Destination: Riviera Maya
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Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserve is a term Unesco uses to designate conservation projects that “encompass a mosaic of ecological systems.” In the case of the stunning 1.3 million-acre Sian Ka’an (whose name means “where the sky is born”), these include beaches, dunes, reefs, wetlands, mangrove swamps and tropical forest. It’s home to more than three hundred bird species, including pink flamingos and pelicans, as well as to jaguars, manatees, spider monkeys, crocodiles and turtles. The best way to visit is by booking an excursion through Community Tours, a local organization that is committed to preserving the area’s spectacular environment and working with the Mayan villages that are located within Sian Ka’an’s borders.
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