The best offers to Isla Contoy and swim with the Whale Shark

'Dock Tax' seems to crop up a lot. Unsuspecting tourists pay their money for fishing, snorkeling, or diving, then turn up on the day to be hit with an extra charge. Some customers only shrug and pay it. Others stamp and scream out, 'scam!', but what are these charges, and where is all that money going?

Dock tax is a federally imposed tax that is used to maintain the docks and beaches in good condition.

Some of the tasks paid by this tax are:

• Inspection of all tour operators to ensure that they comply with visitor safety and environmental standards and recommendations.
• Construction of larger wastewater treatment plants to cope with a large number of tourists.
• Repairs and preventive works in marinas and docks due to daily use and natural disasters such as hurricanes.

Your dock tax is collected by the government, which means neither Cancun Sailing nor the guides receive any money from it. The taxes guarantee the beauty and safety of the nautical facilities and the cleanliness of the beaches for many generations.

Basically you will have ecological dry toilets and water to wash your hands. As a protected park you won't find stores, showers, restaurants. On board our boat you will find bathroom and fresh water.

'Reef Tax' seems to crop up a lot. Unsuspecting tourists pay their money for fishing, snorkeling, or diving, then turn up on the day to be hit with an extra charge. Some customers only shrug and pay it. Others stamp and scream out, 'scam!', but what are these charges, and where is all that money going?

The 'reef tax', correctly known as 'The Federal Marine Park Tax' and can be viewed as your entrance fee into a marine national park. It was imposed after a study instigated by the Bank of Mexico and the World Bank, into the effects of tourism on sea life in the area. 

Article 198 of the Mexican Federal Law states that 'visitors who practice aquatic activities within the National Marine Park' have to pay a tax. This money is used exclusively for protecting the waters and the coral reef areas.

Some of the tasks paid by this tax are:

• Building of artificial islands for the mooring of speed boats over the coral reef. There are only a few mooring spots, hence that limits the number of people over it at any one time. It also stops boats colliding with the reef or damaging it with their anchors.
• Staff to monitor the water levels, the condition of the coral reef and inspect all tour operators to ensure that they are complying with the new rules and recommendations.
• The construction of bigger sewage processing plants, better able to cope with the sheer number of tourists.
• Reef prevention and repair work

Other measures which came into force included:

• Ban the use of non-biodegradable sunscreen in the Caribbean Sea. Visitors intending to head out on aquatic activities are likely to be checked and all non-biodegradable sunscreens taken off them. All tour operators must sell biodegradable sunscreen, with non-contaminating ingredients, as substitutes.
• Require a license for all boats in the Caribbean Sea. Though only a nominal fee for this license is required, the captain/guide can only obtain it by taking a two-day course in reef ecology and care.
• Apply restrictions upon the type of oil and petroleum that boats are allowed to use.
• All visitors to the coral reef are required to wear life vests. In addition to being lifesavers, these vests have the bonus of being buoyant. Those wearing them will find it difficult to dive underwater to break off pieces of coral for souvenirs.

Your reef tax is collected by the government, which means neither Isla Contoy Experience nor the guides receive any money from it. The taxes guarantee the beauty and safety of the nautical facilities and the cleanliness of the beaches for many generations.

• Cancellation due to bad weather: In case of bad weather (strong wind/heavy rain) the date can be changed. If the weather is cloudy or it rains a little, the tour continues and cannot be changed. If it's impossible to reschedule you have the option to request a refund. The full refund only applies if you cancel at least 12 hours in advance due to the cost of transportation, if you do not cancel in time, a penalty of $12 USD per person applies, if you did not schedule our transportation, the full refund applies. Refunds take 5-6 business days to post to your bank account.
  Cancellation by port closure: Our maximum authority for all the naval companies is the port captaincy, if they consider that the meteorological factors are not safe to navigate, we will be closed. These circumstances are external to you as a customer so a full refund applies by default.