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Nature reserve · Celestún, Yucatán
Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún
Mangrove estuary between the Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatán plain, a biosphere reserve known for colonies of pink flamingos, visible on boat trips.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún
The Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve protects a ría, an elongated coastal lagoon where the fresh water from underground rivers mixes with the salt water of the Gulf of Mexico. It covers more than 80,000 hectares on the border between Yucatán and Campeche, with mangroves, dunes, savannas and low forest.
What attracts visitors most are the American flamingos, with a strong pink color, which feed in the shallow water of the ría on small crustaceans responsible for the color. Flocks can number in the thousands. You can also see herons, pelicans, spoonbills, cormorants and sometimes crocodiles.
Boat trips, guided by cooperatives from the village, travel the ría to the flamingo flocks and enter a closed mangrove tunnel. Many stop at an ojo de agua, a spring of fresh, clear water in the middle of the mangrove where you can swim, and at a petrified grove of trees killed by the salt.
Boats keep their distance from the birds so as not to scare them, and the number of flamingos varies with season and day.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 1½ to 2 hours by boat.
Best time
From November to March, when there are usually more flamingos, and early in the morning, with less wind and softer light.
How to get there
Boats depart from the bridge at the entrance to the village of Celestún and from the beach. Celestún is about 95 km from Mérida.
Tip
Hire registered cooperatives. Bring a hat, sunscreen and binoculars.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún
Why are the flamingos of Celestún pink?
Because of the small crustaceans they eat in the shallow water of the ría.
How long does the boat trip in Celestún last?
One and a half to two hours.
What else can you see on the trip besides the flamingos?
Herons, pelicans, spoonbills, the mangrove tunnel and a fresh water ojo de agua.