Round transportation from Merida (could be a meeting point even if the hotel is listed)
Certified guide
Boat ride
One dish to choose (fish or chicken)
Free time at Celestun beach
Wild life sightseeing

Drinks at the restaurant

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:00 AM

Pickup details

Important information We can do pick ups at some hotels in Merida, even if the hotel is listed we are going to confirm if it's possible to pick you up there or at a meeting point These are the main meeting points: *Parque de Santa Ana Merida *Hotel Fiesta Americana Merida The pick up time depends on the location of the hotel, it's important to confirm if it's possible to pick you up at your hotel (even if it's listed)

What To Expect

Celestun

7 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Most travelers can participate
On tour details 3 hours remaining is for the travel time
The supplier is entitled to assign the meeting point even if the hotel is listed
Not recommended for passengers with mobility issues
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Rachel_K

Jair was an amazing tour guide. His passion and excitement was contagious. He was full of facts about all the different animals and sites we were seeing. We were fortunate enough to see hundreds of flamingoes on their migration. The lunch that was provided was delicious. It was a wonderful time and I would recommend it to anyone.

Reviews

4.5

54 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 54 reviews

Celestun Happiness

Rachel_K, Mar 2024

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Jair never disappoint! We'll make sure to commend him for his performance The goal for all of our staff is for out visitors to love Mexico as much as we do

Great trip book now!

Kondy_M, Mar 2024

Amazing experience. Driver Roberto and the guide Annel were amazing - really professional and helpful - made the day so easy and enjoyable!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for sharing this adventure with us! We are happy to know that you had a great time at the location and with the staff performance

Good day out

Michael_B, Mar 2024

Enjoyed the day trip to Celestun. Saw lots of wildlife and good amount of free time given at the beach to swim etc.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for the review! We hope to see you again soon for your next adventure, Yucatan has plenty more to offer!

Pelican tour

Rita_S, Mar 2024

It was a great day for viewing the Pelicans. We saw a few crocodiles. I enjoyed the many birds we saw. The lunch on the beach was amazing. Thanks to our tour guides. They were fun. A perfect day

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for your kind words! Celestun is indeed an amazing place, it's nature and wild life is amazing We are glad that you had the chance to see the best of it! We hope to welcome you again on your next adventure

A memorable nature experience

Rodrigue_M, Mar 2024

Exploring the Celestun's natural reserve on this boat trip with guide Annel was a wonderful experience. Her expertise and passion for the environment added depth to the journey, making it both informative and enjoyable.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for the kind comments towards our guide! We'll make sure to commend them

Javier was a fantastic...

Karen_S, Feb 2024

Javier was a fantastic guide- very passionate about the wildlife! Beautiful area around Celestial n- we loved seeing the crocodiles, flamingos and many other birds. The beach stop was just right.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you! We'll make sure commend Javier for his work It's important that our staff shares their love for the nature in Celestun

Flamingos, Oh My!

ROBERT_J, Feb 2024

Our guide, Jair, was great with a lot of knowledge of the area's wildlife and and prepping us for what to see. He was so very enthusiastic about the wildlife and getting us the best experience possible. Ours was a small group of 5 plus another couple who joined us and we all fit into one boat. We had a wonderful experience with the Flamingos as we were one of the first boats to arrive where they hang out on the river and saw hundreds of them. Many were flying in from another place, so we got to see many groups land and join the bigger groups floating. You have to see Flamingos in flight to see just how long their necks and legs are! Jair explained that the darker colored a Flamingo was the healthier and better fed it is. We saw several other bird species as well. The trip through the mangrove stand was interesting. We jumped off the boat for a short time to stroll along a boardwalk to see some fresh water springs. Jair said we could swim in the springs if we wanted, but it was too cold. After the boat ride we headed to downtown Celestun for lunch at Los Pampanos where we had a credit to choose what we wanted for lunch (if you selected something more than the credit you had to pay the extra). Beverages were not included. Jair said that all of the seafood was fresh caught that day. I had the grilled fish and it was quite nice. The restaurant opens up to the beach and has quite a few tables set out on a portion of the beach with a roof in addition to the dining area inside. The day we went in mid Feb was unusual as it was in the low 70's, a bit rainy, quite windy and cool, so we didn't hang out on the beach. There weren't beach chairs or cabanas or anything that I saw available for us, but a little further down the beach I did see some places that looked that they may rent things like that - but due to the weather the day we went none were open. After a stroll along the beach towards the pier we took a walk through town and did a little shopping at some of the local stores before meeting Jair and our driver for the trip back to Merida. A couple of things to keep in mind. There are no beverages or snacks on the van, so bring your own water for the ride to/from Celestun and during the boat ride. Jair offered to stop at an OXXO store if someone needed to pick up something for the day. You'll also want towels, swimsuits, sunscreen, etc. if you are going to lay out on the beach. You can change in the restroom at the restaurant. There were some mosquitos when we ventured into the mangrove stand so bug spray would also be a good idea. We all enjoyed our outing to Celestun to see the flamingos.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you! We really appreciate such a detailed review of the experience The staff will do everything to get the best out of the day, they get everyone interested and pumped about the nature and all Celestun has to offer

