Mexico: The Unique Nature of Yucatan

During your stay on the Yucatán Peninsula, you’ll quickly notice how unique the nature is between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
Both on land and underwater, you’ll encounter an impressive diversity that you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Mexico.
In this post, we’ve gathered the top highlights for you.

1. THE SIAN KA’AN BIOSPHERE RESERVE

South of Tulum lies the impressive Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a natural reserve covering over 5000 km² that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
It is home to a large variety of animal and plant species. From Tulum or Playa del Carmen, a day trip to this national park is highly recommended.
We took the tour with Aledia Tours and can warmly recommend it.

The breathtaking landscape, consisting of rainforests, mangroves, palm savannas, and swamps, is home to crocodiles, monkeys, jaguars, pelicans, frigate birds, and many other exotic animals. More than 4000 plant species grow here. Underwater, you’ll encounter dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, lobsters, and many other marine creatures.

You can’t miss the entrance to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, as there are no paved roads beyond that point. The path only leads over unpaved, potholed, and very bumpy roads.
You’ll need a robust vehicle, which is why we recommend booking a tour through a provider.

We drove about 13 km inland in our minivan and made our first stop at two bridges. The bridges cross a beautiful lagoon.
While the concrete bridge is intact, the adjacent wooden bridge is badly decayed, making it all the more appealing as a photo spot.
From the bridge, you’ll have a fantastic view and can often observe crocodiles and various water birds such as pelicans, herons, and cormorants.

After this first break, we continued a few kilometers to a small jetty. There, we left the bumpy road behind and switched to a speedboat.
During the approximately 3-hour boat ride, we primarily explored the mangrove forests.
We were able to observe rare and shy manatees as well as dolphins and turtles in their natural habitat.

Further out on the open sea, we stopped at a large coral reef. Here, we had the opportunity to snorkel in the crystal-clear water and experience the fascinating underwater world up close.

After returning to the boat, we headed for the last stop of the tour: the fishing village of Punta Allen, the largest settlement in the Sian Ka’an Reserve.
There, we were warmly welcomed by locals and enjoyed a hearty, delicious meal. We then relaxed in the shade before heading back to the jetty.

On the way back to the boat, we had a surprise: right in front of us lay a huge crocodile that remained motionless with its mouth wide open—a truly impressive sight!
Our guide finally lured the animal aside with some food so we could continue the journey.

Just before the jetty, the captain stopped again at a special place, the “bathtub”. In the middle of the Caribbean Sea, this spot features crystal-clear, pleasantly warm water that only reaches up to the hips—a paradise experience! The entire tour was beautiful and remains unforgettable.
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Our Tip: Book the tour with Aledia Tours! It is offered and conducted in small groups of 6 to a maximum of 8 people.
The welfare of the animals and the protection of nature and the environment are top priorities here, so we not only recommend this tour but highly encourage it.

2. RÍA LAGARTOS - THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE

At the very north of the Yucatán Peninsula lies the small, rather unremarkable town of Río Lagartos.
The real highlight of the area, however, is the nearly eponymous lagoon, Ría Lagartos, and the adjacent national park.
This nature reserve on the Gulf of Mexico is home to thousands of Cuban flamingos and over 300 different exotic bird species, including pelicans and bald eagles.
You can also find turtles here and even occasionally crocodiles—a true paradise for nature lovers and amateur birdwatchers.

We consider Río Lagartos a real insider tip, as we encountered hardly any other tourists, even though we visited during the high season. Right after the town sign, we were approached by two pushy motorcyclists. At first, we thought they needed help because they were so insistent.
But when they rode alongside us and motioned for us to open the windows, it became clear: they simply wanted to sell us boat tours.

We eventually followed them to their jetty at the harbor and let them make an offer. After a bit of bargaining, we agreed to a 2-hour boat ride for about $25 per person, and our rental car could be parked directly at their jetty. If you’re not intercepted by tour providers like we were, there are plenty of other options to book a boat tour at the harbor.

Our private tour started with a speedboat and led us toward the lagoon. Within minutes, the captain steered close to the mangroves and suddenly shut off the motor.
The reason was a huge crocodile lying at the edge of the mangroves.
Although the main highlight of the tour—the impressive flamingo colony and the pink lakes—was still ahead of us, we were already completely fascinated at this point.

