Celestrun (painted stone) was a stop between Campeche and Merida. It is located about 60 miles west of Merida. Celestrun is a Special Biosphere Reserve (Wildlife Refuge) where American Flamingos nest and feed in a shallow estuary. The estuary is accessed by boat. The boats can be hired from a common launching area near the bridge to the town. We were there on Easter Saturday and the tour boats were very busy, but we did not have to wait long to get on one. Estimates on the number of Flamingos, currently in the north end of the estuary, varied greatly, between 10,000 and 20,000. It is truly an amazing sight, seeing up close, hundreds of feeding, flying and preening flamingos.

Celestrun is a small fishing village, having a very nice beach on the Gulf of Mexico. On the Saturday we were there, the beach traffic was very heavy and parking spaces in the village were difficult to find. The beach is lined with restaurants, food venders and others selling many different things.

This gallery is primarily devoted to photographs of Flamingos.