posted by Travel Cat on May 31
This guide is all about Laguna Miramar and what you can see there. It may seem to be in reverse because I want to tell you all about all the beautiful things that are there, amazing things you can see and do - then tell you the less interesting facts about getting there and accommodation.
So, lets get started with the laguna itself and the wildlife in the surrounding Lancandon Jungle.
Laguna Miramar:
The name of the lake means ‘to sight or to look at the sea’ - basically ’sea-view’ which is what the first people to stumble across it’s shores must have thought - it is huge, and as blue as a tropical ocean!
Laguna Miramar is a remote lake, protected inside the Montes Azules biosphere reserve and is surrounded by miles of hills and valleys and covered in rain-forest canopy - one of the largest areas of rain-forest in the whole of the America’s! Just to get to the lake, you have to walk from the small village of Emilio Zapata through 7 kilometers of this lush jungle, listening to howler monkeys and watching dozens of different butterflies lazily pass you by.
It really is one of the last truly remote corners of Mexico, which is why it has remained so pristine - and believe me, you’ll understand why after you have made the journey there. Oh, it will all be worth it 10 times over, but your will never forget getting there!
Four local tribes owning the lands bordering the lake are part of a co-operative, and have all signed an agreement to preserve the lakes boundaries with no development allowed within 1km of it’s shores - this includes roads so walking is a must. These communities have also agreed that there will be no motor boats on the lake at all - travel across the lake is by canoe only!
The lake itself is 16sq km, a good all year round temperature and as near as you will ever get to pollution-free. It takes 45 minutes to canoe to the main island on the lake, where you will find ruins of a local tribe where they made their last stand against the Spanish. Many other ruins are in the area, including the famous and vast city of Palenque to the north of this reserve and Tonina closer to the lake, but it’s not as big.
The Lancandon Jungle:
This extensive rain-forested region almost touching the Guatemala border, is home to a vast number of species including some very popular ‘big names’ such as jaguar, toucan, tapir, harpy eagle and red macaw. There are also crocodiles around the lake, but apparently they are harmless according to the local guides!
The ‘Selve Lancandona’ (the Lancandon Jungle) is home to:
4300 plant species - including orchids and huge epiphytes
800 butterfly species - including the great Morpho and Glasswings
345 bird species - including toucans and tanagers
114 land mammals - including ocelot and jaguar (reportedly)
It’s best to avoid this whole region between June and October as there is a lot of heavy rain here, turning all the paths and tracks into quagmires. You can still arrange your visit during this time, but there will probably be severe delays and I’m sure it won’t be that pleasant for you overall!
How To Get There:
You can travel into the jungle and around the lake alone, in personal groups or with a guide, and there are many companies offering 2/4day tours of the area - increasing your chances of seeing everything you want to see as they will be able to show you the best routes and wildlife.
Guided tours range from $120-$330/£60-£165 depending on their length, and many need to be booked before you get there as many include the flight from Ocosingo (the nearest main city) to San Quentin the nearest large town. These and other tours also supply all equipment, food, porters and other park fees as part of the deal.
If you want to travel there independently, you need to be aware that you cannot book accommodation in advance, you have to turn up and ask there. Travel by road is the most popular (and cheapest) route, so be prepared to stand in the back of an open truck for at least 5 hours during the dry season. You do get to stop for breaks on the way!
From Ocosinga, you will drive to San Quentin, passing through at least 1 army checkpoint where you will need all your paperwork handy, there could be more than this.
When You Get There:
When you finally arrive there, you need to walk the short distance to the village of Emilio Zapata where you need to locate the comisario ejidal (the mayor) who will take your payments for entry to the lake ($3), your payment for an overnight stay ($3). To preserve the area and to make the most of your trip, he will expect you to take a guide ($10) and/or hire a canoe ($10).
After this little ceremony, you will then need to walk the remaining 7km to the lake - usually about another hour and a half walk - down a path that can only be described as an adventure in itself! When you arrive on the lake-shore you will be amazed. It is beautiful, making you temporarily forget the journey here (and the fact you have to do the same again to get back to Ocosinga!!!)
What Else Is There:
You can take a ride into a cave on the kayak to see some incredible volcanic rock formations that looked giant drips of melted wax. You will be overwhelmed (if your lucky) by a noisy cloud of bats inside. A little further around the lake there’s a little rocky island where there are many Mayan wall paintings. All the other Mayan remains in the area have been excavated, fenced off and sheltered from the elements to preserve them - but not here. These are just sitting there, in the jungle, in their original form.
There are more ruins on another island, but this is ‘owned’ by another community, so you need to get their permission and their guides to visit - but they have untouched ruins of some Mayan temples waiting for you to discover.
The swimming is also some of the best you will find in Central America and the few divers who have sampled Laguna Miramar’s depths can get downright poetic about it in all it’s glory. And at a thousand feet deep in places, Laguna Miramar sustains enough aquatic life to entertain any hardened diver or brave snorkeller; including turtles, crocs, and a crypto-zoological creature the Indians say resembles a manatee!
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