Bioluminescence in Holbox, a sanctuary for fireflies and other natural spectacles to see in Mexico

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the middle of the ocean swimming with a harmless fish that is more than 12 meters long, or think about what a forest would look like illuminated by hundreds of yellow lights that seem to be stars fallen from the sky.

These events are not fiction, they are real facts, unusual phenomena of nature that I have had the fortune to witness in my country: Mexico.

Here are five spectacles of nature that are worth witnessing at least once in your life.

In search of humpback whales, queens of great wings

Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, a true beach paradise and a leading destination in Mexico according to the 2020 World Travel Awards, is the temporary home of humpback whales and an official zone for their sighting.

These specimens arrive in the seas of the Mexican Pacific between the months of December and March following a migratory route from Oregon (United States).

Their purpose is to take refuge in warm waters to give birth to their calves and mate.

They weigh up to 50 tons and measure up to 20 meters!

My starting point was Barra de Potosí, a small fishing village in the Mexican state of Guerrero with certified boats and guides who offer tours to go in search of these enormous mammals.

It is one of the most exciting adventures for a traveler and fulfilling the dream of seeing them is a spectacle that exceeds the limits of the imagination.

To locate them, they use hydrophones that capture their movements and sounds from seven kilometers away.

It's amazing!

Encounter with the whale shark in the waters of the Mexican Caribbean.mariel

Swim with the whale shark, the largest fish in the oceans

I will never forget the accelerated beat of my heart when I plunged my head into the sea and saw for the first time a whale shark, a marine giant that stands out with a grayish back with white spots.

How not to be amazed!

This ocean voyager can measure up to 18 meters in length and weigh more than 21 tons;

qualities that give it the title of being the largest fish in the world.

Also known as the

, it arrives in the warm waters of the Mexican Caribbean between the months of May and September, attracted by its favorite food: plankton, microscopic organisms.

According to The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the seas of Mexico are one of the most important population centers of

the scientific name of the whale shark.

Despite its massive appearance, it is peaceful and friendly, which allows you to swim by its side without any risk.

In Quintana Roo, located in the Yucatan peninsula, there are certified companies specialized in water sports,

such as Solo Buceo, which offer this experience.

Some of the instructions to follow are: you should not touch them or get too close, you should not use sunscreen and you have to take turns with the people who are in your same boat to experience this encounter gradually.

Visit the Sanctuary of the Fireflies, the fairies of the forest

Tlaxcala is the smallest state in Mexico, and also a favored destination for having enormous forests that are illuminated annually by small yellow lights that gently dance between the trees.

The magic of these green spaces is due to the fireflies that invade this area between July and the first days of August.

In the forests of the Mexican municipality of Nanacamilpa is the Sanctuary of the Fireflies. ADRIÁN MOEDANO

To witness this visual spectacle, it is necessary to reach the forests of the municipality of Nanacamilpa, the heart of the Firefly Sanctuary, a protected natural area where tours are offered.

The sighting of these beetles is due to the fact that in the rainy season they take the opportunity to mate and the flickering of the light emitted by the females is a courtship signal that they send to the males.

This is an experience as magical as it is touching.

In my case, I enjoyed it from start to finish.

And to do it in the best possible way, these are some of my recommendations: wear a raincoat, hiking boots, do not emit any artificial light (neither from cell phones or cameras), avoid making sudden movements and keep silent.

The migration of the monarch butterfly, the soul of the dead

One of the most impressive migratory phenomena on the planet is that of the monarch butterflies, and this can only be witnessed in Mexico.

Millions of these insects travel more than 4,000 kilometers from Canada and the United States to take refuge from winter in the forests of the State of Mexico and Michoacán, where the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is located, declared a world heritage site in 2008 by the Unesco.

Unfortunately, its population has been reduced between 22% and 72% during the last decade, which is why the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) incorporated last July the migratory monarch butterfly (

) into its

in the endangered category (there is only one other above it: critically endangered).

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The Threatened Journey of the Monarch Butterfly

The season arrives between the months of November and March and their migration is due to the fact that they seek to hibernate and reproduce.

Something unusual is that the butterflies that reach this protected area are the fourth generation of a series of Lepidoptera that reproduce, live and die on this long migratory path.

My recommendation is to visit the El Rosario sanctuary, in the magical town of Angangueo, located just over three hours by car west of Mexico City.

According to what a local guide who took me along the trails told me, the Purépechas named the monarch butterflies “the soul of the dead” because their arrival coincides with the celebration of the Day of the Dead in the country.

Bioluminescence on Holbox Island, stars fallen from the sky

As if a night kayak ride was not enough, on the Mexican island of Holbox there is a natural phenomenon called

bioluminescence that adds trails of light in the water while rowing.

This glow is generated by millions of living microorganisms that convert their chemical energy into light using an enzyme called luciferase.

I have had the opportunity to see bioluminescence on more than one occasion and my favorite site is the islets located next to the Las Nubes hotel.

There is a company called HolboXtrem with which to hire specialized kayaks and guides to experience this phenomenon.

The ideal is to do this activity on moonless nights or in spaces where artificial light does not break visibility.

One piece of advice: wear a white shirt that can be put into the water and spread out;

when stretching the fabric you will see an impressive concentration of these microorganisms.

There is no doubt that the white sand beaches and crystal clear waters of Mexico have great beauty, but for those travelers who want to see beyond the obvious, this Aztec land hides extraordinary secrets worth admiring.

Mariel Galán is the creator of

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