Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos
Genuinely pink lagoons, and flamingos in the estuary
The pink at Las Coloradas is not a filter: it is concentrated salt and microorganisms pigmenting the water, and the intensity shifts with the sun. You cannot swim there — it is a working salt operation inside a protected area — but you walk it from outside, which is where the photos are anyway. Then Cancunito beach, almost empty, and the boat ride through the estuary, which is where the flamingos, herons and the occasional crocodile turn up.
Schedule: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos, Yucatán
What is included
- Transport
- Guide
- Boat ride
- Lunch from a set menu
Not included
- Las Coloradas entrance
- Drinks
Itinerary
- Departure from the office — Almost three hours to the north coast, with a stop halfway.
- Las Coloradas — A guided walk beside the pink, white and orange pools of the salt works. No swimming: it is a protected area.
- Cancunito beach — A rustic beach inside the reserve, calm water and hardly anyone around.
- Boat ride through the estuary — Channels through the mangroves, flamingo watching areas, crocodiles in their habitat and the mineral mud bath.
- Lunch in Río Lagartos — Fresh fish, ceviche, octopus or tikin xic on the waterfront of the fishing village.
- Back to Mérida — Nearly four hours back, arriving around eight.
Meeting point
Our office at Calle 61 #518-B, Centro Histórico. If your accommodation is on the way to the tour or near the centre, we can pick you up there — agreed over WhatsApp
Questions
Can you swim in the pink water?
No. It is a working salt site inside a protected area and entering the water is forbidden. The visit is along the edge, with a guide.
Is the pink always the same?
No. With strong sun and little rain the colour is intense; on cloudy days or after rain it looks paler.
Is it a very long day?
Yes, thirteen hours counting the drive. That is the cost of reaching the northern tip of the state. If long drives tire you, Celestún is the short alternative.