The Muyil lagoons and the ancient Maya canal are the signature trip. Boats cross two lagoons to a channel cut by the Maya more than a thousand years ago, where you drift the current in a life jacket between mangrove walls — a genuinely strange and lovely experience, with herons, kingfishers and turtles alongside.

The coastal lagoons and mangrove channels along the Boca Paila road hold crocodiles, roseate spoonbills, wood storks, and manatees — rarely seen but present, and boat guides know where they have been.

The reef and shallow flats off Punta Allen hold bottlenose dolphins, turtles and one of the Caribbean's most famous bonefishing flats. Snorkelling trips from the village reach reef in good condition by regional standards.

The forest and savanna inland hold jaguar, ocelot, tapir and spider monkeys — genuinely present, essentially never seen on a normal visit. Set expectations: this is a birds-and-water destination.

The dry season from November to April brings calmer water and better visibility. Bird numbers peak with northern migrants in winter.

Practicalities

Tulum is the gateway. The coastal road south into the reserve is notoriously rough and slow — Punta Allen is only about 50 kilometres away but takes two to three hours — and a high-clearance vehicle is advisable.

Entry fees support the reserve, and community cooperatives in Punta Allen and Muyil run most of the boat trips. Choosing them rather than a Cancún-based day tour keeps the money local and generally puts you in a much smaller boat.