jcvdude: Isla Contoy - Paradise in Quintana Roo Mexico!

Isla Contoy is truly an island paradise - breath-taking beauty!!

From secluded sandy white beaches with lush palm trees, to a rugged coastline with hundreds of frigates drifting on the wind, to the lagoon of nesting and feeding birds, to the many iguanas, to the biggest hermit crabs I've ever seen.

Then there's the fish! Shy trigger fish patrolling the shoreline, the 3 foot sting-ray that enjoyed being hand fed and the countless other fish we filmed! (Video below)

We booked our Isla Contoy trip
with agents right at the resort.
At 7:30 AM it was pick-up,
destination-Cancun.

Reaching the port, we checked
in and boarded the Asterix III, a large cruiser with an open upper

deck and partially covered lower deck. Served breakfast we started

our adventure!

Heading down the channel that lead to the sea our first challenge
was to duck low enough to make it under the bridge! I love it!

The trip was beautiful! First off, the view of Cancun from the water
isspectacular.Then miles and miles of incredible Mexican Coast-line
and the beautiful azure blues of the Caribbean.

After about 1 1/2 hour ride with lots of great information from our
tour host, we stopped at Ixlache Reef for snorkeling. The corals
were beautiful. Unfortunately, due to the weather that day (lots of
wind), the snorkeling was cut short.

Arriving to Isla Contoy, we
were first taken on a fantastic
and informational walking tour
of the island.

The tour ended at the only
facility there, which includes a museum, a resting area with tables
and benches and of course washrooms.

After a delicious local specialty - BBQ Fish Tik-in-chik we spent at
least 3 hours soaking in the absolute beauty of Isla Contoy -
however we wanted. We divided our time between snorkeling and
simply laying in the shallow, almost hot water! Paradise!!

Isla Contoy is located where the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of
Mexico flow together. It's approximately 30 kilometers north of
Isla Mujeres. Isla Contoy is only 8.5-Km long and .5 Km wide.

It is considered the most important nesting place of sea birds
in all of the Mexican Caribbean.The most numerous and easy
to observe are the frigate, the brown pelican and the double-
crested cormorant.Isla Contoy is also also an important nest-
ing place for Sea Turtles.

Since 1961 Isla Contoy has

been protected by the
Mexican government and
declared a National Park in
February 1998. Fortunately
today, only a few tour
companies have permission to bring guests to the island and only
200 visitors are allowed daily.

Isla Contoy ~ I would definitely go again and again!!
Below is a collection of videos of our adventure!!