Where to Find Flamingos in Mexico, the Complete Guide
What is it about flamingos that make people fawn and gawk over them incessantly? Is it their rosy-colored complexion? Or their unique, but odd shape? Or the fact that some flamingos in resting position stand on just one leg? Whatever your reason, and we all have them, everyone loves this gangly, pink, upside-down-eating bird.
It may come as a surprise to you (as it did to me) but there are flamingos in Mexico! I am not sure where I imagined flamingos to live but I never stopped to think that you could see flamingos in Mexico.
Where to See Flamingos in Mexico
Now that you know there are Mexican flamingos (ok, they’re technically not Mexican flamingos they are just in Mexico), you are probably wondering where to see the flamingos in Mexico.
You can find flamingos in Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. In fact, you can find the flamingos in not one but two different locations on the Yucatan depending on the time of year that you visit. The Mexico flamingos in the Yucatan live there year-round and migrate between Celestun in the west and Rio Largartos in the north.
So whether you are in Mexico in June on school holidays, over Christmas break, or at any time of the year, you can always see the flamingos in Mexico you just need to know where to go, when to go, and how to get there.
Here is our guide on everything you need to know about visiting the flamingos in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
Flamingos in the Yucatan: Celestun or Rio Lagartos
Both places to see flamingos in Mexico are found in the Yucatan Peninsula in either Cestun on the west coast just north of the beautiful colonial city of Campeche or in Rio Lagartos, west of Merida and on the north coast just above Valladolid. Deciding on whether you want to visit the flamingos in Celestun or the flamingos in Rio Lagartos largely depends on the time of year that you will be visiting the Yucatan Peninsula.
The Celestun flamingo season runs primarily between December and February corresponding with the nesting season, but you can find flamingos in Celestun as early as November.
The best time to see the flamingos in Rio Lagartos is during the mating season between March and June.
The flamingos in Mexico, however, are not migratory and live on the Yucatan Peninsula year-round. This means that even if you plan to visit outside of the nesting or mating season, it is likely that you will see flamingos. For example, we visited the flamingos in Mexico in January and had no difficulty seeing flamingos in the Yucatan.
Flamingos in Celestun
Flamingos can be found in the town of Celestun on the western coast of the peninsula. The town of Celestun leaves a lot to be desired. Despite being the jumping-off point for tours to see flamingos, the town has not been bolstered by the local tourist attraction. It is evident that while the flamingos are the drawcard, tourists are stopping off at Celestun as a day trip as opposed to a destination in its own right.
The best way to see the flamingos here is with a guided tour. Most of the Celestun tours operate out of Merida as this is the closest large city to Celestun. Tour operators will arrange for you to be picked up at your hotel, organize transportation, provide an English-speaking guide, and will arrange your boat tour in Celestun. This is the easiest way to see the flamingos. If you do not speak Spanish, it is wise to make sure your tour operator will speak English before you book your tour.
We recommend booking a private tour with Travelezza. A private tour will allow you to go at your own pace and enjoy the Celestun Biosphere Reserve at your leisure. Travelezza operates with knowledgeable English-speaking guides with a wealth of information about the reserve and Celestun.
👉 Book a private flamingo tour now!
There are also small group tours to see the flamingos in Celestun that can be arranged. We recommend booking a flamingo tour with Vive Una Experiencia Unica if you go this route.
👉 Book a small group flamingo tour in Celestun now!
If you do not want to visit the flamingos in Celestun with a tour group, no worries. It is possible to visit the flamingos without a guide. Once in Celestun, boats to the biosphere can be arranged from the marina located just before you enter the town proper. Prices are negotiated by the boat, meaning the more people involved, the cheaper the price per person. Prices generally start between $1,500 – $1,600 pesos for a full boat and can be negotiated down depending on your haggling ability.
How to Get from Merida to Celestun
By Car: It is easy to reach Celestun with your own wheels. The roads are in quality conditions with sparse topes (trust me, this is HUGE if you have spent any significant amount of time driving through Mexico). From Merida take the Mexico 281 W until you end in the town of Celestun. The drive is approximately one-and-a-half hours depending on your location in Merida.
If you do not have your own vehicle, we recommend renting one from one of the rental agencies in town. There are several car rental places scattered throughout the town with most located at the international airport.
By Bus: Buses run to Celestun from the Terminal Noreste located at the intersection of Calle 67 & Calle 50. Buses depart regularly and cost approximately $60 pesos per person for a one-way ticket. Return tickets are purchased in Celestun.
