Town 62 km north of Espita
A tidy fishing port west of Río Lagartos with brightly painted wooden houses and boats out to quiet beaches.
San Felipe is a fishing port on the north coast, about 11 kilometers west of Río Lagartos at the mouth of the Ría Lagartos estuary. It is known for its tidy streets of wooden houses painted in bright colors, a style that is unusual on a coast where most villages are built of block and concrete, and for a relaxed pace that feels far from the tourist routes.
The village grew from a fishing camp founded in the 19th century by fishermen from other parts of the coast, who found a freshwater spring here; that spring is now a well in the main square. Fishing is still the main work, and the waterfront is the place to watch the boats come in and to eat fresh fish and seafood.
From the waterfront, boats cross to a small, shallow beach with fine white sand on the other side of the estuary, and run trips into the reserve's mangroves. Nearby is Isla Cerritos, a small island that was an important Maya trading port linked to Chichén Itzá and is today a refuge for herons, ibis, cormorants and many migratory birds in winter.
What to see and do
Walk the streets of colorful wooden houses around the main square.
Take a boat across the estuary to the shallow white-sand beach.
Go on a mangrove or birdwatching trip toward Isla Cerritos.
Eat fresh fish on the waterfront as the boats come in.
Getting there
From Espita, drive to Tizimín and then north toward the coast, taking the road to San Felipe by way of Panabá or the turnoff before Río Lagartos; allow around an hour and a quarter. Boat trips are arranged with fishermen and cooperatives on the waterfront; agree on the price and route first.
62 km north of Espita
Directions from Espita on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in San Felipe
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Tours & activities
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Weather warm
San Felipe shares the climate of Espita, 62 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec.
Make Espita your base
San Felipe is an easy trip from Espita, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Espita
-
Tizimín
· Town · 21 km away
The cattle town of eastern Yucatán, famous for the Three Kings pilgrimage and fair every January. -
Ek' Balam
· Archaeological site · 22 km away
A walled Maya city with a huge acropolis and remarkably preserved stucco, under an hour south of Espita. -
Cenote Kikil
· Cenote · 25 km away
A deep, open cenote in landscaped grounds just outside Tizimín, with a restaurant; life jackets are required to swim. -
Río Lagartos
· Nature reserve · 67 km away
A fishing village on a long coastal lagoon where boat tours go out to see flamingos, crocodiles and herons. -
Las Coloradas
· Nature reserve · 74 km away
Shallow salt-works lagoons that turn bright pink, east of Río Lagartos; visits are guided and swimming is not allowed.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.