A biosphere reserve shared by Yucatán and Campeche
Ría Celestún is a Biosphere Reserve created on November 27, 2000. According to CONANP, Mexico's protected areas commission, it covers 81,482 hectares across Campeche and Yucatán; on the Yucatán side it includes the municipalities of Celestún, Halachó, Hunucmá and Maxcanú. It also holds UNESCO Man and the Biosphere status, is a Ramsar site and is recognized as an Important Bird Area.
A ría is an estuary where seawater and fresh water mix. In Celestún, that fresh water arrives underground: CONANP explains that part of the peninsula's northwestern groundwater flow empties here, through caves, caverns and cenotes that carry the water to the coast.
Flamingos: when and how many
The estuary's conditions (shallow, brackish water rich in food) make it one of the most important refuges for the American flamingo, according to CONANP. The boat follows the channels out to where the flock is feeding.
Numbers vary with the season and from year to year: you might see dozens or thousands. Nobody can guarantee how many you'll see on a given day, and boats must keep their distance so the birds aren't disturbed. We have a separate guide on when to see flamingos in Yucatán.
The boat ride: what you'll see
- Flamingos and other estuary birds: herons, pelicans, cormorants and more.
- The mangrove tunnel, a narrow channel roofed by mangrove branches.
- The ojo de agua, a freshwater spring in the middle of the mangroves.
- The sandbank, where you take a traditional Maya mud bath.
The area's petenes, islands of vegetation in the middle of the marsh, shelter wildlife during the dry season.
How the day works with Mary Tours
The tour leaves in the morning from the office in downtown Mérida and reaches Celestún in an hour and a half. The boat ride comes first, followed by lunch by the sea (Gulf fish, octopus or shrimp, depending on the day's menu) and nearly three free hours on the beach. You're back in Mérida by mid-afternoon. Transportation, guide, boat ride and lunch are included; drinks are extra.
Tips for Celestún
- Hat, sunglasses and biodegradable sunscreen: there's no shade on the boat.
- Insect repellent: the mangroves have mosquitoes, especially in the rainy season.
- Swimsuit on for the spring and the beach.
- A camera with zoom if you have one: flamingos are watched from a distance.
- Light, pale clothing; the Gulf sun is strong at midday.
Fun facts
- Fresh water reaches the Celestún estuary underground, through caves and cenotes.
- The reserve straddles two states: Yucatán and Campeche.
- Flamingos get their pink color from what they eat.
Related tours
Nature · 9 h
Celestún and the pink flamingos
The largest flamingo colony in North America
from $1,600 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour and a half west, out to the port.
- 9:30 AM Boat ride — Flamingo and bird watching, the mangrove tunnel, the freshwater spring and the Maya bath on the sandbar.
- 11:00 AM Lunch by the beach — Fish, octopus or shrimp from the gulf, at a table facing the sea.
- 1:00 PM Free time on the beach — Almost three hours to swim, walk the shore or do nothing at all.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — Arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat ride, Lunch from a set menu
Not included: Drinks
Transfers · 10 h
Transfer to Celestún
We drive you to the estuary, wait for you and bring you back
from $2,550 MXN per vehicle
Nature · 12 h
Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos
Genuinely pink lagoons, and flamingos in the estuary
from $1,400 MXN per person
See itinerary
7:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 7:00 AM Departure from the office — Almost three hours to the north coast, with a stop halfway.
- 9:50 AM Las Coloradas — A guided walk beside the pink, white and orange pools of the salt works. No swimming: it is a protected area.
- 11:00 AM Cancunito beach — A rustic beach inside the reserve, calm water and hardly anyone around.
- 12:30 PM Boat ride through the estuary — Channels through the mangroves, flamingo watching areas, crocodiles in their habitat and the mineral mud bath.
- 2:15 PM Lunch in Río Lagartos — Fresh fish, ceviche, octopus or tikin xic on the waterfront of the fishing village.
- 4:15 PM Back to Mérida — Nearly four hours back, arriving around eight.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat ride, Lunch from a set menu
Not included: Las Coloradas entrance, Drinks
Beach · 9.5 h
Sisal: kayak, flamingos and beach
A magic town that is still a fishing port
from $1,500 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 5:30 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour and a half on the road to the port.
- 10:00 AM Kayaking in the coastal wetland — A paddle by kayak or flat-bottomed boat through the mangrove, with birdwatching — pink flamingos included — and a dip in a freshwater spring.
- 11:45 AM Sisal beach — Over four hours free. There are seafood places along the shore and palapas you can rent for shade.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour and a half back.
Included: Transport, Kayaking in the coastal wetlands, Free time on the beach
Not included: Food, Drinks, Palapa rental
Frequently asked questions
How far is Celestún from Mérida?
About an hour and a half's drive west.
Are there always flamingos in Celestún?
It can't be guaranteed. Numbers change with the season and conditions each year, from dozens to thousands.
What does the Celestún tour include?
Transportation, a guide, the boat ride and a beachside lunch. Drinks are extra.
Is Celestún a protected area?
Yes. It has been a Biosphere Reserve since 2000, and it's also a Ramsar site and an Important Bird Area.
Can you swim in Celestún?
Yes, at the beach and at the freshwater spring during the boat ride, when conditions allow.
