The Yucatan Peninsula is home to the largest population of crocodiles and alligators in Mexico. Main 3 types: Sharp-snouted,Crocodile Caiman And Central American crocodile. Nichupte Lagoon, which lies on one side of the Cancun hotel zone, is home to all of the above. Along the road around the lagoon there are many signs warning unwary tourists about the danger:

From time to time, local newspapers publish bloody articles screaming about the torn bodies of local residents, about the bitten limbs of tourists who lost their vigilance while feeding the reptile. Incidents happen most often on Fridays or Saturdays, when ordinary Mexicans, after a hard week of work, decide to relax and drink some beer, after which they often fall asleep until the morning by the lagoon in the mangroves. As you already understood, not everyone wakes up...

In August 2014, 3 torn corpses were found in the hotel area near the Cancun lagoon. Two Mexicans and a Canadian. Russian tourists, judging by rumors, catch crocodiles themselves at night.

Our crocodiles mostly become active at sunset and stay awake until the morning. If you decide to walk in the evening and watch the sunset on the lagoon, be careful near the water. And of course, you should only swim if the light is no longer pleasant to you.

For those wishing to see these amazing reptiles in the area, I would recommend several good places:

• Rio Lagartos Nature Reserve
• Biosphere Celestun
• CrocoKun Zoo
• Punta Sur Nature Reserve on Cozumel Island:

In the Punta Sur nature reserve, on the island of Cozumel, tourists are evacuated every day after 4 pm. At sunset, caimans run from the cooling swamps into the ocean through the main road that runs along the beaches to spend the night at sea. The fact is that local alligators can live in both fresh and salt water. At dawn, the caimans flee from the sea back across the road to their sun-warmed swamps.

An extreme option to see the caimans for thrill-seekers

About an hour after sunset, crocodiles peak in activity. At this time, they are interested in everything that moves or makes interesting (not harsh) sounds. You need a powerful flashlight and a place to go to the edge of the salt marshes, such as those surrounding the Nipchut Lagoon in Cancun or those located near Puerto Morelos.

The place where we usually see crocodiles at night in Puerto Morelos:

Process

• You need to quietly approach the edge of the water and illuminate the surface of the water at a distance of approximately 70 meters
• If you see two burning dots above the surface of the water, these are most likely the eyes of crocodiles
• You need to make the following sound:

• After that, just wait, after about 10 minutes you will see two burning dots starting to approach you
• You just need to calmly wait until the crocodile gets within 5/3 meters of you. At this time, crocodiles usually go underwater to quietly swim closer to you and then grab you by jumping out from under the water. I advise you not to wait for this moment and calmly move away from the shore.

Places listed above

Types of our crocodiles

Sea cows of the Belize and Banco Chinchorro region in Mexico.

Looking at Cancun, it’s hard to believe that 40 years ago it was a forgotten island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, on which only coconut palms grew.

Until the then government of Mexico waved its hand and proclaimed: “There will be a garden city resort here, and even better than Acapulco.” (You can see what the city of Acapulco was like then in the 1963 movie “Fun in Acapulco” starring Elvis himself). They took 27 million dollars from American bourgeois bankers and decided to defeat nature. And the excavators howled, and trucks with sand went to build a road connecting the island with the mainland. Then they added an airport, hotels... And they came in large numbers, bringing in labor and tourists. Oh, no, the labor force was brought in before the tourists, otherwise how would they have built all this?

By the start of construction on January 23, 1970, at Island Cancun There were only three people living there who looked after the coconut plantation of Don José (Don José de Jesús Lima Gutiérrez). Another 117 people lived in the fishing village of Puerto Juarez. Apart from them and the military base, there was only forest and sea. Cancun became the first “Turnkey Cities” project. For arriving workers, houses, kindergartens, schools and other infrastructure were immediately built on the site of the former jungle. And currently the population of Cancun has exceeded half a million people, not counting the three million annual tourists.

Despite the fact that we have been living in the state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula for quite a long time, and have already visited all the surrounding taverns of the island, cities, towns, villages, climbed the jungle and swam the sea, we never had any particular desire to go to Cancun. Because for me Cancun was, first of all, a big city with a big airport(I have a small one behind my house in Playa del Carmen) and very large houses on the beach. I saw them from afar and was already afraid, because I knew for sure that it was not at all like in Rio de Janeiro. If I had my own car, perhaps everything would be simpler. But the rarest trips to Cancun “on business” - to pay for tickets to Havana or to look for the mysterious Russian consulate - were limited to a couple of hours.

