How to Visit Las Coloradas Yucatan Mexico in 2025

Planning a trip to Mexico and want to visit Las Coloradas, Yucatán’s famous pink lakes? You’re in the right place!

I’ve personally visited Las Coloradas, and seeing the bubblegum-pink waters in real life was an unforgettable experience—it’s not every day you get to witness such a unique natural phenomenon!

In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting Las Coloradas, including how to get there, entrance fees, visitor info, and my top tips to make the most of your trip.

Let’s get started and help you plan your visit to this incredible destination!

Las Coloradas is a surreal and picturesque destination that feels almost otherworldly!

Cotton-candy pink and reflective, Mexico’s pink lakes are well-loved as both a local attraction and Instagram backdrop.

These pink lakes are famed for their vibrant hues that range from soft blush to intense magenta, which result from red-colored algae, plankton, and brine shrimp.

But the area is not just about its aesthetic appeal–the site is actually home to a large sea salt harvesting industry.

While Las Coloradas remains a somewhat off-the-beaten-path locale, its unique beauty attracts photographers and nature enthusiasts from around the globe.

Located near the town of Rio Lagartos, Las Coloradas sits on the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

As part of the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Las Coloradas Mexico sits on a protected wetlands area.

Rio Lagartos is a tiny fishing village, but the pink lakes of Las Coloradas are relatively close to popular vacation destinations like El Cuyo, Holbox, Cancun, and Playa del Carmen.

Las Coloradas Mexico Map

Las Coloradas is definitely worth visiting if you are traveling in the area and staying in nearby destinations like El Cuyo or Holbox.

I visited on a day trip while staying in El Cuyo and thought it was well worth the visit! There are only a handful of places in the world where you can see pink lakes, so it’s definitely a must-see destination.

The main attraction is getting to take pictures but you’ll also get to learn about the history behind the Yucatan’s salt production industry and spot rare wildlife within the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve.

However, it’s about a 3.5 hour drive from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and the Riviera Maya, so if you’re staying further away, it may not be the most convenient day trip.

Plus, it’s important to know that the colors of the pink lakes can vary depending on the time of year and weather conditions.

I got lucky when I was there and the lakes were a bright bubble-gum pink, but sometimes they can be more dull or even brownish in color.

It’s best to visit Las Coloradas on a sunny day so you’ll want to try and plan your visit when the weather forecast looks promising.

The pink coloring of Las Coloradas comes from the red-colored algae, plankton, and brine shrimp that thrive in water with high salt content.

Belonging to a major salt production company, the majority of Las Coloradas lakes are actually shallow man-made pools.

As these pools evaporate under the roasting sun, the marine life becomes highly concentrated.

Sunlight then reflects off the water surface to make the pink hue of these organisms obvious.

Aside from these massive pink lakes in Mexico, you’ll see plenty of piles of pure white salt.

You’ll get to see how salt gets harvested by the Las Coloradas factory, then cast your eyes towards the flora and fauna within the reserve.

Las Coloradas is also famous for its pink flamingos. After feeding on the algae, plankton, and brine shrimp that give these waters its color, the originally white-feathered Las Coloradas flamingos turned pink to match!

Driving or renting a car is by far the easiest option to get to Las Coloradas and gives you the most freedom to explore the site on your own.

I drove from El Cuyo to Las Coloradas, which is a little less than a 2 hour drive, and there is free parking on site.

Travelista Tip: It’s best to drive with an SUV or four-wheel drive vehicle as the roads can be bad after heavy rains. You’ll also want to download offline maps as you will likely lose cell service along the way.

You can even make a road trip out of it and stop to see the sights (and flamingos!) between various tourist towns.

Driving times from nearby destinations are as follows:

• El Cuyo to Las Coloradas: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Cancun to Las Coloradas: 3.5 hours
• Playa del Carmen to Las Coloradas: 3.5 hours
• Tulum to Las Coloradas: 3.5 hours
• Valladolid to Las Coloradas: 2 hours
• Merida to Las Coloradas: 2 hours 50 minutes

👉 For a hassle-free experience, book your car through my favorite rental service Discover Cars by clicking here!

You can hire a taxi or private driver to drive you to Las Coloradas Yucatán, but it will be expensive. The pink lakes Mexico aren’t close to any of the major tourist towns.

If you’re based around Rio Lagartos however, you can find taxis that will take you there and wait for you to complete the tour.

If you’re staying in Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum, or Merida and don’t have a car, then booking a tour is the easiest option to visit Las Coloradas.

Not only will it save you the cost and hassle of arranging transportation, but you also get to experience Rio Lagartos and Las Coloradas fully.

With the driving time, these are usually full day tours that include a visit to Las Coloradas and a boat tour at Rio Lagartos.

Join a Las Coloradas tour from the Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen, Cancun, or Tulum) where you can sit back and save 7 hours of self-driving.

Upon arriving at Rio Lagartos, you’ll immediately do a sweep of the salt lakes and commemorate with photos.

