city: Riviera Maya / Playa del Carmen

Tour of Valladolid with Las Coloradas and Crocodile Sanctuary

The palette of colours that is the Yucatan sparkles on this wildlife-rich tour. Historic Valladolid, a crocodile refuge, Las Coloradas salt pans and the flamingos of the Rio Lagartos lagoon are the stars of this tour. Plus, you'll get to pamper yourself in a traditional Maya bath and enjoy lunch by the sea. Fernando, one of our local guides, says, ‘Because of their colour and grace, the flamingos are awesome to look at. But it's the crocodiles that fascinate me. You get to find out just how important they are to the local eco-system.'Colonial-era Valladolid is the early morning mood setter. This city radiates from a main square fringed with pastel-coloured single and two-storey homes with traditional grilled windows. Stroll through the old town, stopping for pics at sights such as the church of St Servacio or the Convent of St Bernardino of Siena. We'll then head to the moreletii crocodile sanctuary, where you'll learn all about these endemic reptiles. Then it's on to Las Coloradas, so named because of the pink hues given by the salt pans as they evaporate. Fernando says, ‘When the sky is cloudless and contrasts with the water, it's like seeing a masterpiece for the first time.'We rev it up a bit next with a boat trip to Rio Lagartos lagoon, a habitat for flamingos. Observe these elegant birds wading in shallow waters and take some snaps. There's an exfoliating mud bath to look forward before dropping into a family-owned restaurant for a lunch made from locally sourced products.