We continued on to the impressive flamingo colony. Along the way, we observed several frigate birds and pelicans.
Unfortunately, we weren’t so lucky with the flamingos that day, as only a few birds were present at the usual “flamingo hotspot” instead of a large colony.
Still, it was a beautiful moment to observe these elegant animals in the wild and without other tourists around.

By the way, do you know why flamingos are pink? This is due to their diet—they primarily eat crabs and algae, which contain carotenoids. These pigments give their feathers their pink color.
If they ate differently, their feathers would likely be white.

We continued by speedboat to the next highlight of the tour—the large salt basins, also called the “Pink Lake”. Here, high-quality sea salt is harvested.
The name “Pink Lake” seemed a bit exaggerated to us, as we mostly found brownish salt basins with a light pink shimmer.
We later saw the truly intensely pink lakes in Las Coloradas, which we’ll cover in the next section.

Next to the salt flats, there was an opportunity to enjoy a free natural beauty treatment with the lagoon’s healing mud.
It’s said to be particularly good for the skin and leaves it feeling silky smooth.
We didn’t try the mud ourselves, but we watched another couple cover themselves in it from head to toe—quite an entertaining sight.
Our Tip: Be sure to pack your swimsuit to enjoy the free wellness treatment! Unfortunately, we didn’t have ours with us that day.

It’s best to drive to Río Lagartos with a rental car, so you remain flexible and can then continue on to Las Coloradas to see the intensely pink lakes.
You should plan around 2–3 hours for your stay in Río Lagartos.

GOOD TO KNOW

For your trip to Mexico, you’ll need a power adapter, as plug types A and B are used. These are different from the plug types commonly used in many countries around the world.
You can find a suitable adapter here: Travel Adapter Mexico.

3. LAS COLORADAS - THE PINK SALT FLATS

Las Coloradas is just about a 30-minute drive from Río Lagartos and should definitely be part of your travel itinerary. Before our trip, we had seen many photos of the famous pink lakes online and wanted to find out for ourselves if they are really that vividly pink or if the photos were heavily edited. A little spoiler: the trip was definitely worth it.

The drive to the small fishing village takes you along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. From afar, the large salt factory on the right side catches your eye, where around 80% of the residents work. Unfortunately, the area can only be accessed as part of a guided tour. We parked in front of the factory and enjoyed the view of the first brightly colored salt basins.

The basins, which were artificially created for salt production, naturally glow pink.
The color is due to microorganisms, algae, and brine shrimp that produce carotenoids, which color the water.
The pink hue appears especially intense when the sun is shining, and it hasn’t rained in recent days. The sun’s rays enhance the effect, making the view particularly impressive.

If you drive past the salt factory, you can stop at a parking lot in front of the pink salt fields.
As soon as we got out of the car, we felt the hot, dry air—the car thermometer already read 40.5°C.

There’s no shade around the salt basins, so it’s nearly unbearable at midday. Remember a hat and plenty of water! Swimming in the basins is strictly prohibited.

Apart from the large salt basins, the small, sleepy village of Las Coloradas doesn’t have much to offer—except for a natural beach where you can watch some pelicans and fishermen.
You can reach the beach in about a two-minute walk from the village bus stop or by parking along the coast and walking over the dunes.

You should plan at least an hour for your visit to Las Coloradas. We remember the day trip to Río Lagartos and the subsequent stop in Las Coloradas as a unique, fantastic experience and would happily return anytime.

4. SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS

Swimming with the largest fish on earth, the whale shark, is undoubtedly a unique experience. This opportunity is only available in a few places worldwide.
Although whale sharks are part of the shark family, they are completely harmless to humans, as they mainly feed on plankton and other small organisms.
These gentle giants are typically between 6 and 13 meters long and can weigh up to 13 tons.

The waters around the Yucatán Peninsula are a hotspot for whale sharks from mid-May to September. They are generally found between Isla Mujeres, Isla Contoy, and Isla Holbox.
Therefore, most tours depart from Cancún to reach these areas.

