Island Progreso, Yucatán Municipality of Progreso Costa Esmeralda (Yucatán)
A sandbank in the lagoon behind Chuburná Puerto with swings and hammocks over knee-deep turquoise water, reached by cooperative boats.
Reached by boat from Chuburná Puerto: 20 min each way. How to get there ↓
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Where to stay near Isla Columpios
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Tours to Isla Columpios
Day trips and guided outings from Sisal often include Isla Columpios; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Isla Columpios and Progreso Day Trip
★ 4.5 (22) · From US$89
How to get to Isla Columpios
- Reached by boat from Chuburná Puerto: 20 min each way.
- From Mérida: about 50 min by road (~48 km)
- Nearest airport: Mérida (MID), 1 h 7 min by car to Sisal
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Popular tours to Isla Columpios
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About Isla Columpios
Isla Columpios, 'swing island', is a cluster of sandbanks and islets in the shallow lagoon and mangroves behind Chuburná Puerto, a fishing village on the coast of Progreso municipality, about 10 kilometers west of Progreso and 55 kilometers from Mérida. There is no road to it: boats run by local cooperatives leave from the Puerto de Abrigo, the fishermen's sheltered harbour in Chuburná, and the ride across the lagoon takes roughly 20 minutes, longer if the tour stops along the way. Some guides describe three small islets here, called Delfines, Agua Azul and Columpios.
The area was a salt works until Hurricane Gilberto wrecked it in 1988 and its long rains reshaped the shore and dunes. With the salt gone, Chuburná's fishermen turned part of the lagoon into an ecotourism stop, and the sandbank with the swings opened to visitors around 2023, quickly becoming one of the most photographed spots on the Yucatán coast. The village itself has a longer history: it was named a lookout town in 1663, charged with watching for pirates sailing from the Laguna de Términos.
The name comes from the wooden swings set in the water on the sandbank, along with hammocks made of fishing net, flamingo and crocodile figures and colorful letters. The water is clear and mostly knee-deep, ranging from mint to turquoise, and at low tide mounds of sand rise above it. There are palapas, tables set in the water where cooperatives serve ceviche and other seafood, and kayaks for paddling through the mangrove tunnels. Tours usually add other stops: Isla Pájaros for birds, the Dzul Ha spring among the mangroves, the Chuburná dunes and a sunken bridge. Visits on the island are limited to a few hours to protect the ecosystem.
How to get to Isla Columpios
Drive from Mérida to Chuburná Puerto: 50 min, 48 km
From Mérida take federal highway 261 north toward Progreso; before the port, take the turnoff to Chelem, come down from the bridge onto Calle 15, turn left and continue west through Chelem to Chuburná Puerto, about 55 km and 40 minutes in all. Park at the Puerto de Abrigo, where the cooperatives sign up visitors, and take a boat across the lagoon, about 20 minutes. By bus, Autoprogreso runs from its terminal on Calle 62 between 65 and 67 in Mérida to Progreso (27 pesos); from Calle 29 and 82 in Progreso a colectivo goes to Chuburná, and a mototaxi to the harbour costs about 25 pesos per person.
Reached by boat from Chuburná Puerto: 20 min each way.
Directions to Isla Columpios on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Isla Columpios
- Mérida · 48 km by road, 50 min to Chuburná Puerto, then 20 min by boat
- Campeche · 212 km by road, 2 h 50 min to Chuburná Puerto, then 20 min by boat
- Valladolid · 212 km by road, 2 h 55 min to Chuburná Puerto, then 20 min by boat
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Isla Columpios: hours, prices and tips
- Entry
- Boat trip from about 200 pesos per person; packages run up to about 350–500 pesos. Kayak about 250, paddleboard about 500 for two hours. Cash only: there are no card terminals on the island. POSTA (2024) and Tus Buenas Noticias (Aug 2025) · checked Oct 2026
- Time needed
- Stays on the island are limited to about 3–4 hours to protect the ecosystem. Tus Buenas Noticias (Aug 2025) · checked Oct 2026
- Best time of day
- Arrive early to get a palapa. Tus Buenas Noticias (Aug 2025) · checked Oct 2026
- Rules
- Take your trash with you and don't damage the mangroves or sandbanks. Tus Buenas Noticias (Aug 2025) · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Isla Columpios: what to see and do
Swing over knee-deep turquoise water on the sandbank that gives the island its name.
Lie in the fishing-net hammocks and wade in the shallow natural pool.
Eat ceviche at a table set in the water.
Kayak through the mangrove tunnels around the lagoon.
Add stops at Isla Pájaros for birds and the Dzul Ha spring.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Isla Columpios
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Isla Columpios.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Sisal often include Isla Columpios; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at MID (Mérida): about 1 h 7 min by road to Sisal, then 21 km more to Isla Columpios, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mérida (MID), about 1 h 7 min by road from Sisal, the base for Isla Columpios.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Sisal: download a map of the way to Isla Columpios before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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Photos
When to go to Isla Columpios warm
Isla Columpios shares the climate of Sisal, 21 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Sisal
Weather in Isla Columpios now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Sisal
Sisal is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Isla Columpios, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Motul · Yucatán · 60 km away
Closest to Isla Columpios
-
Chuburná Puerto · Village · 3 km away
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La Carbonera · Nature reserve · 5 km away
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Chelem · Village · 11 km away
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Yucalpetén · Landmark · 15 km away
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Sierra Papacal · Village · 17 km away
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Dzidzilché · Village · 19 km away
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Muelle de Progreso · Landmark · 19 km away
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Progreso · City · 19 km away
Near Isla Columpios
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Malecón de Progreso · Landmark · Yucatán
~45 min: 20 min by boat back to Chuburná Puerto, then drive -
El Corchito · Nature reserve · Yucatán
50 min: drive to El Corchito landing, Progreso, then 5 min by boat
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Lists with Isla Columpios
Islands in Yucatán · 3Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.