Las Coloradas & Rio Lagartos tour: Pink lake boat ride

Step into a pink lake’s glow and glide through mangroves teeming with wildlife

A full-day tour from the Riviera Maya to Las Coloradas and Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. You visit the pink lake created by salt-loving microorganisms, take a boat through mangroves and estuaries to spot birds and wildlife, swim in the lagoon, and eat lunch in downtown Rio Lagartos. The guide speaks English and Spanish, and transport with air conditioning is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Las Coloradas and Rio Lagartos

• Visit pink lake at Las Coloradas
• Learn about salt extraction process
• Observe flamingos in natural habitat
• Take boat ride through mangroves
• See birds near sand island
• Visit exfoliation sand area
• Swim at Rio Lagartos
• Eat lunch in downtown Rio Lagartos

The experience

The pink water at Las Coloradas exists because of halobacteria: microorganisms that thrive in salt-saturated water and produce the pigment that gives the lake its color. You'll walk the salt flats, learn how salt extraction works, and watch flamingos in their natural habitat before heading to Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, a protected wetland system on the eastern edge of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The boat ride is the core of the day. Your guide takes you through mangroves, estuaries, and coastal lagoons where you'll see nesting birds and other wildlife in their habitat. The boat stops at a sand island for closer views, then moves to an exfoliation sand area where you can swim in the lagoon. The whole tour runs 11 to 12 hours from pickup.

Lunch is a set dish (chicken or fish) with a box lunch that includes a sandwich and juice. You'll eat in downtown Rio Lagartos. The bus has one bathroom available during the tour. Bring your swimsuit, towels, extra clothes, comfortable shoes, sunglasses, biodegradable sunscreen and insect repellent. Children from age 1 are welcome.

What’s included

• Round-trip air-conditioned transport from your hotel.
• entrance to Las Coloradas.
• boat ride through Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve with a guide.
• lunch with a choice of chicken or fish plus a box lunch with sandwich and juice.
• time to swim in the lagoon.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

AgesAdult (11 to 80 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 45

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Paid on siteUS$ 27

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Only Vacations & Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and Spanish, so you'll follow the commentary in whichever language works for you. This is a shared tour, not private, so you'll travel with other guests on the same schedule and boat.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What exactly is the pink color in Las Coloradas lake?

The pink comes from halobacteria, a type of microorganism that produces pigment in water saturated with salt. The salt flats around the lake are still actively harvested, and you'll see the extraction process and learn how it works during your visit.

What animals will I see on the boat ride through Rio Lagartos?

Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve is home to various bird species nesting in the mangroves and estuaries, and the guide will bring the boat close to a sand island for better views. You'll also see wildlife in their natural habitat as you pass through the wetlands and coastal lagoons.

Is there time to swim during the tour?

Yes. After the boat ride through the mangroves and the stop at the sand island, the tour includes time to swim in the exfoliation sand area at the end of Rio Lagartos before heading to lunch in downtown.

What's included in the lunch?

Lunch is a set dish of either chicken or fish, served with a box lunch that includes a sandwich and juice. You eat in downtown Rio Lagartos, and the meal is part of the tour price.

How long is the full tour from start to finish?

The tour runs 11 to 12 hours total, including pickup from your hotel, both sites, the boat ride, lunch, and return transport. Air-conditioned transport is included for the entire journey.