There are few coastal communities on the Yucatán peninsula more beautiful and full of life than Sisal.
Though Sisal is known mainly for its gorgeous beaches, its coastline and surrounding mangroves are home to an extremely wide array of wildlife and landscapes.
As you move closer and closer to the coast, you may notice birds of several species peeking out of the bush.
One of the best places to go birdwatching in Sisal is a small rackety old dock just off the right-hand side of the highway, just before town.
Though flamingos garner the most attention from visitors, the area is home to several more species.
But birding in Sisal is not limited to wetlands, as the windy sandy roads that surround the town are also teeming with life.
These roads are especially good for spotting hummingbirds, which are of course gorgeous but notoriously difficult to get in to focus.
Though some birds are extremely skittish and will fly away as soon as they are spotted, others including cormorants are quite social, and even seem to enjoy posing for photos.
Herons and egrets are also plentiful in the region and prefer to hang around mangroves that offer up plenty of shade, water, and food.
Speaking of food for birds, Sisal’s swamplands are full of little fish fresh for the picking. There are so many and they are so concentrated that it almost seems unfair to them.
But birds and fish are not the only wildlife to be found in Sisal. A great variety of insects, reptiles and even mammals can be seen, though admittedly this last category is much more elusive.
But there is no denying that there is trouble in paradise. The growth in tourism Sisal has experienced over the past few years threatens the area’s ecosystems and wildlife.
Check out the upcoming summer issue of Yucatán Magazine’s printed edition for more on this topic and find out if the rumors are true, and Sisal is bound to be “the next Tulum.”
Check out more features on Yucatán’s amazing birds and wildlife here.
