Celestun, Yucatan. Located 96 kilometers from Merida, this typical, quaint fishing village has a few hotels, as well as several very good seafood restaurants, small shops and a harbor. Celestun is not only famous for its seafood restaurants, but also for its river, beautiful flamingo colonies, fresh water springs, calm beaches and salt fields. The main thing to do here is to contract a boat to go to the river and see the flamingos. There are boats located at the entrance to Celestun and another group on the beach. Please don’t get too close to the flamingos. If you scare them, they will loose important energy. They can also break their necks or wings if there are frightened into fight. If we don’t protect this fragile eco-system, they will not only leave, but they will die. The best time of the year to see these beautiful pink flamingos, is from March to August, the time opf the year when they leave their nests to eat the rich plankton of Rio Lagartos. May we say there is absolutely no hunting permitted in Celestun. 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. You will also visit the Petrified Forest Tampeten, a strange place where you will see just the trunks of these trees with their roots in the water.