By Colectivo: Colectivos are the primary means of travel by locals throughout Mexico. Colectivos to Celestun can be found between Calle 69 and Calle 50 and cost $35 pesos per person.
How to Get from Campeche to Celestun
By Car: Take Mexico 180 E from Campeche towards Cancun. In Maxcanu, exit the highway and take the narrow, but paved Calle 15 through small towns and villages until the road meets back up with Mexico 281. Take a left on Mexico 281 until you reach the town of Celestun. The drive is approximately two-and-a-half hours from Campeche.
Driving Notice: Beware of corrupt Mexican police on Mexico 180 E just outside of Campeche. A police roadblock is known for harassing tourists without a front license plate, searching vehicles extensively and asking for bribes. We passed with only a few questions asked, but be alert on this drive.
By Bus: There is no bus service from Campeche to Celestun. If you need to take a bus, you will have to catch a bus to Merida and then switch to Celestun making the trip double the time that it would normally take.
By Colectivo: We were unable to obtain any information on reaching Celestun by colectivo. Inevitably it will require multiple changes to reach your final destination.
READ MORE: What to Do in Campeche, the Yucatan’s Beautiful Port City
Where to Stay in Celestun
Overlanding
The best place to overland in Celestun is in the parking area by the pier. While it is not the overlanding dream spot, it is an ok location to spend the night. Locals spend the afternoon and early evening enjoying the water, eating seafood and drinking, but once night falls the noise dies down quite a bit.
Check out the location on Google Maps here.
Hotels
There are no hotels to speak of in Celestun. Your best bet is to stay in Merida and make a day trip out of it.
Flamingos in Rio Lagartos and the Pink Lakes of Las Coloradas
While most blog posts and information indicate that flamingos are in Rio Lagartos, this is not actually 100% true. You can see the flamingos NEAR Rio Lagartos in the nearby Natural Park of Ria Lagartos just beyond the small town of Las Coloradas.
The name Las Coloradas also might ring a bell as this place is established in its own right on the tourism circuit namely for the rosy pink color of the lakes. If you are interested in seeing both then a trip to Rio Lagartos and Las Colorados is your best bet. Here is how to do it!
How to See the Flamingos in Rio Lagartos
Visiting the flamingos in Rio Lagartos is best done again with a tour operator given the remote location. There are many tour operators who visit the flamingos in Yucatan on a combined tour of some of the other most popular sites in the area.
If you are staying in Valladolid, combine your trip to see the Yucatan flamingos with a trip to the ancient Mayan ruins of Ek Balam. If you are coming from Merida, a tour combines the flamingos with Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Each tour will include hotel pick-up in an air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking guides. Entrance fees are not included in the tour price but are generally less than $20 per site depending on which natural or historical destinations you will be visiting in addition to the flamingos.
If you do not want to join a tour, you can also visit the flamingos of Rio Lagartos for free with your own vehicle. Remember that while visiting the flamingos is free of charge, there are warning signs requesting tourists to stay off the property where the flamingos flock. Avoid walking in the off-limit areas to get the most Instagramable shots. Instead, respect the request of the owner and view the flamingos from a distance. Make sure to bring your binoculars and your long-range lens for the best photos.
Visiting the Pink Lakes: Are the Pink Lakes Worth It?
Visiting the pink lakes is a different story. Prior to entering the town of Las Coloradas, you can see a hue of pink glistening in the distance. The pink lakes are separated from the road by a large mote blocking most access to the lakes themselves. The town instead has capitalized on its unique offering and built a jetty out into one of the lakes, the downside… an entrance fee. The entrance fee is $100 pesos per person which is a bit steep but allows you access to the jetty for those photos you have been waning over on Instagram or Pinterest.
To be honest, I was skeptical at first. Lakes are supposed to be blue, brown, maybe a shade of turquoise, but a vibrant pink color? The lake gets its pink coloring from organisms such as algae, plankton, and brine shrimp that make their home in salty waters. The evaporation of water leaves these organisms huddled close together, thus giving off the appearance of a pink lake.
To be warned, while the color of the water is spectacular, the surrounding area is a different story. The luster of the pink lake is a bit lost by the large salt mine flanked on one side and a wind farm on the other. The Instagram pictures and stories do not truly depict the area. I would not recommend venturing out this far just to see the pink lakes, as the transportation options without your own vehicle are limited. If you are in the area or here to visit the flamingos, then it is worth a stop if only to see the glimmering pink hue of the lake from a distance.