A native guide walks you through the salt production process, after which you’ll take a boat ride through mangroves to spot crocodiles and nesting flamingos.

Breakfast, lunch at a local restaurant, and roundtrip transportation is included.

This Las Coloradas, Río Lagartos, and Playa Cancunito Tour from Mérida is a full-day excursion (7 AM to 8 PM) that includes all entrance fees, taxes, and a certified bilingual guide.

You’ll explore the stunning pink pools of Las Coloradas, visit the unspoiled Playa Cancunito, and take a scenic boat tour through the Río Lagartos Natural Park, home to flamingos, crocodiles, and other local wildlife.

It’s a hassle-free way to discover some of Yucatán’s most beautiful natural landscapes.

Getting to Las Coloradas by public transportation isn’t very easy. You could take the local ADO bus to Tizimin from Cancun, which takes about 3 hours one way.

From there, you could take the Noreste Bus from Tizimin to Las Coloradas. I haven’t done this personally though so I’m not sure how reliable this would be.

You don’t have to pay to see the pink lakes, but if you want to get a closer view, you’ll have to pay the Las Coloradas entrance fee which includes a 45-minute guided tour.

Here are the Las Coloradas entrance fees:

• Access to the Pink Lakes (Mexican National): $290 MXN (~$14 USD)
• Access to the Pink Lakes (Foreigner) with a Spanish-Speaking Guide: $350 MXN (~$17 USD)
• Access to the Pink Lakes (Foreigner) with an English-Speaking Guide: $380 MXN (~$19 USD)

🚲 Note: There are also added fees if you want to go on the lookout or do a bike or safari tour.

For Mexican nationals and residents, you must be able to show official identification.  Note the discount does NOT apply to temporary residents, only permanent residents.

I personally just paid for the access to the pink lakes without the lookout, which is a structure that is a few stories tall that you can climb for a better view.

Travelista Tip: If you don’t speak Spanish, be sure to pay for an English-speaking tour guide, which costs a bit extra.

The best time to visit Las Coloradas is around 12PM. This is when the pink color reflects the most brightly against the midday sun.

It’s also best to check the weather forecast and aim to visit on a sunny day. If it’s cloudy, it’s possible the water will be more brown or orange in color.

A free parking lot is available just outside of the entrance to Las Coloradas.

While parked, it’s always best to leave valuables out of sight and in the trunk of you car to deter theft.

Once you arrive to Las Coloradas, you’ll be greeted by a welcome attendant who will direct you to the right side of the site.

Right past the welcome sign, there is a long stretch of road where you’ll get your first glimpse of the pink lakes and where you can get out and take some photos.

From there, proceed further down the road to the main entrance where free parking is available on site. This is where you’ll pay the entrance fee to a closer view of the lakes.

There really isn’t much to do at Las Coloradas besides walking along the lakes and taking pictures.

If you opt for the tour access, you are assigned to a guide who walks with you along the path and explains the history of the lakes.

You also have the opportunity to ask questions about Las Coloradas, like the science behind their unique color.

Since tourism increased over the years and caused the salt production company to fence off most of their property, visitors can no longer swim in the Mexico pink lakes.

In total, a Las Coloradas guided tour lasts about 45 minutes.  Most of the guides do not speak English, so you’ll have to pay an additional fee for an English-speaking guide. 

Follow these tips to make the most of your experience to Mexico’s pink beaches:

• Aim to arrive around midday: The colors of the famous Mexico pink lagoon are brightest under the noonday sun! Check the weather and aim for a sunny day.

• Combine the experience with a visit to Rio Lagartos: Make the most of the commute by combining it with a visit to nearby Rio Lagartos Nature Reserve. When I visited, we headed to Rio Lagartos right afterwards for a boat tour and wildlife expedition.

• Bring biodegradable sunscreen: Be sure to bring biodegradable sunscreen as there is no shade and the reflective glare can make the sun much more intense.

• Don’t forget sunglasses: Be sure to bring sunglasses as the sun reflects off the lakes and can be very bright. UV-protective sunglasses are recommended and offer the best eye protection.

• Bring cash: Make sure to bring some cash along for the entrance fee and in case of extra spending (pesos are best). There are no ATMs there and those are hard to come by even in Rio Lagartos.

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Las Coloradas:

Are you ready to visit this famous pink lake in Mexico?! I hope this guide was helpful in planning your visit to Las Coloradas.

With its brightly colored hues, Las Coloradas is a must-visit experience if you’re traveling in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

The best way to get to Las Coloradas is by driving or renting a car, which gives you the freedom to go at your own pace.

And if you’re looking for an all-inclusive experience, there are also guided tours which can be booked from Playa del Carmen, Cancun, or the Riviera Maya.

While the flood of tourists has led to more protective measures put in place, you’ll still get to experience a unique attraction that can only be found in a few places around the world.

READ NEXT:

• How to Visit Rio Lagartos
• How to Visit El Cuyo
• Where to Stay in Yucatan