- Ricardo Godoy -
Eco-tourist paradise of the state of Yucatán. Its exceptional landscape is part of the world heritage of the special biosphere reserve of the same name; with an area of 59,139 ha., and a length of 21 km., officially declared a wildlife refuge since 1979
Among its natural attractions are, to the east the Baldiosera spring where you can swim and dive; there is also the Cambay spring that is an eye of fresh water, and finally there is Tambor, where the main attraction is the Pink or Caribbean Flamingo, the only known population in North America and that has the Ría de Celestún as a point of food and rest ; Celestun flamingos are the pinkest in the world, due to the concentration of carotene in the water. They can be seen in their natural ecosystem aboard boats guided by locals.
To the east is the Real Salinas ranch, former emporium of salt extraction. It also has the extraordinary petrified forest named Tampetén and Punta Ninum, where clams and miniature shrimp abound.
On the shore of the route you can find a great diversity of flora and fauna of special beauty, ducks that migrate from Canada, and that arrive at the estuary in the months from December to March, a great variety of fish, pelicans, herons, albatrosses and other water birds that live in an ecosystem of low deciduous forest and tropical savanna.
Here you can also see 234 different species of mammals that inhabit the estuary, among the main ones are the ocelot, jaguar, tigrillo and the spider monkey, which are considered endangered species along with 3 species of sea turtles and two of crocodiles.
Its inhabitants have always dedicated themselves to fishing (grouper, dogfish, sea bass, branch, octopus and many others) and to the exploitation of salt flats.
31 km. To the north of Celestún, along a coastal dirt road, is El Palmar, one of the most important ecological reserves, where migratory water birds such as the Canadian duck live, and is an ideal destination for the practice of ecotourism. Another important attraction is its huge lighthouse, considered the highest in the State.
Celestún is located west of the state of Yucatán, 109 km. from Mérida, and 123 km. to the west of Progreso.