And this time business brought us to Cancun again. As many as three.

1. The Monster High doll, which I generously agreed to buy and begged Ramona, was sold out in all stores in Playa del Carmen. And we decided to go look for her in the big city of Cancun, “which definitely has it, because everything is there - it’s Cancun.”
2. Meet Baba Zoya at the Cancun airport.
3. And between these two most important things - still take a look at what kind of beaches there are, so as not to look completely wild in the eyes of people renting housing “on the first line with a view.”

And we took the ADO bus, which took us from Playa del Carmen to the big CITY in 1 hour and 45 pesos. Cancun is divided into two parts - Downtown and Zona Hotelera, which are as different as heaven and earth..

Both parts of Cancun are connected by bus routes R1 and R2, costing 8.5 pesos. Well, that's why 8.5, and not 8 or not 9?! The most interesting thing is that in order not to pay for children (which I never do in Playa), it turns out that they must be carried into the transport in their arms, held high above their heads, in order to avoid being counted by the secret passenger counter, which is screwed at the entrance.

Everything is much cheaper in Downtown (El centro), there are giant supermarkets, a bus station, inexpensive hotels and cafes, in a word - almost the real Mexico.

The Cancun hotel zone is home to giant all-inclusive hotels, bars, discos, and exorbitant price tags, often quoted in US dollars. And so that tourists don’t forget where they are, sombreros are hung everywhere.

The hotel area itself is shaped like a sausage (it seems like this has already happened somewhere), a sausage in the shape of the number 7, 23 km long, which is kindly separated from the mainland by the huge (3000 hectares) Laguna Nichupté. Nichupte Lagoon is connected to the sea by two channels (Siegfried and Nizuc) and consists of seven other lagoons. Nichupte was the biggest secret Cancun had in store for us.. The beach there turned out to be good, despite the terribly overhanging buildings built for tourists to sleep and eat. But when we crossed to the other side of the highway... We were simply pinned to the spot by the sight of the mangroves, the clear water shining like glass and the sunset across the entire sky. I can’t understand why no one told us before what a miracle this lagoon is in Cancun, what sunsets there are. How cool it must be to ride a boat there, petting crocodiles.

Having difficulty tearing ourselves away from the contemplation of such beauty, we rushed back. More precisely, not back, but to the airport, where grandma with sushi and buckwheat, but without a phone number or address, had been sadly waiting for us for 20 minutes, coming up with a backup plan. Having picked her up, we went to our dear one, short in stature, and therefore...

Photo reports and reviews about the trip and visit to the attraction Laguna Nichupte. Photo report about Nichupte Lagoon, history, where it is located

Nichupte Lagoon: detailed information

Among Mexican natural attractions, the Nichupte Lagoon is often mentioned. This beautiful place is located in Cancun. Picturesque mangrove trees grow here, and large fish and crocodiles are found in the warm waters, about which signs warn. Along the coast there are cafes and restaurants, as well as rental equipment for outdoor activities.

The most popular activities in the waters of Nichupte are diving and snorkeling, water skiing and fishing. Spend a romantic evening on the beach to admire the incredibly beautiful Caribbean sunset. There are numerous sightseeing tours provided by local residents, such as:

The Jungle Tour, a guided boat tour through the jungle, is especially popular among first-time visitors. You will see beautiful landscapes and also learn a lot of interesting things about the local flora and fauna.

A trip on a glass bottom boat is especially suitable for families with children. You will go to a coral reef and admire the underwater inhabitants without getting your feet wet.

A themed cruise on an 18th-century Spanish galleon - an entertaining cruise with complete immersion in the era of piracy.

Fishing - the waters of the lagoon are a natural nursery for fish; quite large specimens (10-12 kg) can be found. Try the locals' method of catching - with your bare hands.

