Sian Ka'an

Address:Highway 307, Sian Ka'an, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

At the end of the Tulum zona hotelera, a big arch indicates the beginning of one of the most beautiful places in the whole area of Tulum: the biosphere of Sian Ka'an. For just 27 Mexican Pesos (slightly more than 2 USD) to enter, you have 40 kilometers of South heading white and bumpy dirt road, ending in the picturesque Mayan fishing village of Punta Allen, which allow you to drive through this protected natural reserve, where it's easy to meet iguanas, lizards and countless bird species, especially once you reach the “puente”, the bridge over the lagoon.

That's the spot where the immense lagoon of Sian Ka'an slowly narrows into a river and goes to meet the Caribbean ocean, in a breathtaking kaleidoscope of vegetation, wildlife and colours. The views from the bridge are stunning, as is the walk along the shore of the river in order to reach where it pours itself into the sea. Flamingoes, pelicans, toucans and ibis are only a little taste of the various bird species you can spot in this area.

Looking down from the bridge, barracudas and many other species of fish will cross each other and, if you are lucky, crocodiles will lie on the shore ready to start their hunting sessions when the sun starts to set. On your way from the arch to the South, you can easily spot some entrances to the beach. Don't expect to find people there; it will be only you, the turquoise water, the white sand beach and the palm trees. The only black mark, which is unfortunately impossible to ignore, is the garbage brought in by the sea and never collected. Year after year, plastic, wood and ropes are overwhelming this corner of paradise.

The hope is that the growing flow of visitors in Tulum (the entrance fee is for maintenance purposes) will help to finance a cleaning campaign. In other words, visit Sian Ka'an: you need it, it needs you!