Mexico Natural Treasures
Natural Treasures of Mexico
Explore, Dream and Discover.
Mexico provides visitors the opportunity to see unspoiled ecosystems and all their unique species. As you explore nature in Mexico, keep an eye out for some of the most interesting creatures. Mexico has hundreds of natural attractions in all its States, for the diversity of its climate, flora and fauna forming admirable ecosystems.
In the center, between the “two Americas”, Mexico shines superb, full of wonders to discover.
All over Mexico there are numerous gorgeous places (some of them hidden in the jungles) only known by local people, but that deserve the watch and the attention of the entire World for their beauties and to understand their importance. Mexico is an ideal vacation destination to appreciate nature.
If you want wildlife, we've got wildlife!
Mexico is home and haven to everything from brilliantly-colored water birds and green iguanas to striped tropical fish, crocodiles, wild cats, whales and much more.
Mexico’s trees and plants can pretty much be divided up along it’s topographical and geographical lines: desert plants in the north, forests and grasslands in the mountains and plateaus of the center and jungle-type plants and trees in the south.
As the plants, also the animals are divided in zones, in relation to the various ecosystems of Mexico.
This diversity can be explained by understanding that Mexico lies within the intersection of North and South America. When the continents were separate, millions of years ago, they developed their own species. When the land bridge formed, the result was great habitat variation and diverse ecological regions.
Mexico is a country of biological diversity. In total number of species, it ranks fifth in the world. It ranks first in the total number of reptile species (640) and is home to more than 1,000 bird species, 450 mammals (142 found nowhere else on earth and the second-greatest diversity of any nation) and 330 amphibians. Insect species number in the hundreds of thousands.
Two deserts cover most of Northern Mexico, the Chihuahuan desert, the largest of the North American deserts and the Sonoran desert.
Central Mexico supports a variety of different trees on its three mountain ranges. In the higher forests there are more than 50 species of pine plus mahogany, zapote, ceiba, oak and cypress.
Coniferous and broad-leafed trees are found mainly in the states of Chihuahua, Durango, Jalisco, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guerrero.
Tropical rainforests are located in the states of Chiapas, Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco and Oaxaca. These include low jungles of evergreen broadleaf vegetation and tall deciduous forests combined with palms, mangroves and marshes.
Mangroves are particularly important. Mangroves are trees adapted to grow in and beyond the edge of salt water. Their roots form impenetrable barriers that hold silt and provide habitat for fish, birds and crocodiles.
But let’s talk about what you can do when you will come to a Mexico vacation if your interest is the wildlife.
For sure, Chiapas and its surrounding are one of the country's most attractive areas of outstanding natural beauty! Some of the most suggestive waterfalls are here! Lakes and rivers are everywhere, the climate is tropical and the rains help to keep these lands greens and prosperous!
The most impressive Chiapas waterfalls, which are close enough to other destinations of interests, so they can be included as part of a Mexico travel, are:
Misol-Ha (Near Palenque) - Agua Azul (Near Palenque) - El Chiflon (Near Comitan)
Fresh, clean blue waters follow the bed of the rivers giving life to all creatures and plants!
Amazing and colored birds cross the sky of this area of Mexico while in the deep jungle, lurks a solitary but marvelous mammal very difficult to be observe and unfortunately endangered, the jaguar. Sounds and songs of the forest come with the monkeys and tinted insects. The air is humid but alive…
Another rich natural part of Mexico is the Yucatan Peninsula. If offers multiple ecological activities and that puts people in an intimate touch with nature.
Most of the world’s rivers flow on the surface, but in the Yucatan Peninsula the water runs in underground rivers forming cavern and cave with stunning rock formations as stalactites and stalagmites. The crystalline rivers and caverns (the Cenotes) that dot the peninsula add a special mystery and offer opportunities for exploration and discovery.
Magnificent lagoons are the perfect home of flamingoes, crocodiles, pelicans, limulus, mantas and manatees (in danger of extinction!).
Virgin beaches along the Riviera Maya, embraced by The Great Mayan Reef and translucent waters offer the chance to snorkel or dive with friendly animals as dolphins, sea turtles and thousand of other colored fishes! If you want, you can visit Xel-Ha, just 10 minutes north of Tulum and 40 from Playa del Carmen, is considered one of the largest and most spectacular natural aquariums in the world.