Great time spent

Jennifer_G, Feb 2024

We saw many flamingos. The tour was great and we ended the day at the beach for a few hours. The guide was very nice and amazing. Very kind at taking pictures as well.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Flamingos are such majestic and beautiful creatures Celestun is not only a gorgeous place filled with nature, but it's also the home of this amazing birds We are glad that you got to see many of them up close

Jair was a great guide,...

Timothy_C, Feb 2024

Jair was a great guide, very well organized and informative. Amazing to see the thousands of Flamingos among other wildlife on the trip.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you for sharing this experience with us! We are happy to know that you had a great time, Celestun has many things to offer There is plenty more to explore, we hope to see you soon!

Pretty in Pink!

Zachary_T, Feb 2024

This is a beautiful one day excursion to Celestún with lunch and beach time provided. The boat tour of Celestun is great with amazing views of American Flamingos and very knowledgeable guides. Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you! Flamingos are indeed one of the highlights of this adventure Getting the chance to see them upclose is always special Mexico has still plenty more nature and wilderness to offer! Come back soon

Learning, Fun and Timeliness!

Jay_J, Jan 2024

My husband and I both enjoyed this tour and it was in large part to our tour guide, Michelle, and our driver, Diego. Each part was on-time and the day moved like clockwork. We did not feel rushed at any point nor did we feel we spent too much time on any portion. Our pick-up was at 8:15 and, by 11:15, we had completed our boat ride to see the flamingos and mangroves. From there it was on to lunch in nearly by Celestun. Since the day was unusually cold, we did not enjoy the beach by playing in the water and laying out on the sand but, rather, by grabbing a table at beachfront restaurant, having a few drinks and relaxing. At 3:30pm, we were ready to hit the road and were dropped off at 5pm back in Merida. A great experience!

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you so much for such a detailed description of the experience, we truly appreciate it We try our best everytime so everyone can feel that way, Celestun is an amazing place to visit and we want to complement it with good timing and the guides performance Sometimes the weather is a bit cloudy, rainy or just cold, but we try to make the best of it and enjoy the day We would love to welcome you again, Mexico appreciate your visit!

Bucket list experience!

Avril_M, Jan 2024

Excellent day. The transportation was comfortable, air conditioned, and running exactly on time. The guide was friendly and knowledgeable. We saw thousands of flamingos given we were in the right season for them. Bucket list experience for sure. Celestun beach was a bonus. Wow, gorgeous white sand, fantastic shells to be collected, and a quaint local restaurant right on the beach for lunch. Perfection. We would highly recommend!!

Response from Host, Jan 2024

We are glad to be part of your bucket list completion. It's great to know that the tour was everything you wanted and more Celestun is a gorgeous place that everyone should at least visit once, the nature is just amazing around it We hope to see you again soon! Mexico still have plenty more to offer

An amazing experience

Terry_R, Jan 2024

This was an excellent experience. Quality bus to and from. The flamingos and other bird and wildlife were stunning. Lunch on the beach was excellent. Top marks to our English speaking guide. This trip was with every peso! Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for such kind words! We appreciate them, our staff is proud of their country and it's beauties so they'll do their best so everyone else can love it as much as they do Celestun is an amazing place, the wildlife is roaming and flourishing There is plenty more to explore, we hope to see you again soon in another adventure!