Book a hotel in Cancun, Kancun

• Review to Cancun My wife and I vacationed for 11 days in Mexico. I picked it up in Biblio-Globus. I liked TANKAH HOTEL 3* both outside and inside. Registration was quick. We were put in a room that was even larger than necessary. In particular - air conditioning, safe, TV, bathroom. The hotel also has wi-fi. My wife and I really liked it, because the room was really very comfortable and cozy. The staff also played a big role in this. It must be admitted that cleanliness is monitored here. An important role... February 18, 2014
• Review to I have long wanted to visit Mexico, travel through several cities... But it turned out spontaneously and was mainly a beach holiday, but I didn’t regret it at all, because I had good company :) The Caribbean Sea is simply magical, turquoise and clean, the sand is fine, white and doesn't heat up. There were waves in our part of the Cancun tourist spit, but we enjoyed jumping on them. I spent the whole trip hunting for iguanas, pelicans and crocodiles. Crocodiles are found in the Nichupte Lagoon, which our hotel had access to. IN... March 30, 2014
• Review of Gran Melia Cancun Beach & Spa April 7, 2012
• Review to It's a shame Hotel Gran Melia Cancun 5* in Mexico is a claim to very great coolness!!! He is beautiful and even pretentious. BUT!!! We lived in pyramid No. 5 (vip), in a standard room. The rooms are luxurious, very comfortably furnished. They have everything: a large bed, a sofa with a coffee table, two chairs with a table, a large plasma, a luxurious balcony with two sun loungers and a table, an ironing board and iron. The view from the balcony of the Caribbean Sea is something unimaginable that can only be understood by seeing it. A little difficult... April 14, 2012
• Review to

I continue to talk about mine.

This is the second time it turns out that I come to a small Mexican town in the middle of nowhere, not expecting anything special, but here there are so many surprises at once.

The first time was in , when I went to the festival and danced with the Zapotecs in national costumes.

Now I'll tell you about Bacalar is a town near the border with Belize. Few people get here, because a 5-hour bus ride from the party beach is too long for modern youth who are prone to drinking and partying. But I love places like this, where foreign tourists don’t set foot so often.

Bacalar is famous for its location Laguna Bacalar(Laguna Bacalar) or Laguna of 7 colors.

It is actually a lake with bright blue water. It is believed that seven different shades of blue can be distinguished in water. I distinguished 4, and that was good. In fact, the water in the Lagoon looks like sea water.

Impressive. We were there during the Easter holidays, so the coastal restaurants were crowded with Mexican families and it was generally crowded. Very.

The shores of the lake are slightly dusted with debris, or the grass grows rather dirty, so you won’t be able to jump right away

But if you walk a little along these bridges, located in several places along the perimeter of the lake, you can feel the beauty of warm blue water, white sand under your feet and children splashing around

The town of Bacalar itself is quite small, more like a village. Reminded me a lot of the Filipino one. The same roosters crow, the same dogs rest on the roads.

In the center of the Zocalo, as usual.

And here is an unusual fort, which in ancient times the Spaniards used as protection against numerous pirate attacks. Everyone remembers the Pirates of the Caribbean, right?

But in the evening it was just an attack! A festival dedicated to the 100th anniversary of some kind of protest. At first there were songs about Bakalar, about 10 of them, and on a grand scale that could be heard in every corner of the city. And then a costume performance by the Mayans.

Scenes of making fire, sacrificing a girl, saving a child from predators, dominating a man over a woman. Absolutely awesome! Well done guys! Mexico, oh my!

All this was accompanied by terrifying music, drums, rattles, hissing, squealing and other screams. Really space!!!

I've never seen anything like it. It was especially unexpected to find such a show in a tiny town, and even for free. Eh, Mexicans know how to organize holidays, no matter what you say.

And then there was dancing to catchy Latin live music. The guys played simply beyond fantasy, and there I already went into a rage and showed everyone how to twist my butt.

The next morning we went again to Bacalar Lagoon to swim before the cheerful vacationers came running.

There are several places that will relieve you of boredom if you suddenly get tired of lying on the beach and don’t want to drive too far. As an example, we will take two exciting boat trips at once.

Island of Women (Isla Mujeres).

First we'll head to Isla Mujeres ("Island of Women"), which is just half an hour by ferry from the city. It is a small island with an area of ​​1,100 km² and a population of just over 16,000 people. On the map it resembles a dried-up fish.

I came here on a tourist boat as part of a snorkeling tour. Snorkeling, however, was boring, but I thoroughly enjoyed the boat trip and managed to see the island during our two-hour stop. You can easily get here on your own.

How to get to the Island of Women: on the Ultramar ferry. There are several departure terminals in Cancun; prices are for one-way/round-trip fares (as of 2017).

From the port of Puerto Juarez

• Departure address: López Portillo SM-84 M-5 L-6 Puerto Juárez
• there: every half hour 5:00-21:30, 22:30, 23:30
• return: every half hour 5:30-21:30, 22:00, 23:00, 00:00
• cost: adults – 100/200 pesos, children – 80/150 pesos.

