Sian Ka'an Land and Water Adventure with Snorkeling and Lunch in Tulum

In the Yucatec Maya language, Sian Ka'an means “born from the sky”. Sian Ka'™an is one of the largest protected areas in Mexico with 1,6 million acres (6520 km2) and with an enormous amount of biodiversity. The UNESCO program "Man and the Biosphere" has three aims: conservation, research and promoting sustainable development. Therefore, people can live in these protected areas and perform economic activities such as fishing and tourism as long as they do it in a sustainable manner. With a population of 800 people, the town of Punta Allen is located at the end of a 56 km-long sand dune covered with coastal dune vegetation, the Caribbean Sea on one side and Ascension Bay on the other side. Lobster fishing is the main source of income in Punta Allen but tourism is becoming important for the local economy because Punta Allen is an excellent opportunity to experience Caribbean culture and is also a great departure point to marine ecosystems where it is possible to find reptiles such as iguanas, lizards, crocodiles and sea turtles as well as birds like fregates, pelicans, boobies, cormorants, herons, egrets, ospreys and many more. Dolphins are a common sight and with luck it is also possible to spot a manatee. Snorkeling in the Mesoamerican reef (second largest in the world) is an obligated activity to enjoy its incredible diversity. When it is time to relax, we visit a beautiful sandbank that the locals refer to as "the world's largest swimming pool".