Punta Xen Turtle Beach Walk

The trailhead is the Campamento Tortuguero Punta Xen at km 32 of the Champoton-Sabancuy road, reachable by buses on Federal Highway 180 that stop at the turnoff followed by a 1 km walk to the beach, or by car about 45 minutes south of Champoton; no fee is charged for the beach walk itself, though the turtle camp asks for a voluntary donation for evening releases. The route covers 5 km out and back along the firm sand at the tide line of one of Mexico's most important hawksbill turtle nesting beaches, entirely at sea level and with no elevation change. The sand is generally firm and easy walking at the tide line, though softer and more tiring higher up the beach, and there is no shade anywhere along the route. The camp's marked nest corrals are the main landmark, and walkers should not enter these areas; the turn-around point is typically wherever the marked corrals end or time allows, since the beach continues well beyond a comfortable walking distance. Pelicans and skimmers work the surf along the entire route, and between April and September the camp hosts evening hatchling releases around 19:00, timed to low light to reduce gull predation, with a request that visitors avoid white light after dark. There is no water source, shelter, or facilities along the beach beyond the camp itself, so supplies should be carried for the length of the walk.