Community Tour of Isla Columpios and Chuburná by local fishermen in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula

This is the second post in a series on my trip with RISE Travel Institute. This past February, I joined students and alumni of the RISE Flagship Program for the RISE Experiential Journey (EJ) trip to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Partnering with Etnica Travel, RISE’s annual Experiential Journey (EJ) was an opportunity to explore what it means to travel in a way that is Responsible, Impactful, Sustainable, and Ethical.

During the week-long trip, RISE Travel Institute participants visited four community-led tourism initiatives showcasing the rich traditions, culture, history, and vibrancy of local and Indigenous communities. We also learned about the important and beautiful biodiversity of the region.

RISE travelers got to see the benefits firsthand of sustainable, community-based tourism (CBT). If done correctly, CBT can provide sustainable tourism income, conservation, and preservation of precious ecosystems and cultures to communities that are often left off the typical tourism map while affording travelers with some of the richest, most memorable experiences of a trip.

Chuburná

On the second day in the Yucatán, we set off to the tranquil fishing village of Chuburná located roughly 40 minutes south of Mérida near the town of Progreso, the Yucatán’s main port and the launching off point to the stunning yet relatively unknown (to tourists) Isla Columpios.

This rich mangrove ecosystem and group of small islands and sand banks on the coast were formed after the devastation of Hurricane Gilberto in 1986. The hurricane wiped out all the infrastructure and it took the community over 15 years to rebuild and recover, working with community leaders and local government to develop sustainable fishing practices and community-based tourism.

Today, the area is managed by four groups of fishermen and community leaders who work together as a cooperative to manage this rich ecosystem and ecotourism project. The cooperative ensures loyal competition among the fisherman including price regulation and effective conservation and management of this delicate ecosystem.

Leaving the port

After a forty-minute bus ride, our group arrived at the Costa Esmeralda (the Emerald Coast) named for the astonishing emerald tones of the water. We were greeted by brother-in-laws Armando and Luis, who are part of a collective of local fishermen offering guided ecotours of Chuburná and Isla Columpios through their small business, Kayak Kay Tours.

Our group was divided into two fishing boats and we set off into the turquoise blue waters to learn about the incredible mangrove ecosystem from our guides.  My guide, Luis has lived here his entire life and has a deep knowledge and love for the land.

Luis began our tour by telling our group more about the history of the community. Before the hurricane, most people relied on fishing and producing chalk. Yet when Hurricane Gilberto struck in 1986, the consequences to their small community were environmentally and economically devastating. The highway was completely ruined leaving the communities completely disconnected. Their incomes were destroyed and life was difficult.

Over time, the mangroves started to regenerate, and the elaborate system of mangroves, rivers, and water springs returned to life giving the local communities a chance to thrive once again as fishermen. Now tourism is also becoming a tool to keep the community together by creating extra income for the families. Thankfully the community realized that to do tourism in such a fragile environment, they had to do it right. They decided to employ eco-friendly practices that would not damage the ecosystem. These practices include regulating the food supplied during the tours to only biodegradable items to avoid plastic waste (ie. food wrappers and plastic bottles floating in the water) and adopting price regulations for the tours. They also educate all travelers on the importance of the ecosystem and how it works.

As we headed out to the mangroves, Luis told us about how mangroves protect the shoreline against hurricanes and act as a priceless ecosystem providing a habitat for nesting sea turtles and migratory birds. Mangrove forests are critical to climate change as they “capture massive amounts of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and then trap and store them in their carbon-rich flooded soils for millennia” (The Nature Conservatory).  That is why it is so important to conserve this precious ecosystem. It is also home to over 300 species of birds and if you are fortunate, you will see flocks of beautiful pink flamingos, white and brown pelicans, and more.

What touched me deeply about this experience was hearing firsthand from our Captain Luis how much he cares for and loves the mangroves. He works alongside his brother-in-law to share his deep love and connection for this magical place with guests. For us, the interconnectedness of the immense mangrove system and the way the fishermen work together as a community to ensure this place will be around for future generations was a beautiful thing.

After the mangrove tour, we spent the rest of the afternoon at Isla Columpios, a stunning place where we docked the boat, and enjoyed a lunch of freshly prepared ceviche made by our hosts and got to explore the mangroves firsthand by kayak.

One of the main reasons why this place is so unspoiled is because the only way that you can get there is by boat. And if you want to venture deeper into the mangroves, you cannot take a boat, you can only see it by kayak.

We learned that this area had recently been “discovered” by a YouTube video that went viral, and about the concerns surrounding conversation and over-tourism that may result from its new popularity. Yet, we all felt confident that the community-led initiatives and love for this special place will continue to protect it for generations to come.

Our guides, Armando and Luis preparing our lunch.

Already Luis and Armando and their families have seen a difference. They are using sturdier, higher-quality fishing boats that are made of carbon instead of wood. They are educating their children about the importance of conservation and instilling their love of this natural ecosystem with them in hopes that future generations will continue to protect it.

I asked Luis if he has a special relationship with mangroves and if so like what is it. He responded:

 One of the things that I strongly identify with is that I live in a completely natural environment. I know that some people may not appreciate living in such a remote place but at the end of the day, all of the resources that we use are completely natural except of course the motor for my boat. Aside from that, I rely on nature. Every time that I take a breath, I know that I’m breathing in clean air.

Luis continued:

I come from a family of generations of fishermen. And sometimes when they ask me what I do for work, it’s very hard for me to believe that what I do is work. Because sometimes I just come with my family or I just come with my friends and we start fishing because that’s what we do. That is how we feed our families and survive. But it is also something we love. We rely on nature, nature relies on us, so we need to become one with nature, we need to protect it. It’s very hard to put how I feel into words because there are no words to explain how I feel when I am in this beautiful and fragile ecosystem. It is my home.

If you go:

Armando and Luis are part of a collective of local fishermen offering guided ecotours of Chuburná and Isla Columpios through their small business, Kayak Kay Tours.  All proceeds go back to support their community and this precious ecosystem.

Fun fact: 

Did you know that mangrove forests capture massive amounts of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and then trap and store them in their carbon-rich flooded soils for millennia? This is an important ecosystem service as we face climate change. This buried carbon is known as “blue carbon” because it is stored underwater in coastal ecosystems like mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and salt marshes.” – Learn more by reading this article about why mangroves rock.