If you're heading to Mexico and are in a hunger for a pink salty instagrammable lake, this is your best option. In the small village of Rio Lagartos, the pink lakes of a salt factory attract tourists from all around the world!!
Its lakes are actually salt flats from the nearby salt extraction
plant. The algae in the water, coupled with the sun and extraction
process, turn the waters bright pink. Its colors are reportedly best in
July-August and March, due to the 6-month evaporation process.
Just a little reminder: you actually cannot swim there anymore. Technically, the salt flats are private property, so you definitely
need to respect the rules. There are security guards on motorcycles
patrolling the area, and even some guys offering tours, but they were
all friendly. A warning: the salt flats themselves are an industrial area. You’ll
be able to get photos of the pink sand beach and rose-colored water, but
you might have to position yourself to avoid some power lines and
trash! (Yes, really.)
How to visit:
The amazing pink lakes of Las Coloradas are located off the beaten track
a bit. Getting here requires a 3-hour drive from Cancun or Playa del
Carmen — 2 hours from Valladolid. There is a local bus from Cancun to Rio Lagartos, but because of
different stops/changes, the trip can take 7 hours. Renting a car like
we did is much easier!
You also can stay in the this area and discover more. Rio Lagartos is the
largest town that is near to this area. In here you can find
several hotels, restaurants and tour options for more exploration. One tour that you can take leaves from Rio Lagartos and goes to see the flamingos. You can read more about doing this tour and visiting Rio Lagartos in our article here. There is also a charming town of San Felipe.
This is a small fishing village with colorful wood houses and a nice
promenade to walk on. Here you can see fisherman hard at work and even
find a few local seafood restaurants.
On a boat tour, you can see Las Coloradas from the waters of the Ria
Lagartos Biosphere Preserve. But the best views of the water are
from the other side, by the salt extraction plant.
Search here for a tour:
Happy journeys in Mexico!
