The Contoy Island Tour is a fascinating excursion to one of the most beautiful islands in the entire Caribbean. Amstar Marketing & Communication Executive Dorte Nielsen takes us there with another tantalizing travel tale involving the beautiful island scene you always dreamed about.
Do you remember growing up and seeing those images of sugar white sand beaches with palm trees hanging over a turquoise sea? Did you think that these images belong only to your fantasy or some distant exotic island that you would never be able to visit? Wrong! Because this paradise is even closer than you can imagine—to be more exact just one and a half hour sailing from Cancun—and it has a name: Isla Contoy (Contoy Island).
Few people know that there is a fantastic Contoy Island Tour that takes you from Cancun in a comfortable, spacious boat with a covered main area and an upper deck to this small, dream-like island that is Isla Contoy. But it exists, and here’s how you can visit it.
The exciting journey to the real-life version of that beach I always fantasized about began with a pick-up from our hotel. From there, a driver took us to a place called Punta Sam, on the outskirts of Cancun, where we boarded the boat that transported us on this wonderful adventure.
Before arriving to Contoy Island, the boat made a stop at the Ixlache Reef where the depth is low and with abundant marine life. We then jumped into the refreshingly cool water to begin our snorkel adventure. Surprised by how much visibility we had, we set off in small groups with our expert guides who helped us discover the wonderful world that lies below. Beautiful!
Cooled and marveled from such a fun experience, we got back in the boat for a cold drink. As the boat moved forward, I became even more anxious about my encounter with the island of my dreams. Then, suddenly, it came into view: the most beautiful tropical island I had ever seen, lined with palm trees at the beach, swaying in the breeze as if to welcome us home.
Contoy Island Tour
As we got closer to the approximately six-mile long island, we began to perceive a beauty like no other. Upon arrival at the rustic dock, we disembarked on the island to experience paradise up close. The visit started with a tour at the small local museum that displays the fauna of the island and a panoramic view from a small tower. We also saw the lagoon in the middle of the island where thousands of birds breed, mainly frigate birds.
Isla Contoy is a protected sanctuary for birds and a natural area where there is a strict control with the number of max. visitors permitted per day limited to 200. Therefore, it does not feel overcrowded and the few boats arriving also depart in the afternoon at the same time to leave behind a clean and peaceful island.
We were all amazed by tour of this exotic paradise, but after a while we only had one desire in mind: Sink our feet into the white sands that reach out into the refreshing azure waters and take a dip in the crystalline waters of the Caribbean Sea. The water is low, transparent and warm, the skies are blue and to have the privilege to experience this leaves me with one thought: life is truly good!
After about an hour of just enjoying a lazy afternoon amidst the breathtaking scenery around us, the friendly staff called for lunch, which awoke us from our dream-like state and made us realize: “We’re hungry!”
Because everything is so calm and there are very few people you can simply leave your things at the beach. That’s what we did as we headed off to a rustic palapa for a delicious lunch buffet that included the outstanding famous fish plate known as “Tikin-Xic,” which is prepared according to an ancient Mayan recipe.
Conclusion: A delight!
There was also chicken, vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice, salad and other delicious treats including fresh fruit for desert.
Satisfied and happy, we headed back to the beach for some more rest and relaxation. For a brief while, resting on the white sand and taking in the beautiful scenery around me , it seemed liked time had ceased to exist and life was just that very instant of tropical paradise.
Isla Mujeres Tour
But there is still more! Euphoric from being able to experience Contoy Island, we boarded the boat again and said “adios” to our new favorite destination for tropical bliss. From there it was on to a larger and inhabited island Isla Mujeres that lies in front of mainland Cancun.
The ride to Isla Mujeres is a wonderful and relaxing journey. We decided to sit on the upper deck to enjoy the sun, the wind, the spectacular view of the reef and the many sea turtles that we were lucky to see in the water along the way.
Reaching Isla Mujeres we had time to relax for a while at what is considered to be one of the best beaches in the world: North Beach! After taking in some more sunshine we were off to stroll the quaint streets and buy some nice handicrafts. We also took advantage of the heat as a great excuse to delight in some delicious ice cream while watching life go by in this small island town.
Finally, it was time to head back to Cancun, and our friendly and helpful guides entertained us for the last part of the tour which is the short sail back to the mainland. Everyone in the group was happy and satisfied after such a wonderful day of sun, breeze and immense natural beauty.
If you still haven’t seen paradise, you have the possibility right here on the Contoy Island tour. This day tour can be done with children from 5 years old and older. Reserve your Cancun airport transfer and book your tour online today or speak with your Amstar representative at your resort for more information.
