RESERVA DE LA BIOSFERA RÍA DE CELESTÚN

To visit the Celestún Biosphere Reserve, you must go to the pier at the entrance of the village, immediately after the bridge. If you are coming from Merida by bus, ask the driver to stop you there before you get to the center of the village. There, a local cooperative collects the fishing boats emptied of their morning catch and uses them to take visitors to the nature reserve, which is only accessible by sea. Before embarking, go to the back of the building to observe the raccoons. Not shy, they will gladly approach you in the hope of getting some cakes... The excursion of about 2h30 includes four stops or activities: the isla of Pajaros (the island of the Birds), the observation of the colonies of pink flamingos, an express bath in an ojo de agua and the crossing of the tunnel of the mangrove of Dzinitun which shelters an astronomical quantity of birds like the white pelicans and the cormorants The longer walk, of about 3.5 hours, includes, in addition to the four activities mentioned, the crossing of the entire lagoon to Punta Ninún and the visit to the bosque petrificado (petrified forest).

As there is no Celestún without flamingos, they can be seen all year round, both in the morning and in the evening. So you can plan to visit the reserve at almost any time of the day. However, if you are traveling from Merida and back during the day, it is better to visit the reserve early enough to enjoy the beach in the afternoon.

The salt flats: They can be discovered on foot from the village, for those who have risen early enough to walk the 5 kilometers south from the village without suffering from the heat. They are small lakes with pinkish tones from which salt is still extracted in a natural and traditional way. Their degree of flooding and the intensity of their color vary throughout the year. Absolutely beautiful.

The beaches: There are kilometers and kilometers of them, as far as the eye can see all along the reserve... Beware, you will inevitably be offered excursions to visit the Celestún Biosphere Reserve from the beach, at prices that are far too high! Don't be fooled and make a reservation with the local cooperative. Have a drink in one of the restaurants along the beach and enjoy their palapas with your feet in the sand.