Mexico's Serene And Underrated Emerald Coast Is The Opposite Of Cancún In All The Right Ways

Cancún is undoubtedly home to some of the best beaches in Mexico, but the commercial, tourist-heavy city isn't for everyone. Many planning their beachside Mexican vacation might not realize that less than four hours from Cancún, on the other side of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, is a quieter but equally beautiful stretch of sand known as Yucatán's Emerald Coast, owing to its deep green waters. Where Cancún offers high-end resorts and spring break parties, the Emerald Coast has no such fanfare. What it puts forward is calm beaches, friendly towns, and a slower pace of life — with cheaper prices, too. 

Yucatán's Emerald Coast extends from Celestún to Dzilam de Bravo, lapped by the waves of the Gulf of Mexico, also called the Gulf of America. The beaches are easy to reach from the nearest major city of Mérida, one of Mexico's safest cities for a stress-free vacation. Though this side of the peninsula doesn't have the expansive tourist infrastructure of Cancún's side, you don't need to worry about getting bored. Kitesurfing, snorkeling, and freshly caught seafood will fill up your plate. Plus, the coast gives you easy access to flamingo-filled bioreserves, historic forts, and Mayan ruins.

One of the most beloved beach towns on Yucatán's western shore is Progreso, hailed as "the heart of the Emerald Coast" in a TripAdvisor review. It's easy to get to from Mérida and is a 40-minute drive from the Mérida International Airport (MID). It's more lively than other destinations on the Emerald Coast, though it is considered a popular local hangout rather than a tourist hot spot. Progreso is known for its scenic boardwalks, delicious restaurants, and for having the longest pier in Mexico — it is a port city, after all. At the beach, the waters are calm and clear, so you may even see fish swimming along the shore.

Further west — about an hour from Mérida — the town of Sisal is a quieter, historic fishing village with excellent beaches. It's the Emerald Coast's only Pueblo Mágico, or "Magical Town," a designation that honors its cultural and historical significance. The town had an important role as a colonial port, and you'll see colonial architecture dotted around the seaside. This includes a fortress called the Fuerte de Santiago, as well as a lighthouse, both built in the 1800s. The Sisal beach, sweeping over a coastal dune, is super relaxed and filled with palapas you can rent for the day. There's also a coral reef off the coast, where you can go snorkeling among colorful fish, a sunken lighthouse, and an old shipwreck. Sisal is home to a stunning mangrove habitat, filled with winding waterways which you can explore on a guided boat tour. 

Some of the most unique sights in Mexico sit along the Emerald Coast, starting with one of the largest flamingo nesting sites in the world. The display of flamingos here is dazzling, earning it the nickname "the Flamingo Coast." You'll find the most popular flamingo site in the Ría Celestún Biosphere, in the town of Celestún, located about 90 minutes from Mérida, from November to March. The area is protected, so guided tours are required for visiting.

On the eastern end of the Emerald Coast, and about an hour from Mérida, the town of Xtampú is another place with stunning natural beauty. It sits on Laguna Rosada, a naturally pink lagoon that's surprisingly undisturbed —much more isolated than Las Coloradas, Yucatán's other vibrant, pink lagoons. Typically, its pink color emerges after 11 a.m. when the sky is clear. This arguably isn't even the most exciting draw of Xtampú. The town is also in close proximity to the Xcambó Archaeological Zone, where you can see ancient Mayan ruins. The site has 11 excavated structures, spread out around a seven-tiered main pyramid. The site is open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for daily self-guided tours.