Las Coloradas Tours from Playa del Carmen

Las Coloradas tour options from Playa del Carmen

Shared tours are uncommon from Playa del Carmen because of the distance, so this is usually a private trip. If you only have one day, Cancún departures are easier, and two days is more comfortable. If you are weighing up a Las Coloradas day trip from Playa del Carmen, the practical question is how much of the day you want to spend on the road versus at the pink lakes.

The pink colour comes from algae and salt in the industrial salt-works, which make for striking photos on clear days. Swimming in the lakes is not permitted, and viewing is from the edges, so most visitors pair Las Coloradas with a boat tour at Río Lagartos.

• Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos on the same day, shared or private
• Las Coloradas as a photo stop within a longer coast route
• Private day with a flexible schedule and lunch in Río Lagartos

Pickup times & drive from Playa del Carmen

From Playa del Carmen we take highway 307 north to Cancún, join toll highway 180D to Valladolid and continue north via Tizimín to the coast. It is mostly fast road, but with more than 4 hours each way it is a very long day. A Playa del Carmen to Las Coloradas tour is mostly decided by the first hour, so we fix the pickup time around the opening time and the drive.

Valladolid is the break on the way, and Río Lagartos is the lunch and boat stop. The pink lakes are a short viewing stop, so the day is mostly driving, which is why we usually propose an overnight in Valladolid or Río Lagartos.

Sample itinerary from Playa del Carmen

This is a possible outline from Playa del Carmen; with about 9 hours of driving, a night near the coast is often a better choice.

• 5:15 – Hotel pickup in Playa del Carmen
• 5:30 – Drive via highway 307 and toll highway 180D
• 8:30 – Breakfast stop in Valladolid
• 10:00 – Continue to Río Lagartos
• 10:45 – Boat tour of the estuary
• 13:00 – Seafood lunch
• 14:15 – Visit Las Coloradas
• 15:15 – Drive back toward Playa del Carmen
• 20:30 – Drop-off in Playa del Carmen

Prices from Playa del Carmen

From Playa del Carmen the distance is very long, so a private vehicle is the main format and the price reflects a full day of driving. For a Las Coloradas tour from Playa del Carmen the biggest price drivers are the length of the drive, the number of people and whether entry fees and lunch are bundled.

What's included

These are the items we can usually arrange on a Las Coloradas tour from Playa del Carmen:

Access rules at the salt-works can change, so confirm on the day. The Río Lagartos boat is usually priced per boat and shown in your quote.

• Pickup and drop-off in Playa del Carmen at your hotel or an agreed meeting point (where pickup can be arranged)
• Air-conditioned vehicle and a local driver
• A local driver familiar with the Gulf coast route
• Bottled water on board
• The Río Lagartos boat tour if included in the format you choose

Tour vs. going on your own from Playa del Carmen

Whether this is the best Las Coloradas tour from Playa del Carmen for you depends on who is travelling and how much you value time. Las Coloradas from Playa del Carmen in a single day is a stretch, so if you want to do it, consider an overnight in Valladolid or on the coast. A tour at least removes the driving, but the hours are still long.

Other day trips from Playa del Carmen

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