

Nab yourself a local with a boat who’ll take you to see the full spectacle - they are at their most colorful from November to mid-March. The real draw here is the Biosfera Ría Celestún, a wildlife sanctuary home to hundreds of brilliantly pink flamingos who gather here year-round.

It’s got all the dressings you’d expect from a slice of Caribbean paradise (sugary sand, check crystal-clear water, check) yet it’s blissfully laidback and uncrowded, save for resident fishermen and locals catching a break from the city. The city of Mérida has flourished into a buzzy destination, but those in search of some bona fide chill time would do best to head outside the city to Celestún.
