Río Lagartos
A magnificent little town on one of Mexico's biggest and most remarkable natural protected areas, there's no river, but there is a fantastic lot to see and learn.
The Río Lagartos is the seat of a coastal municipality in Yucatan. Its name comes from the giant coastal lagoon and estuary system some 80 kilometers in length that dominates the region but also leads to some linguistic confusion. Usually the reserve and estuary are referred to as the Ría (with a) Lagartos while the town and the municipality are known as Río Lagartos. There is no Lagartos River. The marine system of lagoons, wetlands, and mangroves, and the estuary, have been protected as a Biosphere Reserve since 1979. It makes up most of the coastal region for the municipality that bears its name and small parts of the San Felipe and Tizimín coasts to either side. It's a magnificent part of the world, and somewhere you will never forget.
The little town of fewer than 2,500 residents is some 12 kilometers from the historic port of San Felipe to the west. And Río Lagartos makes the perfect starting point for tours into the estuary and natural areas surrounding the lagoons. The agencies headquartered in Río Lagartos set off for bird watching expeditions, highlighted by the stunning pink flamingos. Most tours last some four hours and will include trips to spot flamingos, pelicans, white herons, cormorants, storks, and usually a few crocodiles, too.
Trips to the Maya Bath include waters rich in salt and sulfur which proponents claim will encourage a full-body exfoliation. Natural clay to cover the entire body leaves visitors exhilirated and revitalized, and that's after the natural scenery which will often have a similar effect.
Most visitors will arrive to Río Lagartos via Tizamin. It's about 45 minutes drive to the south. The Tren Maya station on the north side of Valladolid is a further one hour to the south. The famous pink lagoons at Las Coloradas are about 20-25 minutes to the east on the outer banks of the estuary.
