5/1/09-5/3/09

On the Gulf of Mexico, west of the Yucatan capital of Merida, lies the small town of Celestun.  Primarily a fishing village, Celestun also boasts miles of beachfront.  However, the town is probably most famous for the Celestun Biosphere Reserve, which serves as a winter home to flocks of flamingos, numbering in the thousands while feeding in the lagoon.  

Fishing boats in the afternoon

Since it was not the season for flamingos, we skipped the lagoon boat tours that launch from the bridge on the outskirts of Celestun.  Instead, we enjoyed the gentle lapping waters of the Gulf and the shell-filled coastline.  Our accommodations at the Hotel Manglares were fantastic.  The hotel is located on the northern side of town (turn right when you dead end at the beach) and boasts 20 rooms in two condo-style buildings as well as several cabanas out front.  There are beach chairs and palapas for shade as well as a fresh water pool.   The hotel restaurant, Poseidon, serves a basic breakfast and lunch service, but truly shines at dinner with seafood specialties and inventive sauces for the chicken and steak dishes.

Beachfront at Hotel Manglares

Cabanas at Hotel Manglares

Stone Crab at Poseidon

Celestun is a great place to relax, beach-comb, view wildlife and eat fresh inexpensive seafood.  I would definitely recommend Celestun for kids as the water in the morning is almost as flat as a lake with a gradual entry slope – great for swimming and wading.  In the early afternoon and evenings, the wind kicks up which is refreshingly cool and makes gentle waves in the gulf.  For boat rides and swimming, the mornings are preferable.   La Palapa is probably the most famous restaurant on the beach, but we followed the local crowd to the restaurant furthest north on the “beachfront restaurant row” where I enjoyed the blue crab (jaiba) in garlic sauce.  Everyone in Celestun was super-friendly and laid-back which made for a quiet but fun weekend.  

Piles of shells are everywhere on the beach in Celestun

Looking toward “restaurant row” and the pier in the center of town