Celestun

Located 60 miles southwest of Merida, Celestun is a quaint fishing village where the infrastructure is very basic. There are a few 2-star hotels, the 5-star ecological resort Xixim, a new resort called Playa Maya and Hotel Manglares, several very good seafood restaurants, a few small shops and a harbor.

Aerial view of the town of Celestun and the Ria where you visit the flamingos

Celestun is famous not only for its seafood restaurants, such as La Palapa, located on the beach, but also for its river or ria, beautiful flamingo colonies, fresh water springs, and calm beaches. You will also find a 36 foot tall lighthouse and salt fields near the town.

The most popular thing to do here is contract a boat to travel the ria and see the flamingos. These boats are located at the entrance to Celestun, where you can easily contract with a guide.

The flamingos of Celestun are a beautiful part of a fragile ecosystem. When you go to see them, we encourage you to treat the birds and their surroundings with respect so that they will be able to continue breeding and living there.

Sometimes a guide, in order to show the tourist a good time, will attempt to get too close to the flamingos. This has a very negative effect on these exotic birds and you should encourage your guide to stay at a healthy distance. And, please don't ask them to get closer if they are staying away.

Refrain from abrupt moves or noises which might scare the birds. If we don't protect this fragile ecosystem, the birds will not be able to survive. Needless to say, there is absolutely no hunting or shooting of anykind permitted in Celestun or Ria Lagartos.

The best time of the year to see these beautiful pink flamingos is between March and August, the time of the year when they leave their nests to eat the rich plankton of Ria Largartos. Part of the boat excursion includes a visit to the fresh water springs "Valdiosera" and "Venecia" where the water is sweet, transparent and ideal for swimming.

Flamingos taking flight near Celestun in north-west Yucatan.

You will also visit the "petrified forest" Tampeten, a strange place where you can see just the trunks of these trees with their roots in the water.

How to get there
To get to Celestun by car, take the Periferico out of Merida to Uman. Continue on to Kinchil and then Celestun. There are signs along the way. The map included in this guide is also helpful.

To reach Celestun by bus, go to the terminal on Calle 71 by 64 and 66. There are busses every hour from 5 AM that cost 31 pesos. The trip takes two hours.

Flamingos at rest near Celestun,
in north-west Yucatan.

Where to stay
 EcoParaiso Xixim
www.ecoparaiso.com
 Hotel Manglares
www.hotelmanglares.com.mx
 Playa Maya
www.playamaya.net

Read more about
 Flamingos
 A readers Day Trip to Celestun
 Transportation in the Yucatan
 Beaches of the Yucatan
 Vacation Rentals in the Yucatan
 Real Estate Beach Homes

Visit our map
 Map of Yucatan Peninsula
 Map of Celestun

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