Few people know that just a few hours south of the spring break party centers of Cancun and Playa del Carmen there is a hidden world with some of the best saltwater flyfishing on the planet. With the Great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef paralleling the Caribbean coast, excellent snorkeling, kayaking, and other activities abound. Join us on a family friendly trip to the magnificent Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.
You will be met at the Cancun International Airport and have a 1.5 hour drive to our beachfront hotel - Los Lirios. Los Lirios is just north of the entrance to the 1.3 million acre Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, which is a mosaic of coastal reef systems, inland water ways, and tropical forests dotted with Ancient Maya archeology sites. Sian Ka'an, which means "where the sky is born" in Mayan, has an abundance of wildlife including manatees, four species of marine turtles, the rare Jabiru Stork, and some of the most elusive large mammals in the region including jaguar and tapir.
Our first full day in the field we will visit an archeology site, explore a jungle trail, and float through crystal clear water in canals built by the Ancient Maya. We will transfer by boat to the lobster fishing village of Punta Allen which will be our base for the remainder of the trip. At the tip of a 30-mile peninsula, Punta Allen is perched on the northern edge of Ascension Bay, a world-class saltwater fishery. There are endless miles of bonefish flats, great opportunities for snook in the mangroves, and excellent habitat for permit and tarpon. With the barrier reef on one side, and protected inland coastal bays and lagoons, Punta Allen is an ideal location for a wide variety of activities, guaranteed to please a wide range of interests.
Cancun to Los Lirios
Most US arrivals land in the early afternoon. You will be greeted at the airport for the 1.5 hour drive to Los Lirios. Located on the beach with a cenote nearby, you will be able to take a swim in the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean and then rinse off in the fresh water cenote. A cenote is where the limestone surface has been dissolved by the fresh water aquifer below. Each cenote is unique, loaded with tropical freshwater fish, and one of the hidden secrets of the Yucatán Peninsula. We will have a fresh seafood meal at the beachfront restaurant.
Overnight: Hotel Los Lirios
Cancun to Los Lirios
Most US arrivals land in the early afternoon. You will be greeted at the airport for the 1.5 hour drive to Los Lirios. Located on the beach with a cenote nearby, you will be able to take a swim in the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean and then rinse off in the fresh water cenote. A cenote is where the limestone surface has been dissolved by the fresh water aquifer below. Each cenote is unique, loaded with tropical freshwater fish, and one of the hidden secrets of the Yucatán Peninsula. We will have a fresh seafood meal at the beachfront restaurant.
Overnight: Hotel Los Lirios
Muyil - Transfer to Punta Allen
If there are birders in the group we will start the day off with a pre-breakfast bird walk. After breakfast we will be dropped-off at the northeast corner of the reserve and begin our day trip exploring the Ancient Maya site of Muyil with our local Mayan guide. We then continue through the tropical forest for an interpretive hike to pier where we will meet our boats. We will then see the inland lagoons and canal system built by the Ancient Maya. At one point we will float through canals gently pushed by current through beautiful tropical landscapes. From the canals we will then tour the reserve by boat down to Punta Allen and our accommodation - Cuzan's guesthouse. The lobster fishing village of Punta Allen is delightful and the food superb. Night: Cuzan's.
Overnight: Cuzan's guesthouse.
Flyfishing - Day Trips
For the anglers, the following four days will have a similar routine. Breakfast at 7:00 AM, in the boats by 8:00 AM, return around 4:00 PM. There are two anglers per boat with local expert bilingual guides. For beginners we can arrange one-on-one guiding with instructors.
For non-anglers, there is a birding option, a leisurely breakfast, and then a snorkeling trip to the Great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. We usually visit three different locations, each having a unique attribute. The reef is extremely healthy with a wide variety of reef fish and marine life. Schools of passing tarpon and 3-foot parrot fish are not uncommon. We will also squeeze in a visit to one of the bird rookeries. We will depart around 10:00 AM and return around 3:00 PM.
Overnight: Cuzan's guesthouse
Flyfishing - Mayaking
Same schedule for the anglers. For non-anglers, today we will explore the inland waterways of the reserve. We call it Mayaking because you will be kayaking with Mayan guides. This is a great way to explore the reserve, no motors, lots of wildlife, extremely peaceful. Depending on how enthusiastic participants are, we normally go out for about three hours. We are flexible and can accommodate different levels.
Overnight: Cuzan's guesthouse
Flyfishing - Snuba
Same schedule for the anglers. Today will probably be a completely new experience for the non-anglers. Snuba is a combination of snorkeling and scuba. Airtanks are placed on a raft with 18-foot long hoses. Since the airtanks are on the surface, there are not the normal risks associated with scuba and we can essentially snorkel 18 feet below the surface - really different and an exciting way to experience the reef. We work with well-trained professionals and first do a test dive in shallow water to make sure everyone is comfortable. We also select a dive site that has variable depths so the more adventurous can go into deeper water (30 - 40 feet) and others can stay in the more shallow areas (6 - 15 feet).
Overnight: Cuzan's guesthouse
Flyfishing - Boat Trip
Same schedule for the anglers. Since this will be our last full day, we will explore some the nearby areas of the reserve by boat. We will have a picnic lunch on the beach, and have time to swim and enjoy the sun. We can also arrange for snorkeling or snuba if there is interest.
Overnight: Cuzan's guesthouse
Departure
We are a minimum of four hours from the Cancun airport and returning flights cannot be scheduled until 1:00 PM.
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