Wildlife· Bahía Tenacatita· Mexico
Tenacatita Mangrove River Dinghy Trip
19° 18.0′ N · 104° 50.4′ W · approximate
The legendary 'jungle river' (Boca de Río Las Iguanas): a self-guided dinghy trip of about two miles up a mangrove estuary that narrows until you pull yourself along overhead branches, past egrets, herons, iguanas, coatimundi and red crabs, to palapa restaurants on a lagoon at the far end.
Practical
Position approximate: the river mouth at the west end of the anchorage beach, from the OpenStreetMap coastline. Cross the bar in front of the lagoon with care: extreme low tides can leave it high and dry, and larger dinghies may need help over it; inside depths are 4-15 ft in the main channel. Ride the flood in and the ebb out and you can drift silently with paddles for steering. The first third is wide; then the channel narrows to one dinghy's width with mangrove walls — give way to tourist pangas. The far end opens into a shallow lagoon behind the village of El Rebalsito, with palapa restaurants and a short walk across to the Pacific beach and the Aquarium snorkel. Be back out before dark and the no-see-ums. A 2011 report found an armed guard discouraging landing at the old dock during the land dispute; check current status.
Best for
The best wildlife dinghy trip on the Costalegre
Nearby
- Bahía Tenacatita Anchorage0.2 NM away
- Tenacatita Cruiser Raft-Up and Bocce0.2 NM away
- Red Tide and Water Clarity (Costalegre)0.8 NM away
- Tenacatita Whale and Dolphin Watching0.8 NM away
- Boca de Iguanas Beach1.2 NM away
- Tenacatita Aquarium Snorkel2.3 NM away
- Bahía Azul Restaurant (La Manzanilla)3.1 NM away
- La Manzanilla Crocodile Sanctuary3.1 NM away