Island Alvarado, Veracruz Municipality of Alvarado Veracruz port and the Sotavento
Small reef island with a lighthouse off Antón Lizardo, reached by a 30-minute boat ride; snorkelling, turtle nesting beaches, no services.
Reached by boat from Antón Lizardo beach: 30 min each way. How to get there ↓
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Where to stay near Isla de En Medio
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Tours to Isla de En Medio
Day trips and guided outings from Veracruz often include Isla de En Medio; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Tours from Veracruz
Private Sunrise Taj Mahal Tour from Delhi By Car -All inclusive
★ 5.0 (549) · From US$14
How to get to Isla de En Medio
- Reached by boat from Antón Lizardo beach: 30 min each way.
- From Veracruz: about 35 min by road (~30 km)
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Tours from Veracruz, near Isla de En Medio
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
About Isla de En Medio
Isla de En Medio, also written Isla de Enmedio, is a low coral island in the southern group of the Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano national park, about 7 km northeast of the fishing village of Antón Lizardo in the municipality of Alvarado. It sits on top of a platform reef of the same name and is one of the handful of small islands with sand and vegetation that rise out of the reefs off this stretch of the Veracruz coast. The only way to get there is by boat, about half an hour from the beach at Antón Lizardo, and authorised local boat operators are the ones who make the trip.
The island is marked by a white lighthouse, the Faro Isla de Enmedio, which the Navy lists among the lights guarding the Antón Lizardo reefs; a concrete pier runs out from the shore, and from it you can see across the island to the lighthouse. The interior is covered in low scrub, grasses and some palms and taller trees. The island is part of a national park and Ramsar wetland, and sea turtles come ashore on its beaches to lay their eggs; a turtle camp works on the island to protect the nests. There are no shops, hotels, restaurants or other services, so visitors bring their own food and water and take all their rubbish back with them.
Most visitors come on a day trip from Veracruz or Boca del Río, with the boat ride, some three hours on the island and snorkelling on the surrounding reef included. Visits are kept to three or four hours and group sizes are limited to protect the ecosystem. The clear water and coral around the island make it the best-known snorkelling spot near the port, and some people also swim or paddleboard off the beach. Trips depend on the weather: when the sea is rough, especially during the winter nortes, boats may not go out.
How to get to Isla de En Medio
Drive from Veracruz to Antón Lizardo beach: 35 min, 30 km
From Veracruz, drive or take a tour about 30 minutes south through Boca del Río to Antón Lizardo, about 23 km from the port. Boats leave from the beach at Antón Lizardo and take about 30 minutes to the island; hire an authorised boat operator or a tour, since these are the services approved to land there. Day tours from Veracruz include transport and the boat.
Reached by boat from Antón Lizardo beach: 30 min each way.
Directions to Isla de En Medio on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Isla de En Medio
- Veracruz · 30 km by road, 35 min to Antón Lizardo beach, then 30 min by boat
- Córdoba · 127 km by road, 1 h 40 min to Antón Lizardo beach, then 30 min by boat
- Xalapa · 129 km by road, 1 h 50 min to Antón Lizardo beach, then 30 min by boat
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Isla de En Medio: hours, prices and tips
- Entry
- Usually sold as a tour: transfer to Antón Lizardo plus the boat trip costs about 500 to 1,000 pesos per person (2026). TV Azteca · checked Oct 2026
- Time needed
- Stays on the island are limited to 3 to 4 hours; the boat ride from Antón Lizardo takes about 30 minutes each way. Forbes México · checked Oct 2026
- Guide or tour
- Go with an authorised boat operator or tour; access depends on weather and sea conditions. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide TV Azteca · checked Oct 2026
- What to bring
- There are no shops, restaurants or services: bring sunscreen, a hat, swimwear, food and drinks, and a bag to take your rubbish back. Forbes México · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Isla de En Medio: what to see and do
Snorkel over the coral reef around the island.
Walk out on the concrete pier for the view back to the lighthouse.
See the white Faro Isla de Enmedio.
Look for turtle nests protected by the island's turtle camp, and seabirds such as peregrine falcons.
Swim or paddleboard off the beach.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Isla de En Medio
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Isla de En Medio.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Veracruz often include Isla de En Medio; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Veracruz: download a map of the way to Isla de En Medio before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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Photos
Closest to Isla de En Medio
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Antón Lizardo · Village · 7 km away
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Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano · Nature reserve · 8 km away
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Laguna de Mandinga · Lagoon · 17 km away
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Boca del Río · City · 18 km away
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Isla de Sacrificios · Island · 18 km away
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Acuario de Veracruz · Landmark · 21 km away
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Paso del Toro · Village · 22 km away
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Baluarte de Santiago · Landmark · 23 km away
Near Isla de En Medio
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Museo Naval México · Landmark · Veracruz
1 h 5 min: 30 min by boat back to Antón Lizardo beach, then drive -
Catedral de Veracruz · Landmark · Veracruz
1 h 5 min: 30 min by boat back to Antón Lizardo beach, then drive -
Malecón de Veracruz · Landmark · Veracruz
1 h 5 min: 30 min by boat back to Antón Lizardo beach, then drive -
San Juan de Ulúa · Landmark · Veracruz
1 h 15 min: 30 min by boat back to Antón Lizardo beach, then drive -
Manlio Fabio Altamirano · Town · Veracruz
1 h 25 min: 30 min by boat back to Antón Lizardo beach, then drive -
Ignacio de la Llave · Town · Veracruz
1 h 30 min: 30 min by boat back to Antón Lizardo beach, then drive
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.