Travel Guide Reserva De La Biosfera Los Petenes

Just north of the capital city of Campeche, this nature reserve begins and extends along the coast until it merges with the southern limit of the Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún, located in the state of Yucatán, with which it shares the typical flora and fauna of wet coastal areas (swamps and mangroves). The Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve, which covers nearly 300,000 hectares, owes its name to the small flooded islands that border the coast. This multitude of islands of various sizes is covered with mangroves as well as tropical trees. The whole area is totally depopulated; its only inhabitants are felines, tapirs, anteaters and many species of birds, among which we can mention ducks, jabirus, owls and of course flamingos. Sea turtles also enjoy this tranquility and come to lay their eggs. Note that the area has not always been depopulated. The two islands,Isla de Piedra and Isla de Jaina, were used in pre-Hispanic times as a necropolis; a good number of funerary offerings have been found there, which are now exhibited at the Fuerte de San Miguel in Campeche and at the Museo Arqueológico de Hecelchakán.To visit the reserve and this unique ecosystem in Mexico, you will have to organize yourself from the city of Campeche. Different options are available. You can choose a kayak trip or a long boat trip that can be combined with fishing activities.