We booked our adventure through the well-known provider getyourguide and didn’t regret it for a second. You can find our tour here: Swimming with Whale Sharks.
In recent years, however, there has unfortunately been a rush on these majestic creatures. To prevent this and protect the animals, the number of boats allowed to operate daily has been limited, as well as the number of people who may enter the water. Mexico’s environmental authority monitors whether providers adhere to the strict rules.
Violations can lead to severe consequences for tour operators and boat owners.

Whale shark swimming tours usually follow a similar procedure. You board the speedboat in your swimsuit with a life jacket (which must be worn throughout the tour) and head out into the open sea to search for whale sharks. Typically, there are six to eight people on board, who are divided into pairs, as only two people are allowed in the water at a time.

During the ride, the first group gears up with a diving mask, snorkel, fins, and an underwater camera. As soon as a whale shark is spotted, the captain stops the boat, and the first two swimmers jump into the water. You must spot the whale shark quickly and start swimming immediately.
Although it seems calm from the boat, the animals move quickly, making it challenging even for experienced swimmers to keep up.

Each participant has the opportunity to swim with the whale sharks three times for about 15 minutes during the tour.
This time is strictly monitored to ensure the animals aren’t surrounded by tour boats for too long. After about an hour, the boat returns to the mainland.
Often, there’s a snorkeling stop in a calm lagoon near the dock where you can swim in a relaxed atmosphere.

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER

Don’t forget your underwater camera for this tour—you would definitely regret it later!
Since whale sharks filter their food through the water, applying sunscreen is strictly forbidden to protect the animals.
Even waterproof sunscreen washes off in the water and leaves chemical residues, which are harmful to both the animals and the coral reefs.
To protect yourself from the sun, be sure to wear a T-shirt while in the water.

5. VISITING A CENOTE

If you’re in Yucatán, you can’t miss the mysterious cenotes. But what exactly is a cenote? It’s a cave that has formed over centuries in porous limestone and filled with fresh water from rainfall.
The entire Yucatán Peninsula is crisscrossed by a vast network of underground rivers made up of countless cenotes.

Some cenotes are open to the sunlight, while others are completely underground and only accessible through small openings. The word “cenote” comes from the Maya word “dznot”, which means “sacred spring”. These water sources were not only drinking water supplies for the Maya but also sacred sites for religious ceremonies.

Today, some cenotes still serve as drinking water sources, while others, with their crystal-clear water, have become popular tourist attractions. Many of these water caves offer swimming and snorkeling opportunities. For experienced divers, especially the deeper cenotes inland of the Riviera Maya, offer an unparalleled adventure.

Among the most famous cenotes are the Gran Cenote near Tulum and the Suytun Cenote near Valladolid. Due to the Instagram hype around Suytun Cenote, we decided to skip it and chose the Gran Cenote instead. Here, you can swim or snorkel in crystal-clear, refreshing water under the bright sun, and with some luck, you may encounter turtles.

Another well-known cenote we visited was Río Secreto near Playa del Carmen. This impressive natural wonder contains a kilometer-long cave system made of limestone, which can only be explored with a guide. Equipped with wetsuits, special shoes, and headlamps, you enter the cenote in small groups of up to eight people.

You descend into the dark cave interior via a staircase, where you would quickly get lost without light and a guide. The guide leads you through narrow passages, often waist-deep in water, past stalactites and stalagmites that have formed over thousands of years.
The approximately two-hour tour ends in a large pool of crystal-clear water, where you can swing from a rope attached to the cave ceiling and jump into the refreshing water.

We visited many cenotes, but Río Secreto is truly unique. You can book your ticket here: Río Secreto Tour.

Note: Before entering the cenote, you’re required to rinse off to prevent sunscreen, makeup, or mosquito repellent from entering the delicate ecosystem.

6. AKUMAL - THE TURTLE BEACH

Between Playa del Carmen and Tulum lies the coastal town of Akumal, which means “place of the turtles” in the Maya language. Hundreds of sea turtles nest here from May to September.

Unfortunately, Akumal has now become a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. During our first visit in 2010, we could still observe the turtles with our own snorkeling gear.
By 2019, we found that conditions (fortunately) had changed. After a tourist rush in 2016, the Mexican environmental authority took steps to protect the animals.

