Tips for Rio Lagartos
Rio Lagartos is located about two to three hours north of Valladolid on the coast. Popular places like the island of Holbox, or Cancun are not far away. And yet, the tourist crowds remain absent here. Rio Lagartos is not in the focus of many travelers. Wrongly so, because here you live in a real Mexican fishing village, which is filled with with peace and serenity.
Ceviche in Rio Lagartos
The daily freshly caught fish, or seafood, is marinated with lime juice, which creates a kind of cooking effect beforehand, so that further cooking is no longer necessary. The flavor becomes incredibly intense as a result, you won’t want to stop eating! You can choose, like everywhere in Mexico, between fish, shrimps, squid, or snails. We definitely recommend “ceviche mixto”, that is, everything mixed. If you don’t like one of them, you can simply say so when ordering and leave it out.
Coctel de Mariscos
Another fish dish that you won’t get better anywhere than in Rio Lagartos. Coctel de Camarones is nothing else than shrimp cocktail with even more seafood, which you can order in different sizes. From a small bite in between, to a family size, everything is possible. Again, only fresh shrimp are used, and they are almost always above average in size. They are put into a cocktail glass, which is also filled with a tomato sauce. To nibble on top of that, you get crackers.
Tips for Rio Lagartos: Fish of the day
Fresh fish of the day, you can’t go wrong here either! The offer changes daily and depends on the yield of the numerous fishermen settled in Rio Lagartos. The only thing that never changes is the quality and excellent taste of the fish, no matter what it is. You can choose whether you want your fish boiled or fried. Boiled it retains the most flavor, but fried it tastes great, too! As a side dish you can get rice and vegetables, which goes very well! You can get the best fish at the same place as the best ceviche, La Mojarrita.
Flamingos, pelicans and giant crocodiles
In Rio Lagartos you can experience these animals up close and in the wild. A unique experience. Just rent a small boat in the harbor of Rio Lagartos and let you sail for a few hours through the mangroves between the village and the sea coast.
Tips for Rio Lagartos: Pink Lakes in Las Coloradas
Not far from Rio Lagartos are the pink lakes known in the region. They are pink because of millions of small crustaceans that are on the menu of the flamingos. This is also the reason for the unique coloration of the impressive water birds. You can easily get there by public bus several times a day. The pink lakes are part of a salt factory and you are only allowed to enter with a local guide. Afterwards, don’t forget to have a Coctel de Mariscos in the village. There is also the possibility to swim alone between fishing boats in the warm Caribbean sea.
