Cuyutlan Turtle Sanctuary

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Just 30 minutes south of Manzanillo sits the small resort town of Cuyutlan. This tiny village offers a slower pace, miles of fine black sand and two very interesting and unique attractions - the Tortugario Ecological Center and the Salt Museum.

Your unhurried five-and-a-half-hour tour begins when you board your air-conditioned transportation and your guide shares the area's history and points of interest with you as you make your way out of the city and on to Cuyutlan.

Traveling through the countryside you'll pass coconut and banana plantations, as well as lush and colorful bougainvillea and hibiscus plants.

After you arrive in Cuyutlan, one of the first things you may notice is the black beach. Covered in fine black sand that's flecked with gold, what you see is crushed volcanic rock, which has eroded over centuries and embedded into the sand.

You first destination is the Museo de Sal or Salt Museum. We all know that salt is used to preserve and flavor food. But did you know that salt is the main ingredient in processing silver? When Spanish explorers first landed in Cuyutlan's lagoon, salt was considered so valuable a commodity that the struggle to control the salt flats continued over 200 years. (From the beginning of the colony in 1521 through the year 1800, it took one million tons of salt to produce over 14,200 tons of silver!) Today, salt is still a mined and as you leave town you may see workmen loading tons of bagged salt onto waiting trucks that will travel to market where the salt will be distributed all over the world.
The Salt Museum, housed in a century-old salt storage barn made from hand-hewn boards from palm trees, is a testament to the town's history. Among the displays is a diorama illustrating how salt is mined.

Next, is the Tortugario Ecological Center, where you'll learn how Mexico's largest turtle sanctuary is helping these endangered species thrive. Depending on the time of year (August to January) visitors can adopt and name a baby turtle ready to return to the sea. Your adopted baby turtle will then be released that same evening after dark. Nearby is a wildlife sanctuary; take a walk along the clearly marked path and see the migratory birds, iguanas and crocodiles that are protected in this natural landscape.

After your tour, you'll follow your guide to a local restaurant where you can relax with a drink and a delicious snack before driving through the natural wilderness back to your ship.