Written by John Pint
Cancún is a planned city, developed by entrepreneurs as an alternative to Acapulco. At its inception in 1970, the 22-kilometer-long island had only three residents, all caretakers of a coconut plantation. The name Cancún means “full of snakes,” and there used to be 60 species registered on the island, but today they are all gone, and Cancún is now full of hotels, which, in turn, are full of tourists.
One of Cancún’s coolest guides is Darío Ferreira, co-founder of the Nature Geek Squad (naturegeeksquad.com): local experts in creating ecologically responsible, off-the-beaten-path adventures.
“Tell me a bit about hiking in and around Cancún,” I asked Ferreira. “What would you recommend for people who love nature?”
“There are places to go walking or cycling in Cancún,” he replied, “and they are working on creating parks, but for me, this is not senderismo (hiking and trekking on a trail). So I’m going to tell you about a few places I love to go to, not far from Cancún, where you can really appreciate nature.”
Punta Laguna
The first place on Ferreira’s list is Punta Laguna, which is the gateway to the Otoch Ma’ax Yetel Kooh (Home of the Monkey and Puma) National Protected Area, a one-hour, 40-minute drive from Cancún.
Here you will find a vast array of plant species including sapodilla trees, which produce chicle (gum), and the ceiba or kapok tree, which the Maya believe is a pathway for souls to reach heaven, with its roots reaching into the underworld and its branches holding up the sky.
Punta Laguna also showcases deer, raccoons, armadillos, margays, coatis, agoutis, peccaries, and very elusive jaguars and pumas, but most people go there to see spider monkeys (which are an endangered species) and howler monkeys.
However, note that this park is also home to 158 species of birds, including the osprey, the great curassow, the toucan, and the very colorful ocellated turkey.
The park guides (whose services are highly recommended, but optional) all come from a nearby Mayan village which offers visitors a glimpse of a disappearing indigenous lifestyle,
The village is actually an ejido (rural co-op) called Najil Tucha and all revenue from tourism is divided among the families, all of whom speak Mayan. The guides say they are there to protect the environment from “human predators” who used to collect animals to sell them abroad.
Some 35 families live in the village and since 1994 they’ve been monitoring the wildlife behavior and striving to preserve the environment.
Visiting hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, but 3 p.m. is the best time to see monkeys.
If you plan to visit Punta Laguna, you ought to bring comfortable, lightweight clothing, long pants, and good hiking boots. Ferreira recommends biodegradable sunscreen and bug spray, but these should be rinsed off before you get in the water. Here, you can kayak in a lagoon and visit a fascinating cenote, so
don’t forget to bring a swimsuit.
As for visitor satisfaction, last year, Italian expat Isabella Biava called Punta Laguna “a hidden treasure,” and Jackson B and his family from London rated the village as one of the highlights of their trip. “When the cleansing ceremony was finished, we went for a walk through the jungle and found a family of around eight spider monkeys (one with a baby!) who were playing in the trees above us, and it was especially nice to see the monkeys completely free in their natural habitat.”
If you want to stay overnight at Punta Laguna, you have two choices. You can camp on a platform near the lagoon or stay in a Mayan “hut.” Note that they do have bathroom facilities (eco-bathrooms) on site.
Unwind at Muyil
Another of Ferreira’s favorite sites is Muyil at the edge of a lagoon in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Preserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located 153 kilometers south of Cancún. Here, he and his fellow nature geeks have found wonderful places to hike and boat outside the established archaeological area.
“In the lush and tangled jungle,” says Ferreira, “we begin with a boat ride through natural channels, slowing down to view intertwining mangrove roots eye to eye, home to nurseries of juvenile fish and host to many air plants such as orchids and bromeliads. Once we park the boat at a dock, we jump into one of the channels and let the natural current carry us through the magical mangrove tunnel. The water is fresh and just the right temperature, the shade of the trees is perfect and the calming sounds of birds and water allow us to let go and unwind into a moving meditation.”
Puerto Morelos
Only a 36-minute drive from Cancún lies the Puerto Morelos Botanical Garden—one of Mexico’s largest—where you’ll find two kilometers of trails introducing you to local orchids, bromeliads, ferns, palms, cacti and Mayan medicinal herbs.
You’ll also find colorful birds and plenty of animals such as spider monkeys and iguanas.
Along your route, you’ll cross a 130-foot suspension bridge, and if you wish, you can climb a scenic lookout tower which will give you a great view of the jungle all the way to the sparkling waters of the Caribbean Sea. You’ll also have a chance to visit a chiclero camp, which will take you back to the days when the sap of the chicle tree was extracted and boiled down into what we now call chewing gum.
The park is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The secret river
To this short list of outdoor sites near Cancún, allow me to add an underground attraction. Río Secreto is a gorgeous cave where you wade in crystal-clear water, winding your way through shimmering stalactites. For more details, see Un Rio Secreto en la Riviera Maya on YouTube.
If you love nature and you’re heading for Cancún, call Ferreira—who speaks perfect English— at 984-139-3271 (Whatsapp) or his U.S. number: 512-423-5975. He can organize a nature tour for you (including “a snake spotting hike”) but is also happy to give you tips at no charge about places you can visit on your own.