How to Get from Merida to Rio Lagartos (and Las Coloradas)
By Car: To get to the flamingos in Rio Lagartos, it is a three-and-a-half-hour drive on Mexico 176 E towards Tizimin before taking a left on Mexico 295. Two kilometers before reaching the town of Rio Lagartos, you will come to a crossroads. Take a right to head towards Las Coloradas and the Natural Park of Ria Lagartos.
By Bus: Getting to where the flamingos are in the Natural Park of Ria Lagartas is not easy. From Merida, you first must catch a bus to Tizimin before heading onward to Rio Lagartos or, more aptly, Las Coloradas. Buses leave from Noreste Terminal at Calle 50 and 67 at 6:45, 9:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 17:30 (direct to Rio Lagartos). In Tizimin, grab a second bus to further your destination to Rio Lagartos or to Las Colorados. Buses run more regularly to Rio Lagartos (every hour or two) but only three buses from Tizimin to Las Coloradas. The times are 10:30, 12:50 and 19:50.
How to Get from Cancun to Rio Lagartos (and Las Coloradas)
By Car: From Cancun, the drive to visit the flamingos is also a three-and-a-half-hour drive on the Mexican 180D (toll road). In Valladolid, take a right onto Mexico 295 until you reach Rio Lagartos. Two kilometers before reaching the town of Rio Lagartos, you will come to a crossroads. Take a right to head towards Las Coloradas and the Natural Park of Ria Lagartos.
By Bus: An ADO bus runs from Cancun to Tizimin every day from the main terminal. Buses leave twice daily at 9:30 and 18:35. For the most up-to-date timetable, refer to ADO’s website here. Secondary buses operate from the bus station, but they do not publish their timetables online. We recommend visiting the station in advance to plan your travel.
How to Get from Valladolid to Rio Lagartos (and Las Coloradas)
By Car: From Valladolid, take the Mexico 295 until you reach Rio Lagartos. Two kilometers before reaching the town of Rio Lagartos, you will come to a crossroads. Take a right to head towards Las Coloradas and the Natural Park of Ria Lagartos.
By Bus: Buses run regularly from the main bus station to Tizimin from Valladolid. The scheduled times are 5:30, 6:45, 7:30, 8:00, 9:15, 10:00, 10:30, 11:15, 11:45, 13:00, 13:45, 14:15, 15:30, 16:45, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00. Once in Tizimin, follow the directions included above as all travel to Rio Lagartos and Las Coloradas pass through Tizimin.
By Colectivo: Once in Tizimin, colectivos to Rio Lagartos can be found at Super Willy’s a grocery store one block from the bus station.
Where to Stay in Rio Lagartos
Overlanding
Overlanding in this area is easier and more remote than most other places in the Yucatan. The best spot we found while exploring is HERE. The location is essentially a large pull-out area from the side of the road, but this road is rarely used. During our few days, only a handful of cars or motorbikes passed throughout the day and the night. The sand dunes block the view of the ocean, but the beach is yours all to yourself. We did not see another person during our stay here.
The downside…the mosquitos. Just as night falls, mosquitos come out in the thousands. Ok, maybe not thousands, but the swarms of mosquitos might be one of the largest I have seen throughout Mexico and South America. Make sure to protect your camping area prior to nightfall or you might be sorry even despite the constant wind.
Hotels
There are no hotels to speak of in Las Coloradas and only a handful in Rio Lagartos. Your best bet is to stay in Merida or Valladolid and make a day trip out of it.
Booking.comLooking for More Mexico Travel Destinations?
If you are enjoying your time visiting the flamingos in the Yucatan and the Yucatan coastline, check out El Cuyo. El Cuyo is a small fishing village slowly making a name for itself on the tourism circuit. While the beach here may not be quite as picturesque as those between Playa del Carmen and Tulum and the wind can be unrelenting at times (El Cuyo is a popular kitesurfing spot), the beauty is made up by the lack of tourists and beach chairs.
Love to get away from the standard tourist circuit in the Yucatan? Check out the nearby and less touristy towns of Campeche or Valladolid.
The flamingos in Mexico are a Mexico bucket list destination. Make sure to book your trip to see the flamingos in the Yucatan today!
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