan Lunch
• Optional walking tour to learn about the island’s plantlife and wildlife
• Snorkeling along the second-biggest coral reef in the world
• Bilingual guides to help you and inform you along the way

The price of this tour to Isla Contoy includes transportation to the island, an authentic buffet-style lunch, and all the gear you’ll need for the optional snorkeling activity.

Guides, of course, are with you and accessible every step of the way. The guides speak English and Spanish to make sure everyone gets the most out of it.

Isla Contoy Tour Review

Here, I’ll review each step of the tour so you know what to expect when you set off.

Pickup From the Dock

I’ll start by mentioning that it’s fairly common for tours to include hotel pickup. This one does not. The meeting point is behind La Perla Negra (The Black Pearl), a shopping center in the downtown area of Isla Mujeres.

If you’re staying in the downtown area, this won’t be a big deal. If you’re staying elsewhere on the Island though, you’ll need to plan for a taxi to the meeting point.

It’s also worth noting that if you’re staying in Cancun, get in touch with the tour company beforehand and let them know. They can usually make arrangements to pick you up at a dock in Cancun on the way.

This is where the tour company will take attendance and settle any outstanding balances (it’s possible to book with a deposit). It’s also the last chance for you to put on sunblock. More on that in a moment.

The Journey To the Island

The boat ride to the Island is a short one. It’s 18 miles (30 km) away from Isla Mujeres. The ride takes about 30-40 minutes.

During the ride, you’ll learn about Isla Contoy and be told the regulations that help protect the national reserve. These regulations include not using sunscreen after boarding the boat.

The guides will explain to you that the chemicals in the sunblock can negatively affect the marine life around the island. This isn’t just a recommendation or request.

If the Park Rangers catch anyone using sunscreen, they’ll escort you back to your boat where you’ll have to wait for the remainder of the trip.

The guides and Park Rangers are also very strict about littering. Drinks in glass bottles are not permitted on the island. If you have one from the boat, you can ask for a cup to pour it into.

Contoy Island!

Arriving on Contoy Island is like a scene from a movie where the cast travels to a magical paradise island that seems like a dream location. Well, it’s not a dream!

Our tour group was the first to arrive on the island, so the arrival was extra special. I asked the guides if it’s always like that and they said sometimes they get beat but their company is usually the first to arrive on the island.

When you get off the boat, you’ll have some time to find a spot on the beach and get some sun, or get in the ocean and enjoy the clear water. Swimming in the water on a secluded beach like this feels great!

Optional Contoy Island Walking Tour

I recommend taking this walking tour around the island. It’s a beautiful island and I recommend seeing more than just the beach.

I opted to go with the Spanish-speaking group, even though my Spanish is intermediate because I like the idea of immersion. Because of that though, I didn’t get a lot of the intricate details about the flora and fauna.

I tried. It was making sense at the time, but recounting it now seems like an impossible task. What I can tell you is that it was beautiful and gave me some of the best pictures from my whole trip.

Mayan Buffet Lunch

Let me start off by saying I scoped out what some of the people were eating that came with other tour groups, and our selection was way better!

The dishes served will likely vary over the course of the year, but this day we were served fish, chicken, a hot pasta dish, salad, a cold noodle salad, bread, and rice pudding. They offered lemonade, a variety of sodas or water, and even beer.

I didn’t mention it before, but the beers are included in the price of the ticket!

Isla Contoy Snorkeling

When the Isla Contoy tour leaves the island, you’ll have the option to snorkel along the second-biggest coral reef in the world. The biggest of course is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

A lot of people don’t know that the next largest reef is right off the coast of Cancun between Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres.

I opted not to do this part of the activity. I’m not a strong swimmer, at all. The guides explained that the current is very strong along the reef and recommended that only experienced snorkelers and strong swimmers do the activity.

From the boat I could see one swimmer kicking and paddling for his life and not moving at all because of the current, so I was glad I opted out of it, as awesome as it surely is.

I wanted to save myself the embarrassment of having to be dragged back to the boat by the guide who was half my size.

