Contoy Island

This beautiful, uninhabited island is around 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Isla Mujeres, and is Mexico's most important sea bird reserve. It is home to an important population of pelicans, but also to flocks of cormorants, frigate birds, boobies, spoonbills, and more than 50 other species.

Isla Contoy is mostly comprised of mangroves that contain many rare plants. There is a beach where turtles come to lay eggs annually.

Once on the island, you can tour the Visitor's Center, the main lagoon with its fine white beach, the observatory tower, and the path that leads to one of the frigate bird nesting lagoons.