La Ventanilla is a small eco-tourism center just up the coast from Mazunte. The name is lifted from the nearby Laguna Ventanilla that was long a favorite lagoon with locals for its wildlife.
Arguably, the Ventanilla is most famous for providing shelter to the local crocodile community. And some younger specimens are nearly always on view here before they are again released into the wild.
The center itself is run entirely by people from the community although today they do so in cooperation with some national and scientific organizations. They’re widely recognized. The prohibition on trade in sea turtles set the community way back economically. In fact, today, Mazunte makes its living much more from the people coming to see the turtles and related wildlife.
La Ventanilla is a vital part of that exchange, helping sea turtles to survive infancy, and showing guests better ways to view the turtles, crocodiles, bird-life and much more. Iguanas, some of them enormous, also call Mazunte home and you’ll find some of them here too.
The center also hosts those interested in camping out, and gives tours through the mangroves. They’ve been proactive in conservation efforts here too.
Like the ecosystem itself, the center is in continual flux and adapting to the needs of guests and local residents. For that, their extensive programs are being updated too.
The Ventanilla Center is on the far west side of Mazunte, just before the road ends at the edge of the Playa Ventanilla. The Laguna Ventanilla is to the west of the beach along the coast. The center’s activities can range throughout the Mazunte area.
