Celestun Beach and Mangrove Boat Ride from Merida
Description
The Celestun reserve is filled with multiple wild life species like migratory birds, flamingos, crocodiles, racoons, fish and much more! Our guide will take us to a boat ride troughout the Celestun mangrove, he will point out all the highlights of the reserve. We'll pass the point where the sea and the river meets After the ride, now it's time to relax a the gorgeous Celestun beach. The white sand and the blue unspoiled sea will be the best view to relax and have a nice swim. At the beach we'll head to the restaurant for the meal Nature and beauty is waiting for you!
Tour Options
Itinerary
We'll enjoy a boat ride trough the reserve of Celestun to spot different kinds of wild live like birds, fishes, crocodiles, racoons and more! After, a relaxing time at the Celestun gorgeous beach
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Important information! Must read We can do pick ups at some hotels in Merida, even if the hotel is listed we are going to confirm if it's possible to pick you up there or at a meeting point These are the main meeting points: *Parque de Santa Ana Merida *Hotel Fiesta Americana Merida The pick up time depends on the location of the hotel, it's important to confirm if it's possible to pick you up at your hotel (even if it's listed)
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- On tour details 3 hours remaining is for the travel time
- The supplier is entitled to assign the meeting point even if the hotel is listed
- Not recommended for passengers with mobility issues
Reviews(89)
We did the tour with Toni, very prepared in general but even more afraid birds, driver Pablo all very well
Celestun es un lugar magico lleno de naturaleza y vida, es una reserva protegida y nos alegra compartirla con ustedes Mexico y Yucatan aún tienen mucho más para ofrecer
We arrived in Celestún but the sea was choppy and we decided to take the tour by motorcycle taxi, we were taken to the Salt Pools which are beautiful, Edwin the guide explained in detail the process of obtaining the salt, because they are pink, as it is that the flamingos get that intense color and we could also see them since in the pools also inhabit. I highly recommend this walk can not miss it. There is also a water eye where you can get in and there are some little fish.
Celestun es una maravilla de la naturaleza, es hogar de muchas especies de aves, reptiles y peces Nos alegra que haya disfrutado de esta aventura y que nos haya compartido su experiencia. Mexico, Yucatan y La Riviera Maya aún tienen mucho para ofrecer ¡Esperamos verlos pronto para su siguiente aventura!
That was a nice moment but we learnt the tourism is very bad for the mangrove, like it kills flamengos so I woudn't recommend to continue going there. Also the beach was nice but not incredible
Tourism is what keeps the mangrove alive and protected, that is misinformation. All travelers going to Celestun are informed by the guides about the strict protection of the area Flamingos are heavely protected, we don't understand the logic about tourism "killing flamingos" when nobody is allowed to be near them Plus there are multiple federal agents in the area keeping watch
You meet up early and travel with knowledgeable and friendly guide and driver to take a boat tour thru the mangroves followed by lunch and two glorious hours on the beach great day totally memorable and worth doing
Our guides love what they do, for us the goal is to share and spread the love for nature and Mexico as much as possible We are glad that you had a great time at the mangroves in company with the guides. Mexico and Yucatan has plenty more to offer We hope to see you again soon!
They pack the bus and if you’re smaller(weight wise) they will put you in the very back of the bus!! No windows & extremely uncomfortable. The tour operator kept pointing things out the window along the drive but we couldn’t see anything…again no windows back there!! We arrived at our boat and we thought we were getting an English tour guide which we requested, not the case! He didn’t speak a word of English and basically no information regarding the flamingoes or along the mangrove, he just stood on the boat doing nothing! Complete waste of time! Next stop is the beach which is a 5 minute drive from the boat to the beach. We decided we needed a breather from bring crammed in the 4 back seats so we sat in the other comfortable seats. All we heard were complaints & people gripping!! Since when did these seats become reserved?!! Extremely disrespectful! Then you spend at least 3 hrs if not more at the beach a little long seeing I thought the main event were the flamingoes?! Trip back home the tour guide held us back getting on the bus until everyone else got on the bus and in their chosen seats and we once again we had to sit in the very back, no windows & extremely tight quarters & very uncomfortable! The guide said everyone is bigger…what???Meanwhile we’re in our mid 60’s and we don’t count?! Because of our size we had to be crammed in the back seats of the bus? We complained and he ignored us! Complained to Viator and they couldn’t care less! We asked for a small discount and they refused. Horrible customer service from Viator & this is a really bad tour! Would definite NOT recommend this tour!