If you’re a strong swimmer, I’d definitely say go for it. Everyone who did it was exhausted but said it was really cool!

Isla Contoy Experience Overall Review

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of this tour, shall we?

If you’re wondering where the other cons are, there really weren’t any. It was a splendid tour. I did get pretty burned due to the sunscreen restriction, but there isn’t really a way around that without breaking the rules.

I’d advise you to wait until they’re about ready to board the boat, then apply a generous amount of sunblock. It’s all you can really do.

Don’t let the lack of hotel pickup deter you either. It’s a small thing that just adds a little walk or short taxi ride to the beginning and end of the trip.

Overall, the tour was amazing!

The guides and the boat captain were very nice, informative, and entertaining along the way. Everything was very organized and went off without a hitch. This company knows how to pull off a high-quality experience!

Where To Stay On Isla Mujeres

For your tour, you’ll want to be in the downtown area of Isla Mujeres, but if not, it’s not a deal breaker. Liking your hotel, hostel, or resort is more important than the area.

I’ve scouted and prepared the three best options for you depending on the budget you’ve decided on for your trip.

Other Tour Options In Isla Mujeres

If you want to check out some other activities while you’re in Isla Mujeres, I’ve prepared some awesome choices for you!

P.S. The whale shark tour below is offered by the same company as our recommended Isla Contoy tour.

Isla Contoy FAQs

You’ve probably still got some questions about the tour or the island. Let’s try to answer them now so you can know it all before you go.

How Much Does It Cost To Go To Isla Contoy?

You’ll likely find a range of prices for this tour between $100 and $200 per person.

I’m confident that our recommended tour provides the best value, as it costs about $110 per person and outshined the other companies in many ways like the food and the early arrival.

How Long Does It Take To Get To Isla Contoy?

Isla Contoy is about 18 miles or 30 kilometers away from Isla Mujeres, one of our safest places to visit in Mexico.

Whether you’re departing from Isla Mujeres or Cancun, the boat ride will take between 30 and 40 minutes.

What Is Isla Contoy Known For?

Contoy Island is known for being an escape from the touristy Cancun or Isla Mujeres. It’s famous for its quiet and calm beaches, vibrant plant life, and is a great spot for bird watching.

Because of its exclusivity, the island is known for being a secret hidden paradise that only knowledgeable travelers will get to experience. So, hats off to you for doing your homework on this great destination!

What Does Isla Contoy Mean In English?

Of course, Isla Contoy directly translates to Contoy Island, which we have referred to it a few times in this post.

The name “Contoy” is derived from the Mayan language and its meaning is unclear though it is thought that it could have come from the Mayan word “ponto” which means pelican.

This makes sense because Isla Contoy is one of the biggest sites for pelicans. So maybe Isla Contoy means Pelican Island.

What Wildlife Might I See Around Isla Contoy?

On the boat ride to Isla Contoy, keep your eyes open for sea turtles and whale sharks! These are the two most common and most notable sea animals around the island and the area around the reef.

There’s also a chance to see big stingrays. Maybe they’re manta rays. I’m not entirely sure of the difference. But they’re big, and cool looking!

Does Anyone Live On Isla Contoy?

Isla Contoy is uninhabited! Nobody lives or is allowed to live on the island.

Isla Contoy was designated a National Park by the Mexican government in 1998 but has been protected by the Mexican Government since 1961.

The only building on Isla Contoy is an open-air visitors center created to educate the 200 or fewer guests allowed on the island every day about the history of the island, and the plant and animal life found on and around the island.

Summing Up the Isla Contoy Tour Review

If you’re going to be in the Riviera Maya area, which includes Isla Mujeres, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, all the way down to Tulum, this tour is something to seriously consider.

When I travel, I want to have unique experiences that not everyone else is going to have. Isla Contoy is a hidden gem! Seeing it will give you some of the prettiest views you’ll see during your trip.

Seeing it with our recommended tour company will ensure you have the same great experience that I had!

Have fun out there!

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