Río Lagartos and Las Coloradas
Reserva De La Biosfera (CONANP) / Sitio Ramsar · Río Lagartos, Yucatán
Rio Lagartos is a long coastal lagoon on the north shore of the Yucatan, protected as a biosphere reserve and holding the largest flamingo breeding colony in Mexico. Thousands of American flamingos feed in water so shallow that boatmen have to pick their line, while crocodiles lie on the banks, frigatebirds hang overhead and the mangrove runs for kilometres. Boat trips leave from the fishing village at first light and are priced per boat, so a group pays far less each. Next door are the pink lakes of Las Coloradas, which are not a natural wonder and not a swimming pool. They are commercial salt evaporation ponds coloured by microorganisms that thrive in brine, and entering them is prohibited. Access is controlled and visitors view from set points, and people have been fined for stepping in. Come for the birds, sleep over for the dawn trip, bring cash and sun protection, and treat the pink ponds as a short stop.
Río Lagartos, Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Lagartos, Río Lagartos, Yucatán, 97720, Mexico
⚠ FLAMINGO BOAT TRIPS LEAVE FROM THE RÍO LAGARTOS MALECÓN and are run by community cooperatives - ⚠ THEY ARE PRICED PER BOAT FOR UP TO ABOUT SIX PEOPLE, NOT PER PERSON, so teaming up divides the cost. Trips run two to three hours; ⚠ DAWN IS THE ONLY TIME THAT MATTERS - flat water, feeding birds, and it is over by mid-morning. A CONANP reserve fee applies. ⚠ FLAMINGO NESTING RUNS ROUGHLY APRIL TO AUGUST; birds are present in varying numbers most of the year. ⚠ DO NOT LET A BOATMAN CHASE THE FLOCK FOR A PHOTOGRAPH - it is against the reserve's rules. ⚠ LAS COLORADAS IS A COMMERCIAL SALT WORKS, NOT A LAKE: the pink ponds are evaporation basins, ⚠ ENTERING THE WATER IS PROHIBITED, ACCESS IS TICKETED FROM A BOARDWALK, AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FINED. It has been closed to visitors at points. ⚠ CROCODILES ARE PRESENT. ⚠ BRING CASH - ATMs are unreliable or absent. ⚠ HOURS AND PRICES NOT VERIFIED FOR THIS FILE.
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