Things to See at Tres Ríos
Tres Ríos Nature Park speaks for itself: the awe-inspiring natural expression of tropical life with its exotic flora and fauna. This slice of paradise has a little bit of everything: rainforests, jungles, mangroves, tropical plants and flowers, coastal dunes, cenotes, freshwater rivers that flow to the Caribbean Sea, exotic birds and animals, and a white sand beach bordering the Caribbean Sea. This part of the Caribbean is home to the second largest coral reef in the world – the great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef – with its spectacular, colorful fish and rare marine life.
This nature park is one of the few remaining natural habitats in the world protecting various species of threatened
plants and endangered animals. Indigenous plants are being reforested here, and native animals are offered the safety to propagate here. It is an inspiring microcosm of a once-flourishing macrocosm now on the verge of extinction from deforestation due to natural disasters, human encroachment, property development and resulting pollution.
Future Cultural Attractions
Tres Ríos Nature Park continues to develop and will expand its current attractions to include the Mayan Cultural Center, a museum of Maya history and cultural heritage. The cultural center will feature a traditional Mayan pueblo (village) with a fruit and vegetable garden and a milpa (cornfield), just some of the many cultural exhibits to come. Other future attractions and activities in development are a native bird sanctuary and canopy tours (zip-lining).
Access to Nature Park
Tres Ríos Nature Park is one of those rare, special finds, offering a variety of attractions that expose you to the region’s special cultural heritage and natural wonders.
Access to the nature park and related activities are exclusive to guests of Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & Nature Park. All sports gear, such as masks, visors, kayaks, and more, is also included at no extra cost.
Botanical Garden & Nursery
Tres Ríos’ botanical garden and nursery offers an incredible experience as you see and learn about regional plants and their related ecosystems, showcasing examples of the 120 species found in the nature park, including protected plant species in danger of extinction.
The nursery cultivates thousands of similar plants and trees for use in regional reforestation and resort landscaping. The preservation and propagation of México’s tropical rainforest and mangrove ecosystems is a primary objective of Tres Ríos.
Flora (Plants)
The park is endowed with an abundance of the Yucatan Peninsula’s indigenous plants. Over 120 plant species take root here, from jungle, mangrove, and dune species to endangered orchids and bromeliads (i.e., flowering plants).
Tres Ríos Plant Types:
- Jungle Vegetation
- Mangrove Vegetation
- Ecotone Vegetation (jungle to mangrove transition)
- Dune Vegetation
- Floral Species of the Yucatan Peninsula
- Endangered or Protected Jungle and Dune Plant Species
- Endangered or Protected Bromeliads and Orchids
Fauna (Animals)
Over 90 different animal species make the jungle, mangrove, and dune habitats of Tres Ríos Nature Park their home and may be seen during park tours, including reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Tres Rios Animal Types:
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
- Birds
- Mammals
- Soft Coral
- Stone Coral
- Marine Sponges
- Algae and Marine Pastures
- Benthos Organisms (e.g., starfish, anemones, oysters, etc.)
- Fish
Three Rivers
Tres Ríos Nature Park was named for its three rivers (“tres ríos”): the Rio Selva (Jungle River), Rio Pajaros (Bird River), and Rio Las Garzas (Heron River). The pure, clear water from these surface rivers flows through the rainforest and into to the Caribbean Sea, which is unique to the Yucatan Peninsula, a region in México where the Riviera Maya is located.
The nature park also has several, fascinating underground rivers that form a hidden labyrinth of tunnels and caves with water-filled passageways containing geological formations, such as stalactites, stalagmites, and columns. The underground rivers flow at different depths, some carrying freshwater from land to sea, while others carry saltwater from sea to land.
For more information on natural formations, see the page on cenotes.
Park Cenotes
The cenotes and rivers of Tres Ríos are special attractions of our nature park. Truly marvels of nature, cenotes are cave-like sinkholes formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock, which contain freshwater wells filled by underground rivers. The water is typically a beautiful, clear blue color with visibility that extends hundreds of feet down from the surface.
These underground rivers collected water as it filtered through miles of limestone and emerged to the surface as cenotes, natural gates to a submerged world that has contributed to regional myths and legends. Having nurtured Mayan civilizations for thousands of years as their primary water source, cenotes were regarded as connections to the spiritual world, a place for the soul to be cleansed.
The word “cenote” comes from the Mayan “Dzonot,” which means hole in the ground or well. With the arrival of Spanish colonists to the region, “Dzonot” evolved into “cenote” by the Spaniards and was commonly used to identify these deep openings with natural wells.
Intriguing Cenotes of Tres Ríos Nature Park:
- Cenote Manati (Manatee Cenote)
- Cenote Nuevo (New Cenote)
- Cenote Aguila (Eagle Cenote)
- Cenote Tortuga (Turtle Cenote)
- Cenote Escondido (Hidden Cenote)
- Cenote Orquideas (Orchid Cenote)
- Cenote Sabalo (Fish Cenote)
- Cenote Viejo (Old Cenote)
- Cenote Hondo (Deep Cenote)
- Cenote Limite (The Limit Cenote)
The Cenote Orquideas is one of the most beautiful cenotes at Tres Ríos. It is quite large; contains deep, clear water; and is surrounded by lush mangroves, on which many orchids and bromeliads (flowering plants) grow.