Now, the beach area is accessible from 9 am to 5 pm for an entrance fee of about $6.50, or it’s accessible to hotel guests.
Snorkeling is only permitted in specific zones with a guide, and tours are limited to a maximum of 55 minutes.
Independent snorkeling is not allowed, and a 3-meter distance from the turtles must be maintained. Additionally, wearing a life vest is mandatory.

Consider carefully whether you want to visit Akumal, or if it might be nicer to come across a turtle randomly on another snorkeling tour along the Riviera Maya.
In our opinion, it’s not worth the visit.

7. THE YAL-KU LAGOON

Just about a five-minute drive from Akumal Beach lies the Yal-Ku Lagoon—a combination of a cenote and a seawater lagoon. A wooden staircase leads you into the cool freshwater of the cenote, but the real beauty is found underwater. Here, you can admire colorful fish and fascinating limestone formations.

Swim further, and you’ll reach the most exciting point: the meeting of fresh and salt water. Here, the water becomes cloudy, visibility decreases, and small waves form.
With a bit of luck, you might even spot turtles or rays.

A life vest isn’t mandatory but is recommended, as the way through the lagoon is quite long. It allows you to float effortlessly while enjoying the underwater world.
The lagoon is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. You should plan at least 2 hours for your visit.
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Our Tip: Visit the lagoon on a sunny day for the best visibility. Early morning or late afternoon are ideal to avoid the crowds. If you have your own snorkeling gear, bring it along to save on rental costs.

8. THE RIVIERA MAYA

The Riviera Maya is an approximately 150 km long stretch of coastline from Puerto Morelos to the fishing village Punta Allen in the Sian Ka’an Nature Reserve.
Along the Caribbean Sea, you’ll find white sandy beaches lined with palm trees, which have made this region famous far beyond Mexico.
The Maya also appreciated this paradise and built impressive ruins near Tulum.

Today, numerous upscale hotels line the coast, and small coves with crystal-clear water alternate with kilometers of beaches. The tropical climate with about 250 sunny days per year and an average temperature of 23°C makes the region ideal for a beach vacation.

If your accommodation doesn’t have direct beach access, be sure to plan for one or more beach days. Parking spots along the coast invite you to simply stop and spend the day by the sea.
By the way, if you’re looking for a nice hotel with direct beach access, a pool, delicious food, and many other extras, we can highly recommend the TRS Yucatan Hotel - Adults Only.
We had a great stay there and would gladly return anytime.

Divers will also get their money’s worth here: there are many dive centers along the coast, either at hotels or in cities like Playa del Carmen and Tulum. You can explore the fascinating underwater world all year round with water temperatures ranging from 25°C to 28°C.
Between November and March, bull sharks can be seen, and from May to September, whale sharks attract visitors.

WARNING ABOUT SARGASSUM ALGAE

Beware of sargassum algae! From April to the end of August, large quantities of sargassum algae are often washed ashore along the Riviera Maya.
The beaches of Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Cancún are particularly affected. Causes include the warming of the oceans, marine pollution, and agricultural fertilizers that flow into the sea.

To keep the algae away, algae barriers have been installed off the beaches, and hotels, along with the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), work hard to keep the beaches clean.
However, the algae situation is unpredictable and can vary from day to day.

Although harmless to humans, the algae have an unpleasant smell and feel scratchy to the touch.
Our Tip: Subscribe to the Facebook group Sargasso Seaweed Updates Riviera Maya, for current information and photos of the algae situation.

THIS POST WASN’T ENOUGH FOR YOU? LOOKING FOR EVEN MORE TIPS, INSPIRATION, AND MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS FOR YOUR MEXICO TRIP? THEN BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR FOLLOWING POSTS:

• Mexico: The Yucatán Peninsula – the Ideal Mix of Road Trip & Beach
• Mexico: The Exciting World of the Maya
• Mexico: The Most Famous Cities of Yucatán
• Mexico: The Island Paradises around Yucatán

Enjoy exploring and planning!

USEFUL LINKS & RECOMMENDED TRAVEL GUIDES FOR YOU

• The Right Travel Adapter for Mexico
• Find affordable rental cars at rentalcars.com
• Find affordable flights at skyscanner.com
• Discover the best accommodations
• Experience Unique Excursions with Alediatours
• Unique Excursions to Experience in Mexico
• The Best Travel Guides for Mexico

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