Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres Day Trip
Isla Contoy is a national park about 25 km by sea from Cancun and Isla Mujeres, capped at 200 visitors a day and open only to authorized operators. The full-day tour leaves Punta Sam, snorkels Ixlache reef, spends midday on Contoy and returns by way of Isla Mujeres.
- 200Visitors a day
- 173Bird species
- 225 MXNCONANP fee per day
- 8.75 kmIsland length
Your transfer to Isla Contoy
This page helps you plan your visit to Isla Contoy: what it is, opening hours and how to get there. Tickets are bought from the operator. What you book with us is the private round-trip transfer, at a fixed price per vehicle.
What is Isla Contoy?
Contoy is a narrow island, 8.75 km long, north of Isla Mujeres. Since 1998 it has been a national park together with the surrounding sea: more than 5,100 hectares in all. It is managed by CONANP, the Mexican federal agency for protected natural areas.
Above all it is a bird sanctuary: the park management plan records 173 species, 79 of them migrants that arrive in winter, such as the brown pelican. That is why visits are capped at 200 people a day for the whole park, and at groups of 10 with a guide on the trails and the lookout tower.
There is no public ferry: only authorized boats land there. On a typical day the boat snorkels Ixlache reef, part of the Mesoamerican Reef System; docks at the visitor center pier so you can walk the trails, eat and rest on the beach; and stops at Isla Mujeres on the way back.
What you do on the day
A protected reef inside the park; life vests are mandatory.
Pelicans, frigatebirds and cormorants nest on the island; 173 species recorded.
Guided walk past the central lagoon, the dunes and the lookout tower.
Free time on the beach by the visitor center.
Tours serve lunch on Contoy; check what yours includes.
A stop on the way back to Cancun.
Before you go
9:00 am to 6:00 pm, weather permitting, per the CONANP park page
200 visitors a day for the whole park
225 MXN per person per day (CONANP). Free for kids under 12, seniors and people with disabilities; 50% off for Mexican nationals and residents
Only with an authorized tour operator; a guide is mandatory on the trails
No smoking, do not touch anything, no sunscreen, life vest required for snorkeling
Contoy Adventures: Monday to Saturday, about 9:45 am to 6:00 pm, from the Punta Sam Ferry Terminal
Dock and national park wristband fee: 20 USD per person, cash at check-in
Contoy Adventures: 109 USD adult without transportation or 125 USD with pickup; child 4 to 11, 79 or 95 USD, per contoyadventures.com, September 2026
How to get to Isla Contoy
Tours leave from Punta Sam, on the north shore of Cancun, or from Isla Mujeres. Punta Sam is a 30 to 45 minute drive from the Hotel Zone and about 1 h 15 min from Playa del Carmen; from there Contoy is about 25 km by sea.
Check-in is early and the return lands late in the afternoon. A private transfer drops you at the marina and picks you up when the boat is back, with no shared tour shuttle and no hunting for a taxi at Punta Sam.
Get my transfer price- From your hotel, round tripEnter your hotel in “From” and Isla Contoy in “To”: the search gives you the price for the whole vehicle, with the return time you choose.
- From Cancun airport: from $34 per vehicleAbout 25 min without traffic, direct with no stops.
- Your driver waits or comes back for youYou tell us your return time when booking. No hunting for a cab late at night or haggling at the door.
Good to know
- Book days aheadThe cap is 200 people a day and it fills up in high season.
- Cover up instead of sunscreenSunscreen is not allowed in the park: bring a long-sleeve shirt or rash guard, a cap and sunglasses.
- Bring cashThe dock and wristband fee is usually charged separately at check-in.
- BinocularsThe bird colonies look best from the tower with binoculars.
- Weather rulesWith strong wind or swells the harbor master closes the port and the tour is canceled or moved.
Tours you can book online
These you book right here, with online payment.
Water
Catamaran to Isla Mujeres – Cancun Sailing
Water
Catamaran to Isla Mujeres – Xcaret Xailing
Shows
Xoxi Cancun (Xoximilco)
Questions about Isla Contoy
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Information checked on descubreanp.conanp.gob.mx · profepa.gob.mx · conanp.gob.mx · updated September 30, 2026
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From the moment you book until the driver is at the exit, every step is automated.
- BookedInstant confirmation, voucher by email and WhatsApp
- Flight trackedYour flight is monitored; a delay reschedules the pickup on its own
- Driver assignedName, photo and plate sent the day before
- Driver at arrivalsWaiting at the terminal exit with your name on a sign