The Whale Sharks come every year from June to September to procreate and to enjoy the warm waters between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.Ecological tours are organized all over the Riviera Maya,Cozumel,Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Cancun and most of all Holbox, to watch these enormous and innocuous sea mammals.
Talking about whales we can’t miss the spectacular natural show in Baja California.
The nutrient rich waters of the Baja California (thanks to the combination of the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean) are some of the most biologically rich on the planet, and host more endemic species than any other body of water in the world. The Sea of Cortez supports the largest and most varied population of whales in the world as well as one of the last sanctuaries for the endangered. Other important animals are the California sea lions, elephant seals, Dolphins, Giant manta rays and much more…
Staying in the north of Mexico, you can admire spectacular landscapes as the Barrancas del Cobre in the Chihuahua State. It is a system of ravines (that also originate one of the country’s most important hydrological systems) of great depth belonging to the Sierra Tarahumara. The system is enriched by enormous waterfalls like Piedra Volada and Basaseachi.
In the State of Coahuila, the protected valley of Cuatro Ciénegas appeal many biologist and tourist for its incredibly diverse complex of thousands of geothermal springs, endemic subspecies of flora and fauna, lakes and streams, extremely complex and little understood. This striking landscape is characterized by hundreds of azure freshwater springs, desert gardens and white gypsum dunes surrounded by mountains rising to 10,000 feet.
Always in the Northern part of Mexico, the Pinacate Volcanic Field in the state of Sonora is another must-see natural attraction of this huge Country! Usually we think of volcanoes as single mountains with a crater at the top. The Pinacates are a 30 mile wide volcanic field with many separate small volcanoes, rather than one giant volcano. For almost 4 million years beneath the earth, hot magma melted rock creating massive subterranean pools of intensely hot liquid slowly building up pressure far below the earth's surface. Created here is an area unique in all the world, with it's moon like craters over a mile wide, lava tubes, 'moon-scapes', black pumice soil, cinder cones and sleeping volcano's.
Regarding the volcanoes of Mexico, did you ever heard about the Popocatpetl?
The Popocatepetl, whose name is the Aztec word for “Smoking Mountain”, is the North America's 2nd-highest volcano. 70 km SE of Mexico City, the legends and myths created beyond this huge mountain are fascinating.
In the center of Mexico, another truly amazing place and natural spot to visit, in the state of San Luis Potosi, is the “Sotano de las Golondrinas”, that means "Cave of Swallows". It is one of the largest open air pits in the world.
With a distance of 1200 feet from the base of the cave to the upper rim, people have been able to perform stunts ranging from base jumping to landing a hot air balloon inside the cave, flying among vencejos, bats and parrots.
In the State of Oaxaca exists an impressive petrified waterfall which name is Hierve el Agua. The water descends full of minerals, and it runs off of the edge of the nearby cliff, calcium carbonate and magnesium in the water create a petrified waterfall. Hierve el Agua has been recognized as a probable sacred place of the Zapotecas.
Jumping from a Mexican state to another exploring nature, we need to stop in Morelia and Michoacan, because here, millions of butterflies arrive during the last months of the year after a trip of more than four thousand kilometers, from the forests of Canada and United States for reproducing and returning in April. An explosion of the life fills the sky of beautiful orange color and made the landscape magical.
The last (but not for the importance) natural treasure that I will mention in this article is the ecological park, El Arrecifal in Veracruz.
Within 20 minutes of the port of Veracruz are clear blue waters that have a wide variety of marine life, and historic places to dive (as Jacques Cousteau did). Considered a key-attraction for who wants to travel Veracruz, the El Tajín and the El Arrecifal in Veracruz offer beautiful corral systems with more than 30 coralline species and an extension to enjoy of more than 52 thousand hectares.
Complimenting all these Mexico natural wonders are fascinating pre-Columbian ruins, world-renowned cuisine and music, as well as warm and passionate people that bring smiles to even the most seasoned travelers. Without a doubt, Mexico has something for everyone, and adventure travel to Mexico is certainly a world-class destinationfor the adventure traveler.
Below the Mexico Natural Attractions Map to help you for your next itinerary-vacation in Mexico. You can also give you the chance to book many hotels in several Mexican destinations. Have a wonderful Travel to Mexico.