From Playa Tortugas beach in the Hotel Zone

• Departure address: Playa Tortugas, Blvd.Kukulcán km 6.5, Zona Hotelera
• there: every hour 9:00-14:00, 16:00-18:00, 19:15, 20:30
• return: every hour 9:30-13:30, 15:30-17:30, 18:45, 20:00, 21:15

From El Embarcadero port in the Hotel Zone

• Departure address: El Embarcadero, Blvd.Kukulcán km 4, Zona Hotelera
• there: 9:15, 10:30, 11:45, 13:00, 14:15, 16:30, 18:15, 19:30, 20:45
• return: 9:45, 11:00, 12:15, 13:30, 16:00, 17:15, 18:45, 20:00, 21:15
• cost: adults $14/$19, children $8/$12.

From Playa Caracol beach in the Hotel Zone

• Departure address: Playa Caracol, Blvd.Kukulcán km 9.5, Zona Hotelera
• there: 9:00, 10:15, 11:30, 12:45, 14:00, 16:45
• return: 9:45, 11:00, 12:15, 13:30, 16:00, 17:15
• cost: adults $14/$19, children $8/$12.

Pier at Isla Mujeres.

The Island of Women is very small, it consists of a central street and several public beaches. There are also hotels for guests here. We immediately went for a walk around the neighborhood so as not to waste time. Welcome to the main street of the island!

As expected, it is crammed with a string of cafes, bars, souvenir shops and stalls with all sorts of personal belongings.

A fun bar on the main street. Try Mexican Viagra!

The Island of Women got this Name due to the fact that when it was discovered by the Spaniards, many female figurines from Mayan times were found here, depicting the goddess of fertility and medicine. The Mayan and Aztec theme is well covered in the souvenir stalls of Isla Mujeres. As you have already noticed, various figurines and dishes in the form of skulls, beloved by these cultures, are sold here. And here is the bench with Lady Skull.

And another one, this time with a brutal Mexican.

Most of the houses on the island have white-blue and white-blue colors, which look very organic and make you think of the sea.

To get around Isla Mujeres, you can rent a golf cart or moped. We met both of them at almost every step.

We also saw many tourists walking around with coconuts, from which they drink the juice through a straw. We didn't have enough time to find a magical tent with this heavenly delight, but we did find a shop that sold delicious coconut ice cream. Then, turning onto another street, we came across a local school.

What else to see on the Island of Women:

• Several lighthouses.
• Mexican cemetery. It sounds gloomy for a vacation, but if we had known in advance, we would have definitely looked here: his photographs on the Internet show the unusual shapes of multi-colored tombstones typical of Mexico.
• Not far from the island there is one of the parts. This is where we snorkeled. And the reason why I was not enthusiastic about snorkeling was because the guide was always pushing me and the underwater statues were poorly visible from the surface. It's better to scuba dive.
• You can dive with whale sharks, swim with dolphins, go ziplining or visit a turtle farm.
• Captain Dulce Museum, dedicated to the sea and navigation.
• One or several beaches. Many people recommend North Beach (Playa Norte).
• Ice Bar on Playa Tiburon Beach. Its interior is made entirely of ice, which is quite strange for hot Mexico. I visited a similar place in Amsterdam, it was fun.

Here are some shots from Tiburon Beach, where our group stopped for lunch. The water here is a bit dirty, I wouldn’t swim in it, but the sand is white. I took a couple of shots from the “Heavenly Delight” series. Since I couldn’t find any coconut with juice, I took pictures of real coconuts.

Laguna Nichupté.

One of the features of Mexican nature is its mangrove trees, which grow right next to the water, creating beautiful views along the banks of quiet lagoons and ponds. The closest mangroves can be seen on the Island of Women in the beach areas, and in Cancun along the Hotel Zone. But I observed real beauty in the spacious Nichupte Lagoon, which this Zone goes around in the form of the number “7”.

It started my second snorkeling trip, when we went out into the open sea through Nichupte. The water in the lagoon is fresh. As the guides say, it is warmer here than in the sea due to underwater springs that heat the lagoon from below. On its banks there are restaurants and small marinas for boats.

I fell in love at first sight.

Light breeze, serene view, mysterious mangroves, beauty!

In Laguna Nichupte you can practice water sports - windsurfing, kayaking, and others.