Progreso
 The secret is out! For years this port town was just a sleepy fishing village. Then in the 50's the Meridanos started building summer homes along the coast to get away from the scalding heat of tropical Merida during July and August. They also use the houses for two weeks at Easter. The other 10 months of the year the fishing villages along to coast are quiet and the beaches are beautiful and empty.
When you are in Progreso, be sure to give yourself time to stroll along the malecón. This 16-block seaside walkway is lined the entire way by a comfortable cement bench... well, okay, maybe its not that comfortable. But after a long walk, its more comfortable than standing! Its the best place in town for people watching, and its where the local families congregate in the evenings to visit, exercise and solve the problems of the world.
Things To Do
Celestun Biophere Reserve
This is one of the world's largest nesting grounds for the pink flamingo. You can take a boat trip on the "ria" and admire hundreds of flamingos and up to 320 species of birds. The boat will also take you through one of the passageways of the the mangrove swamps lining the estuary. There is also a refreshing cenote in which you can take a dip and a "petrified forest" which is really a forest of dead trees killed by seawater. Please remember that the flamingos' worst enemy is man and getting too close has a negative effect on them. When you're ready to eat go into town. There are alot of nice places to eat along the beach.
Address: Celestun - Western coast of Yucatan
Directions: 60 miles west of Merida on Route 281.
Visit the Mayan ruins at Dzibilchaltun
Dzibilchaltun offers a museum of the Mayan people, an archeological site, a park and a cenote (a sink hole). There's lots of room to stroll around and take pictures. Bring your bathing suit for a refreshing swim in the cenote:
Directions: Take the 261 from either Progreso or Merida. Watch for the signs. Dzibilchaltun is about 20 miles from Progreso, 9 from Merida.
Walk forever on the beach.
If you enjoy lots of privacy and solitude, you'll like walking for miles along the beach and meet very few people. You'll find lots of pretty seashells and may spot the occaisonal dolphin. This was the case in March, it's probably different in the summer when families are out in full force.
Check out rentals for your return.
Progreso is an area where peope return year after year. If you contact the rental agencies and give them your needs they can make arrangements to visit the homes while you're there. You may even meet people that rent privately.
Services in Progreso
Because Progreso is used both as a service town for locals as well as for tourists, it has everything one needs: large grocery store (called San Francisco's), internet cafes, the mercado (the market with fresh meat and vegetables, etc.), handicrafts (silversmiths, hand-made shirts & blouses, etc.), banks, ATM's, post office, drug stores, restaurants, hotels, bars, even a red light district and bus services.
The Pier at Progreso
The reason that cruise ships can now stop at Progreso is the recent construction of a 6 to 9 km long pier (every source seems to say it is a different length). This pier allows ships to dock -- primarily container ships, but also cruise ships.
They would normally not be able to get anywhere near the shore as there is a large bank of limestone (that is present throughout the Yucatan) that projects kilometers into the Gulf of Mexico.
Unfortunately, private vehicles or pedestrians are not allowed to go on the wharf.
The Malecón - downtown waterfront boulevard
The downtown Progreso beachfront is called the Malecón. There are a few thatched shelters, but mostly it is sand, water, seagulls, and the pier.
During July & August, this is a crowded place with fairs nearby, etc. but the rest of the time it’s a nice quiet beach. Warm enough for Canadians to swim (although locals only seem to swim when it’s above 90°F outside). The beach is great for long walks along the ocean. It is not as nice as the beaches in Cancun or the Mexican Riviera. There is more wind - especially in winter, plus the sand is not as fine.
The lighthouse
The lighthouse is very close to where the cruise ship buses drop off their passengers (Don't forget that the ship is a few kilometers from Progreso on the long pier).
The outdoor market is where all the booths are for the cruise ship passengers -- better to do your negotiating just before you get picked up to go back to the ship as the merchants know once you are on the ship, you are lost forever as a possible customer.
Vacation rental homes
Progreso, started out as a fishing village. There are fishermen - in small rowboats fishing just offshore.
About 50 years ago wealthy Mexicans started to build summer homes along the coast to get away from the heat of Merida during kid's summer holidays (July and August). In order to help pay for these homes, they started to rent them out during winter months.
Snowbirds from Canada and the northern US discovered Progreso as a winter home because of the cheap prices to rent a condo. The weather is a lot better than up north and the Yucatecan people have a "laid back" way of life. Don't move here if you are used to the bustle of New York.
Sunsets off Progreso's beach
In the summer months Progreso and most Yucatan towns have fairs on or near their Malecons. Progresos is across the street from the Malecon. Here you will find everything. Food, rides, jewerly, souvenirs. If you get tired you can go sit on the Malecon and watch the people walk and drive by. Great for the kids!!
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