Mérida, the Spanish-influenced capital of Mexico’s Yucatán state, is a city rich in history, culture, and architectural jewels. Known as the “White City,” Mérida is a maze of leafy plazas, colorful streets, stately 19th-century mansions, and an iconic main avenue (Paseo de Montejo) that was modeled after the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
But beyond its ancient Mayan history, Spanish cathedrals, modern boutiques, and gourmet scene lies a different paradise just a short drive away: some of the most beautiful and tranquil beaches in Mexico.
Yucatán’s northern shoreline borders the blue-green Gulf of Mexico, where coastal communities offer serene escapes from the city’s notorious humidity, and soft sand, gentle waves, and fiery sunsets are the norm.
Brace yourself for bone-white coastline, toes-in-the-sand restaurants, milky blue-green waters, and pops of neon from the thousands of flamingos that live within the biosphere reserves to help keep this part of Mexico protected.
Puerto Progreso
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There’s a reason Puerto Progreso has become the most famous beach town near Mérida. The sugary shores and blue-green water from where the Gulf of Mexico kisses the Caribbean Sea are absolutely idyllic.
Just about 40 minutes north of the city, Puerto Progreso is on the northern coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula. It’s a destination where travelers can be as active (or inactive) as they please. Two boardwalks run along the shoreline, including the 1.5-mile International Boardwalk, complete with a carousel and Ferris wheel. Sandy spaces have been sectioned off for beach soccer and volleyball, while kitesurfers and windsurfers cruise the waves out on the water.
Puerto Progreso is a popular port town, but it’s much more low-key than destinations like Playa del Carmen and Cancun. It’s also the gateway to some other great destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula, like the Mayan archaeological sites of Dzibilchaltún and Xcambó.
Celestún
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Celestún has all the visuals of Puerto Progreso and just a fraction of the people. This sleepy fishing village, with its sandy streets and picture-perfect view of the Gulf of Mexico, lures beach lovers with sun-bleached sand and calm, turquoise water. Barefoot, sun-kissed swimmers camp out at plastic tables underneath massive palapas, snacking on colorful ceviche, salty grilled fish, and ice-cold beers.
But perhaps Celestún’s biggest draw is the RÃa Celestún Biosphere Reserve, a web of mangrove wetlands rich with birdlife, especially flamingos. Travelers can hire sputtering lancha boats that leave right from the shoreline and head into the biosphere in search of the swaths of magnetically pink birds. You can find them by the hundreds clustered together in the lagoons, their vibrant blush-colored feathers dramatically popping against the blue-green sea.
For adventures on dry land, Celestún is home to a petrified forest, teeming with more than 200 species of mammals, like ocelots, jaguars, and spider monkeys.
Sisal
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Sandwiched between Progreso and Celestún, Sisal is another dreamy color palette come to life with white, turquoise, and pale green. While Sisal’s history started as a port town for Spain, its coastal lifestyle is much more laid-back today. Visitors can explore remnants of the past, from the old lighthouse to the fort, but what brings most visitors to this fishing village is the peaceful, natural beauty of the beaches.
Sisal, like Celestún, is part of the RÃa Celestún Biosphere Reserve, and it’s humming with wildlife. The mangroves and lagoons are a flurry of flamingos, sea turtles, and migratory birds. Sisal as a community has cemented its commitment to conservation and sustainable tourism to ensure wildlife remains part of the experience here.
Eager nature lovers can set out on guided kayak tours through the nearby reserves. There are also opportunities for bird-watching and mangrove tours. Forget raucous beach bars and after-hours anything in Sisal. Evening entertainment begins and ends with fiery sunsets that paint the water in smoldering orange, pink, and purple hues.
El Cuyo
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El Cuyo is flecked on a skinny ribbon of powdery sand separated from the mainland by a marshy lagoon. The small fishing village, slightly more isolated than other communities, is a three-hour drive from Merida and provides a much-needed escape with its wide stretches of soft sand, turquoise water, and swaying palms. There are no large-scale chain hotels in El Cuyo, and that’s exactly how the locals like it.
El Cuyo is part of the RÃa Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, a protected area known for its rosy flamingos that add bursts of color amid the greens and blues of the mangroves and lagoon.
The village itself is splashed with color, with bright shops and houses. Tuck into fresh seafood underneath a palapa and prepare for the breathtaking sunsets that cast a warm glow over the Gulf.
Isla Columpios
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The area between Sisal and Progreso is a patchy collage of swirling green lagoons dotted with clusters of mangrove forests. Until very recently, this marshy area, webbed with spits of white sand, was mostly ignored by locals and tourists. But slowly, its reputation for crystal-clear water and sugary soft sandbanks leaked and travelers are starting to catch on to this coastal secret just north of Merida.
Part of the RÃa Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, the beaches here are relatively untouched. The swings (columpios) that rise out of the shallow waters are the standout of Isla Columpios. Visitors come for their iconic photo op swinging over the crystalline water.
You’ll find lots of cold drinks and snacks on Isla Columpios, but for something more substantial, head to the nearby town of Chuburná. Both Isla Columpios and Chuburná are accessible via a long, thin stretch of highway that cuts through the verdant Sierra Papacal.
Chelem
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Chelem is close to Puerto Progreso, but feels like an entire world away. The laid-back vibe and undeveloped beaches create an idyllic, castaway experience that’s perfect for disconnecting with a good book and a slowly rocking hammock.
Chelem’s shallow waters make it ideal for swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding, while the small fishing village has a handful of restaurants that serve up fresh ceviche, fish tacos, and plump, grilled shrimp. The pristine coastline allows for uninterrupted views of the horizon, and the sunsets in Chelem are truly spectacular.
A burgeoning community of expats brings a different vibe to Chelem compared to other fishing villages, but they’re integrated with locals, giving Chelem a funky and international energy.
Telchac Puerto
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A long strip of white sand frames the milky blue-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico in this tiny fishing village. Telchac Puerto, east of Puerto Progreso, is a quiet community of just a few thousand people. Locals and expats cycle or walk down sandy streets, sunbathe on the empty shoreline, or stroll down the quiet malecón (boardwalk).
The town has a few small attractions, like the Museo del Mar, showcasing exhibits on regional marine life. The archaeological site of Xcambó is just 15 minutes away. Visitors to Telchac Puerto also like to visit nearby Xtampú, known for its bubble-gum-pink Laguna Rosada, or Pink Lagoon.
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Publish date : 2024-08-13 02:40:00
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