Costa Occidental National Park, Punta Cancun, and Punta Nizul have a privileged location, due to their coasts being considered as part of the best beaches in the whole world. Here you can find beautiful and warm waters with stunning turquoise blues and soft white sand, and also you’ll find amazing places: such as unimaginable coral reefs.
The Riviera Maya has a wide variety of coral reefs, among them the second largest reef barrier in the world. Which is home to uncountable marine species, and some of them are in danger of extinction as well as colorful and vibrant corals.
Costa Occidental National Park of Isla Mujeres is a marine park part of the well-known “Gran Arrecife Maya” The Great Mayan Reef in English and belongs to the Mesoamerican reef system which is the world’s second-largest. This reef barrier stretches along Isla Mujeres and Cancun coasts.
These reefs have many important ecological functions; for example, cushioning the force of hurricanes and storms that may approach the coasts. Although reefs seem a solid structure, they are quite fragile, that is why the place has been declared a Protected Natural area to preserve the environment.
Biodiversity
The reef barrier is known as “Polígonos”, In it there, large colonies of harsh corals are located, such as Cuerno de Ciervo, Cuerno de Alce, and Coral Cerebro, all of them mixed with white corals
There is also common finding different types of sea sponge, lobsters, urchins, octopuses, and starfish; however, the main protagonists are the reef fish such as queen angelfish, barracudas, and of course, the blacktip and catsharks. Bottlenose dolphins and loggerhead, hawksbill, and white marine turtles are also common.
In Isla Mujeres a place called “La Carbonera” is located, this majestic islet has diverse species of orchids and cacti: as well as black, white and red mangroves. This islet, which is part of the Protected Natural Area is frequently visited by 29 bird species as
En Isla Mujeres se encuentra ubicado un islote conocido como La Carbonera, este majestuoso islote cuenta con diversas especies de orquídeas y cactáceas; así como manglares negros, blancos y rojos. Este islote, que forma parte del Área Natural Protegido, también recibe frecuentemente la visita de veintinueve especies de aves marinas, tales como herons, brown pelicans, cormorants, seagulls, frigates, among others.
How to get
You can visit the park in the Cancun Hotel zone or in Isla Mujeres, which
Puedes visitar parte de este parque en la Zona Hotelera de Cancún o en Isla Mujeres,which you can access through a Ferry that you should take in one of the terminals in Cancun. The ideal way to discover the place is by taking a tour, there are many of them and with different prices.
Ecological Tourism
Whether you stay in Cancun or Isla Mujeres, one of the activities you’ll be able to enjoy is the beach. Although in Quintana Roo all the beaches are gorgeous; these have something special, there are a large number of colorful fish around them and it is easy to admire them for the clarity of their waters.
A popular activity in the area is a boat tour, “Jungle Tour”, which take you around the multicolor mangroves; this is the best way to see birds closer, and admire how they habit their ecosystem
The most exciting activities are diving and snorkel through the reef barriers. Other available activities you’ll fin are zip-lines, diving, kayaking, turtle watching, and more.
Services
Within the park, you can find a water transport service, tourist marina, food, drinks, aquatic museum, guide service, diving and snorkeling operator, hospital service, parking lots, ATMs, land transportation for passengers, telephone coverage, piers, access to drinking water, medical service, electricity supply and more.
We recommend that you wear comfortable clothes, wear a cap or hat that covers you from the sun. Remember that being a protected area there are some things that you should take into account such as not using sunscreen or suntan lotion, respecting the speed limits in the water, leaving the place better than you found it. Throughout the park you will find garbage cans where you can throw rubble and waste; lastly, don’t forget to enjoy the trip.
Isla Mujeres, despite being a small place, has a lot to offer us and if you want to know more, click here, here, or here.