San Felipe, Yucatán: Community-Based Tourism Among Mangroves and Wetlands
Nestled between mangroves, wetlands, and the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, San Felipe, Yucatán, is home to one of the state's most beautiful coastal landscapes. This small fishing village, located north of Tizimín, invites visitors to discover the rich biodiversity of the northern coast while learning how a local community has made conservation the heart of its tourism experience.
Bordered by the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve and the Dzilam State Reserve, two of the Yucatán Peninsula's most important protected areas, San Felipe is surrounded by seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, coastal dunes, and countless species that depend on these ecosystems to feed, breed, and migrate. A boat ride through its quiet channels, shaded by mangroves and alive with birds, reveals nature at its own pace. It's the perfect setting to slow down, observe, and appreciate that these remarkable landscapes exist thanks to the ongoing stewardship of the people who live here.
Community-based tourism in San Felipe
For generations, fishing has been the backbone of San Felipe's economy. Like many coastal communities around the world, however, declining fish populations have made the profession increasingly challenging over the past decade. In response, local residents came together to form cooperatives, embracing community-based tourism in Yucatán as a sustainable way to support their families while protecting their natural surroundings.
Local guides began to lead visitors on boat tours to several highlights of the region, including a scenic mangrove trail, Isla Cerritos—an island whose archaeological remains now provide habitat for numerous bird species—and Punta Nichili, a small island located less than a kilometer from the harbor. But these excursions are about much more than sightseeing. Every tour reflects a long-term commitment to environmental conservation and responsible tourism.
What began as a community effort to diversify local incomes has evolved into a thriving nature and adventure tourism project with more than a decade of experience. Through training programs, knowledge sharing, and joint promotion with Co'ox Mayab, a network of community-based tourism cooperatives across Yucatán, the San Felipe y Naturaleza cooperative has strengthened a model that benefits both visitors and residents.
Tourism now generates income for local families while supporting projects focused on ecosystem conservation and sustainable development. Cooperative members regularly participate in activities such as clearing mangrove channels and organizing eco-technology fairs. These initiatives help maintain healthy water circulation, preserve wildlife habitat, strengthen one of the region's most important natural barriers against hurricanes, and contribute to carbon sequestration.
What is community-based turism?
Discover community-based tourism in Yucatan with Co'ox Mayab. Enjoy sustainable travel experiences and directly support local communities.
More Than ecotourism: a living classroom
One of the most rewarding things to do in San Felipe, Yucatán, is to experience how closely tourism and conservation are connected. Every visitor helps support a model in which nature is not simply admired but actively cared for by the community that depends on it.
That combination of nature and knowledge is what makes a visit here so memorable. Rather than simply enjoying the scenery, visitors gain a deeper understanding of why mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and coastal dunes are essential for protecting the coastline from tropical storms and hurricanes while providing critical habitat for marine and coastal wildlife.
A visit to San Felipe can also become an opportunity to learn. Every boat tour, every conversation with a local guide, and every journey through the mangroves offers new insight into the importance of conservation and the role local communities play in protecting these ecosystems.
Environmental education in Yucatán
San Felipe has also become an important destination for environmental education in Yucatán. The local cooperative regularly works with student groups of all ages, transforming classroom lessons into hands-on field experiences through guided tours and conservation activities.
If you're an educator or student interested in marine ecosystems, coastal environments, or environmental management, Co'ox Mayab can help create a customized educational program that combines meaningful learning with direct support for the conservation of this extraordinary coastal landscape.
Perhaps that's San Felipe's greatest lesson: that the beach isn't only a place to unwind—it's also a place to discover how nature, local communities, and tourism can flourish together when respect for the environment becomes the true destination of the journey.
Let’s go to the Mayab!
Co’ox Mayab
Tel. 999 447 8395
IG: cooxmayab
FB: Co’ox Mayab
What is community-based turism?
Discover community-based tourism in Yucatan with Co'ox Mayab. Enjoy sustainable travel experiences and directly support local communities.
Text by:
Andrés Cuytún. UADY History major and Communication Assisstant at Co’ox Mayab.
Emilio Guevara. A graduate of UNAM's Coastal Management program. A nomad that is passionate about nature, social justice, and promoting collective well-being through community-driven initiatives.
Mariana Ramos. Communication Coordinator at Co'ox Mayab. Intercultural Management graduate from ENES-UNAM. Passionate about music and pop culture, and an advocate for fair and responsible tourism.
First published on the Yucatán Today website in August 2026.
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