Quick comparison
| Celestún | Río Lagartos | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | West coast, on the Campeche border | East coast, near Quintana Roo |
| Distance from Mérida | An hour and a half | Almost three hours |
| Reserve | Ría Celestún, created in 2000, 81,482 ha | Ría Lagartos, created in 1999, 60,347 ha |
| Best flamingo season | November to February, according to CONANP | Toward summer, nesting season |
| Also | Freshwater spring, mangrove tunnel, beach afternoon | Las Coloradas, Cancunito beach, crocodiles, mud bath |
| Type of day | Medium, relaxed | Long |
How flamingos move
The Caribbean flamingo ranges along the peninsula's coast and uses Ría Celestún and Ría Lagartos to feed and rest. According to CONANP, Mexico's protected areas commission, the largest regional concentration in winter is between Ría Celestún and Los Petenes, and toward summer they move to Ría Lagartos and Yum Balam. Exactly where they nest can shift between Ría Lagartos, Ría Celestún and San Crisanto depending on the weather.
CONANP's regional program recorded more than 154,000 chicks hatched and banded more than 7,000 birds between 1999 and 2024; those bands have shown Yucatán flamingos traveling as far as the United States, Cuba, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands.
Choose Celestún if…
- You're traveling between November and February.
- You'd like a shorter day with less driving.
- You want to combine a boat ride with a long beach afternoon.
Choose Río Lagartos if…
- You're traveling in spring or summer.
- You'd love to see the pink water of Las Coloradas on the same day.
- You're interested in crocodiles and the estuary's variety of birds.
At both, sightings depend on the day and can never be guaranteed. Ría Celestún's rules require keeping at least 50 meters from the flamingos; respecting that distance is what keeps them coming back.
Fun facts
- Flamingos banded in Yucatán have been spotted in the United States, Cuba, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands.
- CONANP recorded more than 154,000 flamingo chicks hatched between 1999 and 2024.
- A flamingo's pink color comes from its food.
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
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
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
Transfers · 11 h
Transfer to Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos
The pink lagoons and the beach, with the van at your disposal
from $2,850 MXN per vehicle
Frequently asked questions
Where are there more flamingos, Celestún or Río Lagartos?
It depends on the season: in winter they gather more in Celestún; toward summer they move to Ría Lagartos.
Which is closer to Mérida?
Celestún, an hour and a half away; Río Lagartos is almost three hours.
Can you see Las Coloradas from Celestún?
No, Las Coloradas is next to Río Lagartos, on the east coast.
How far should you stay from the flamingos?
Ría Celestún's rules require at least 50 meters.