A beautiful day in nature

Chelsey_V, Jan 2024

It was so nice to be away from the croud in Merida and to do this as a trip. Anilla was very good ! An enthousiastic person who knew a lot from the animals and gave good information. The tour was good organized and the commication was very good also. I really enjoyed it ! The lunch was also good ! I recommend this trip

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Having an escapade from the crowds, the everyday life is always amazing Celestun is the perfect place for the mix of nature and calmness, making you appreciate each one even more Our staff cares about everyone, they'll try the best so everyone can love Mexico and it's beauties as much as they do We hope to see you again soon, there's still plenty more to explore

We have had a lovely...

Meropi_M, Dec 2023

We have had a lovely experience watching birds and pink flamingos from a close distance and our guide was very explanatory, passionate and helpful in any occasion. Towards the end we stayed for lunch in a place but we unfortunately were not impressed by the facilities and food. Following a long walk at Celestun beach we discovered a few better places for food and drinks and maybe it can be considered in the future. Overall our wonderful guide compensated for any negative experiences and we would highly recommend if you are a nature lover.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

We are glad to know that you enjoyed the tour and the guides performance Celestun is a beautiful place filled with different species of animals that sometimes can be seen very up close We are sorry that the restaurant didn't impressed you, choosing any other restaurant would pull up the overall price up to 50 USD per person so that is not an option

Perfect day in Celestun

Kristin_B, Nov 2023

Such a great tour! Just three people and our guide. He made sure we saw plenty of flamingos, and helped me take some great photos. The boat ride was excellent, loved going thru the mangrove swamp. And the relaxing beach time was wonderful. Thanks to our guide. Jair.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Our guides will always try their best so everyone can have a special and memorable adventure Celestun is an amazing and magical place to be, the untouch nature around it makes it even better We are happy that you got to enjoy it and we hope to see you again on another adventure

Fascinating vegetation

Vesna_B, Nov 2023

The mangrove forest, with its amazing orange water. The birds were a little hard to see. Perhaps in a canoe one would have gotten closer access to them, but a motor boat, even stopped, is too disturbing for them.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Thank you for letting us share this adventure with you Celestun is a magical nature beauty, the nature around it is special in it's unique way We would be happy to welcome you again soon!

Great outdoor adventure

Rachelle_E, Nov 2023

Our tour guides were very knowledgeable. We had a great trip. We made several stops to see the flamingos. We sighted a couple crocodiles as well as other various bird species. It was a delightful outdoor adventure.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Celestun is home to a multiple variarity of species and because of that is a beautiful place to appreciate nature on it's fullest We are happy to know that you liked and enjoyed the entire tour

Pricey

Jennifer_A, Aug 2023

Our tour guide and van driver were fabulous and made the day good. But the tour felt very pricey for what it was—the boat ride through Celestun Bio reserve was gorgeous (and lasted an hour at most). We got to see some flamingoes even though it was out of season (August). From there the rest of the tour took us to the beach. We had 130 pesos to spend on lunch, which didn’t cover much on the fairly expensive menu. We had three hours on the beach then we got in the van and headed home. Not worth the $125 US in my opinion.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Your review indicates that you had a wonderful time with the guides performance and at the boat rides and beach. The nature that Celestun can offer is indeed amazing The transportation, the access to the reserve, the food included, the certified cultural and nature guide, the driver, all those things are worth the money you spent. On your own, it would cost the double of it with the risk of you getting lost driving there or findind the locations It's important to read the description of the tour and be aware of the price, everything advertised was delivered

My favorite day trip from Merida

Brandi_F, Jun 2023

Celestun was one of my favorite tours! Although it was not peak season to see the pink flamingos, there were still some to see. Feeding the raccoons was fun and unexpected. The beach we were taken to was beautiful, and the water was warm. We had a lovely guide and group of people on the tour. My only complaint is that the van was very cramped. I am 5’ 9” and my knees were pushing against the seat in front of me. I couldn’t even fit into the first seat I tried to sit in. Overall, it was a wonderful, relaxing day. I even considered doing it twice during my stay.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Thank you so much for letting us share this adventure with you Celestun is a piece of nature worth visiting, the fauna and flora are a delight to sightsee We hope to see you again soon, Merida has still plenty more to explore