The Maya dug canals through these mangroves centuries ago, and you can still float through them on the current they created.
About Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
The Maya inhabited this coast from the pre-Classic period, building the trading post of Muyil and engineering canals through the mangroves. The area was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1987, protecting one of the largest tracts of tropical forest and wetland on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
Sian Ka'an is a 1.3-million-acre
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, south of Tulum. The reserve protects tropical forest, mangroves, marshes and a section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-largest coral reef system in the world. It also contains ancient Maya canals that you can float through.
“UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, south of Tulum.”
Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico
Where the Maya Built Canals Through the Jungle
The name Sian Ka'an is Mayan for "where the sky is born," and the reserve has been inhabited since the pre-Classic Maya period. The most unusual feature for visitors is the ancient canal system near the ruins of Muyil: the Maya dug channels through the mangroves connecting inland lagoons to the coast, and you can still float through them. The water is clear, shallow and fed by freshwater springs, and the current carries you through a green tunnel of mangrove roots. The reserve also includes cenotes, coastal dunes, an offshore reef and an enormous area of lowland tropical forest. More than 300 bird species have been recorded here, along with jaguars, manatees, crocodiles and four species of sea turtle. The human population within the reserve is small, and access is limited, which keeps it remarkably undeveloped for a site within reach of Cancun.
The Experience
The canal float starts at the Muyil ruins, where you walk through a small Maya site and then descend to the lagoon. You wade in and the current takes you through a narrow channel lined with mangrove roots, the water chest-deep and clear. The float takes about 45 minutes and ends at a wider lagoon with views to the reef. Bird life is constant. The whole experience feels like entering a different century.
Why It Matters
Sian Ka'an protects one of the most biodiverse coastal ecosystems in the Caribbean, combining tropical forest, wetland, reef and ancient Maya infrastructure. Its UNESCO designation and limited access help preserve an environment under increasing pressure from coastal development.
Why Visit
A UNESCO biosphere where you float through ancient Maya canals in mangrove-lined water, with reef, cenotes and tropical forest all within reach of Tulum.
Insider Tips
- 1
Book a guided tour from Tulum for the Muyil canal float.
- 2
Binoculars are essential for the birdlife.
- 3
The reserve is large; different tours access different areas.
