Rio Lagartos Nature Reserve on the Yucatan Peninsula — one of the most striking natural attractions of the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Here you can take a fascinating boat tour along the bay among the mangroves, watch large flocks of flamingos at close range, see crocodiles in their natural environment, and even take mud baths made of the purest white clay.
There are really a lot of flamingos in Rio Lagartos, and the seasonality of their stay in the reserve is much less pronounced than, in particular, in Celestun on the Gulf of Mexico. The flamingos here are always bright, and the flying flock of pink birds is especially beautiful. In addition, the reserve is home to several species of other birds, so along the way you are sure to meet pelicans soaring above the water, red-breasted cormorants and herons.
Another interesting attraction located next to the Rio Lagartos Nature Reserve is the pink lakes of Las Coloradas. The water there is really pink. Lakes are artificial reservoirs used for salt extraction. The color of water is determined by the high concentration of salt and microorganisms living in this water. You cannot swim or even wet your feet in the lakes, since the extracted salt is used for food purposes. And the lakes themselves in many places are surrounded by a moat, so it’s not always possible to get close to the water. In the same places where it is allowed to approach the water, you will have to pay 50 MXN per person to enter the territory of the salt mining plant.
We arrived in Las Coloradas while the lakes were being drained to collect salt. And the lakes still looked pink, even with minimal water!
The territory of the Rio Lagartos Nature Reserve is quite large; you can spend the whole day here. True, apart from a few hours of boating and a quick view of the lakes, there is not much to do. We also managed to swim to the other side of the bay and smear ourselves with clay, which is said to be healing, and at the end of the walk, swim in the lagoon at the place where it connects with the Gulf of Mexico.
The most efficient use of time — Start the tour from the pink lakes near the village of Las Coloradas, then return to the Puente de Coloradas bridge, where you can take a boat under the bridge. Then the boatman himself will take you to the most interesting places, show you flamingos, crocodiles and all the natural beauties. End of the tour — in the village of Rio Lagartos, where you will definitely and strongly be recommended to visit one of the fish restaurants on the waterfront. This way the entire route fits into one line.
However, all standard excursions to the reserve begin in the village of the same name, Rio Lagartos. First, you are taken by boat towards the reserve, shown the reserve, and then taken in the opposite direction along the same route. In fact, you are doing double duty.
The rate of the excursion, or rather, the boat for 6 people — 1000 MXN ($52), or less than 200 MXN per person. This is if you know who to rent a boat from. Don't know — you will be offered for 1400 MXN and above. The excursion lasts 1.5-2 hours.
The easiest option to get to Rio Lagartos and the pink lakes is from Cancúna or Playa del Carmen — buy a tour. Prices for such tours start from US$100 per person. We left Cancún early in the morning and returned in the evening. Many tours also include a buffet lunch.
How to get there by car
Google will show that the easiest way from Cancúna or Playa del Carmen to Rio Lagartos — via Valladolid — Tizimin. There are really good roads along this route, including toll roads. However, in this case, good highways do not mean shorter travel times.
We took a shorter route, through Popolnya — Kantunilkin — Tizimin, as on the map. The entire one-way route took approximately 4 hours, taking into account the stop in Tizimin, the central part of which is estimated to require short attention.
How to get there by bus
We always suggest public transport as the most economical option to get to many interesting places in the Yucatan. But in this situation — This is an extremely inconvenient option.
One way or another, a transfer is required in Tizimin, since there are no direct routes to Rio Lagartos.
From Cancun
From Cancun to Tizimin, a first class bus from ADO runs 2 times a day, at 9:30 and 18:00. Travel time 3 hours, tariff — 166 MXN ($9). Second class buses run more often, 8 times a day during daylight hours. All buses from from depart from one bus station in Cancun — ADO terminal.
Back from Tizimin to Cancun, ADO buses depart at 6:30 and 13:00, in other words, when traveling to Rio Lagartos on your own, it will not be possible to live in one day.
Therefore, we would suggest another option: get to Valladolid, from there to Tizimin, and from there to Rio Lagartos; then return along the same route. This way we can return to Cancun the same day. And this is quite real!
- Cancun — Valladolid (buses ADO): 16 times a day from 4:00, 125-250 MXN. Travel time — 2:15.
- Valladolid — Tizimin: 17 times a day from 5:30, 29-60 MXN. Travel time — 1 hour
- (or directly to Cancun — Tizimin by ADO bus)
- Tizimin (noreste terminal) — Rio Lagartos: there are both buses (Noreste) and minibuses — collective (almost every hour, 43-60 MXN / $2.5-3). Travel time — less than 1:30.
We get back the same way. You need to leave Rio Lagartos no later than 16:00 (say, on the Noreste bus) to get to Cancun before 21:00. The last flight from Rio Lagartos to Tizimin departs at 20:30.
In total, travel by bus or colectivo from Cancun to Rio Lagartos and back will cost 394 — 740 MXN ($21-39).
From Playa del Carmen
There are no direct buses from Playa del Carmen to Tizimin.
- Playa del Carmen — Valladolid (ADO buses): 12 times a day from 4:00, 158 — 252 MXN. Travel time — 2:45.
- then we get to Rio Lagartos and back as described above.
In total, travel by bus or colectivo from Playa del Carmen to Rio Lagartos and back will cost 460 — 742 MXN ($24-39).