You were the last members of the group to board, and the only spots left where at the back of the van, no one made any comment regarding "weight" or "size" Also, this is a highly requested tour meaning, the transportation is usually full. Just because a vehicule is full does not mean it's "cramped" since we are only allowing the regular capacity of persons The boat tour is done in both english and spanish, the problem was that you did not care to pay attention to the guide and instead you were complaining the entire time about unrelated things and bothering other travelers No one else in the group had any complaints or issues, however, we received reports that you were harassing other people trying to project your own issues on to them There weren't any "reserved" seats The time spent at the beach is clearly described at the tour information, you didn't cared enough to read it The "small discount" you claimed to have request, was a full refund just because you were late and got sitted on the back For any readers, please reffer to other reviews since this one was written out of unbecoming spite
It was a long way to go (bus and especially the boat ride) for a short trip through mangroves and to see flamingos at a distance. We would like to have spent more time in the mangroves, and been given more detailed information. Our guide wqs very nice, but not very knowledgeable. One of the people on the boat was able to spot more birds and sea life than he could. Lunch was simple but tasty. The beach was clean and uncrowded. The change rooms at both stops were terrible (and the kitchen was behind the one right at the beach). Be sure to wear your bathing suit under your clothes so you don't have to change.
The times can't be increased or shortened, it's important to pay attention to the guide since he is the one spotting the birds and marina life while giving out the information of the mangroves and it's surroundings The change rooms are clean and are available to use, we don't know what you mean by "terrible" We hope to keep improving for your next adventure
Great tour to Celestun. We enjoyed the boat ride and seeing the turquoise water. There were hundreds of pelicans and dozens of flamingos. The lunch and time at the beach afterwards were fun. You could take nice photos with a phone camera, the photos with the 300 mm lens are great.
Celestun is shelter to many species of birds and it's home to an abundant amount of flora The mangrove biosphere is a perfect place for nature to trive
The tour company never picked us up at the listed pickup point and never called. After an hour we called and they said we weren’t at the correct location. Document clearly states otherwise and hotel owner agreed. They refused to issue a refund.
We called, texted, emailed and tried multiple times to reach out We only received your reply and confirmation over email, in which you confirmed the assigned meeting point. However, you still decided no to go to the meeting point that you were already aware of and to call us (from a different number) one hour after pick up The information of the tour onlines makes it clear that travelers must reach out to the supplier to confirm pick up location, and that we are at liberty to assign meeting point even if the hotel selected is listed The "document" and the information online clearly states that even if the hotel is listed the supplier can assign a meeting point Reading is an important skill and practice for all adults, even more when it's about something you purchase
We used the tour company Viajes Colibri, We would highly recommend this tour company. Our tour guides name was Jael. He was very knowledgable about the biosphere at Celestun and it was very informative about the flamingos. He showed pictures on the way out to the biosphere. He had a great sense of humour and he took many pictures for us. We had no idea how the flamingoes gathered the shrimp. Flamingoes sieve 2000 L of water per day to get about 400 g of the brine. This is what makes their skin the deep colour of pink. It takes four years for the baby flamingo to attain the deep pink color. We saw many flamingoes and we were quite close up . I got video of the flamingoes with their heads in the water, moving their legs, which I think stirred up the water to allow them to gather the shrimp.
Thank you for sharing this experience with us, Celestun is a special place in Mexico that needs to be protected and appreciated
We just returned from a trip to Merida. On our last full day, we toured Celestun to see the Flamingos. Our tour guide Juan was wonderful! He had great knowledge of all of the birds that we had the possibility of seeing. The boat ride was fabulous and Juan did a great job. We would definitely take this tour with Juan again
Our guides have genuine love towards the nature and fauna at Celestun They care for their preservation and try to spread as much knowledge of them as possible We are happy that you gave us the chance to share this adventure with you
