Mexico /Oct 29, 2025
For many visitors to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, one of the undoubted highlights is the opportunity to see large numbers of flamingos in their natural habitat.
Located on the northern coast of the peninsula, Rio Lagartos is one of the most important flamingo habitats in the region. This substantial, protected wetland is home to a wide variety of birdlife (as well as crocodiles) including flamingos.
The breeding and nesting season runs roughly from March through July with May & June typically being the peak season for nesting. Outside of these months there will still be flamingos in the area, just not as many. After breeding, many flamingos head west toward Celestún (see below) or other feeding areas along the coast.
Rio Lagartos is approximately 90 minutes’ drive north of the attractive town of Valladolid. Many of our clients on private tours or self-drive holidays base themselves in Valladolid and visit Rio Lagartos on day trips. The earlier one can get out on the water, the better, so it may also be worth considering staying in Rio Lagartos itself. Our favourite hotel, with panoramic views over the water, is Yuum Ha.
A relatively short distance east of Rio Lagartos is the tiny, increasingly popular beach settlement of El Cuyo. Joined to the mainland by a causeway that crosses over the lagoon, you will often see flocks of flamingos feeding in the shallow waters. As the road is very quiet, it is easy enough to stop by the side of the road and enjoy this natural spectacle right in front of you.
With its proximity to Rio Lagartos, El Cuyo shares the best time to see flamingos.
El Cuyo is more remote and harder to get to than Rio Lagartos so, if you’re planning on a day trip to see flamingos, stick with Rio Lagartos. If you’re after a chill beach hideaway, El Cuyo is the ideal option with the flamingos simply being an added bonus.
Located on the Yucatan Peninsula’s Gulf Coast, Celestun is a UNESCO World Heritage wetland that is again home to a wide variety of birdlife, including significant populations of flamingos.
From November through March, thousands of flamingos migrate to Celestún to feed and rest. The shallow lagoons and mangrove estuaries of Celestun are rich in brine shrimp and algae, the main source of food for flamingos and what gives them their pink colour.
From April, as temperatures rise, many flamingos head to Rio Lagartos on the north coast although you will still be able to see some flamingos at Celestun. During the wetter, summer months, as water levels in the lagoon rise, the number of flamingos will dwindle to their lowest number.
Celestun is approximately 90 minutes’ drive from the centre of Merida, making it a popular day trip from the city, be that part of a private tour, self-drive itinerary or even one of our small group tours.
While there is accommodation in the small village of Celestun, it is not great quality. Another alternative is to base oneself in the countryside south of Merida, home to a number of Maya sites and atmospheric haciendas.
As with most birdwatching, if possible, it is best to visit in the early morning or in the build up to dusk.
This 7 Night Mexico Tour is a small group, escorted tour, starting and finishing in Cancun / Riviera Maya and performing a clockwise loop of the Yucatan Peninsula. It includes the Mayan sites of Calakmul, Chichen Itza, Uxmal & Palenque, the colonial towns of Izamal, Merida & Campeche as well as n...
Northern Yucatan highlights, this is a 10 night Yucatan holiday. Starting and finishing in Cancun, this suggested 10-night itinerary takes in pretty much all of the key highlights of the northern Yucatan Peninsula, combining Mayan & Colonial sites as well as a taste of the region’s nature-based a...
Starting and finishing in Cancun, this suggested 2 week long, self-drive itinerary takes in most, if not all, of the key highlights of the Yucatan Peninsula in an anti-clockwise loop of the region. At the end of the itinerary there is the option of extending your holiday at the beach.
14 nights Fly Drive
On the quiet shores of the Yucatan Peninsula’s north coast, Rio Lagartos is a small fishing village and jumping off point for Reserva de la Biosfera Ria Lagartos, a UNESCO Biosphere since 2004.
Located almost due west of Merida on the Yucatan’s Gulf Coast, Celestun is a small, slightly scruffy fishing village as well as a base for the nearby Celestun Biosphere Reserve.
A rundown of the top ten reasons to visit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on holiday.
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