About Isla Contoy Mexico
On Isla Contoy visitors have the chance to interact and experience with the wildlife and plant life of Mexico in an unspoiled and virtually uninhabited environment. This piece of paradise is a designated national park and so it remains secluded, quiet and a place where animals and the environment are the top priority.
Isla Contoy is a small island, just a little over 5 miles long, located in the Caribbean Sea just north of beautiful Isla Mujeres. Isla Contoy means “island of birds” and the island is indeed a bird watchers paradise. This national park and bird sanctuary is home to more than 150 different bird species. Depending on the time of year, visitors to the island might spy a frigate, a double crested cormoranes or a brown pelican. In addition to bird watching, the island is also home to a large number of sea turtles who nest here during the summer months.
Also on the Contoy island is a visitor's center, a museum that showcases the environmental efforts of the island, a tower that can be climbed to the top of for a great 360-degree view and a place to buy souvenirs. There are two different walking paths around the island that visitors can meander on and try to spot the more than 90 different kinds of plant species that have been found here. After enjoying a lunch of local delicacies, like barbecue fish, at one of the few casual restaurants on the Contoy island, there are quite a few soft, sandy beaches to lay down a towel and relax underneath a palm tree while enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the ocean. Or grab some snorkel gear and explore the water, sightings of sting rays and other exotic marine life are quite common.
A few biologists who are government sponsored stay on the island, but for everyone else Isla Contoy can only be enjoyed for a day trip. In order to protect and preserve the environment and maintain the integrity of the delicate ecosystem, only 200 guests are allowed to visit Isla Contoy each day and only a handful of companies are authorized to bring people to the island. During high season it is best to book in advance to ensure your spot. It is a one to two hour boat trip to the island and trips can be booked daily from tour operators in either Cancun or Isla Mujeres.
Isla Contoy is a small island, just a little over 5 miles long, located in the Caribbean Sea just north of beautiful Isla Mujeres. Isla Contoy means “island of birds” and the island is indeed a bird watchers paradise. This national park and bird sanctuary is home to more than 150 different bird species. Depending on the time of year, visitors to the island might spy a frigate, a double crested cormoranes or a brown pelican. In addition to bird watching, the island is also home to a large number of sea turtles who nest here during the summer months.
Also on the Contoy island is a visitor's center, a museum that showcases the environmental efforts of the island, a tower that can be climbed to the top of for a great 360-degree view and a place to buy souvenirs. There are two different walking paths around the island that visitors can meander on and try to spot the more than 90 different kinds of plant species that have been found here. After enjoying a lunch of local delicacies, like barbecue fish, at one of the few casual restaurants on the Contoy island, there are quite a few soft, sandy beaches to lay down a towel and relax underneath a palm tree while enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the ocean. Or grab some snorkel gear and explore the water, sightings of sting rays and other exotic marine life are quite common.
A few biologists who are government sponsored stay on the island, but for everyone else Isla Contoy can only be enjoyed for a day trip. In order to protect and preserve the environment and maintain the integrity of the delicate ecosystem, only 200 guests are allowed to visit Isla Contoy each day and only a handful of companies are authorized to bring people to the island. During high season it is best to book in advance to ensure your spot. It is a one to two hour boat trip to the island and trips can be booked daily from tour operators in either Cancun or Isla Mujeres.
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Reviews (3)
Isla Contoy MexicoJohn888
A trip to Isla Contoy is like a trip to a deserted island. It was very cool to be one of just a handful of people on an island with very few buildings and houses. I'm not much of a bird watcher, but it was definitely a sight to see the massive amounts of birds that live there. Make sure to bring your snorkeling gear, a good pair of walking shoes and bug spray! After we spent quite a lot of time walking around the island looking at plants and all the birds we were hot and ready to get in the water. We saw loads of fish and a ray.
Isla Contoy MexicoDemi
I went to Isla Contoy because it is one of the places where you can relax and admire the nature. If you want to have fun and to pass the time actively it isn't the place to go. The only active sport that you can practice there is diving. The main sight seeing there is the coral reef which is worth seeing. It is marvellous!
The number of visitors to Contoy Island is restricted. And if you arrived to Cancun in high season I advice you to order excursion to Isla Contoy in advance. During my first vacation in Cancun I didn't managed to get there. After I got to know that it is opened for tourists only 3 days per week and it can accept no more than 200 persons in one touristic group I managed to visit it. Unfortunately I needed to wait one year for visiting this MARVELLOUS PLACE :(
The number of visitors to Contoy Island is restricted. And if you arrived to Cancun in high season I advice you to order excursion to Isla Contoy in advance. During my first vacation in Cancun I didn't managed to get there. After I got to know that it is opened for tourists only 3 days per week and it can accept no more than 200 persons in one touristic group I managed to visit it. Unfortunately I needed to wait one year for visiting this MARVELLOUS PLACE :(
Isla Contoy MexicoEmma
I visited Isla Contoy and it was amazing experience! Crystal clear water, white sand beach, so much birds. Highly recommend for everyone who loves nature to visit Isla Contoy!
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