A 346-acre ecological reserve located on Mexico’s northern Yucatan Peninsula has been listed for sale at a price of £87 million, making it one of the most expensive private estates ever offered in the country. Known as El Cuyo, the property features four miles of beachfront and is home to diverse wildlife, including sea turtles, dolphins, flamingos, and spoonbills.
El Cuyo lies approximately two and a half hours by road from Cancun and has been under the care of Mexican landscape designer Mónica Hernández Ramírez, 75, and her husband, Aníbal González Torres, 81, an architect and painter from Seville, Spain. The couple purchased the land three decades ago at significant cost, initially investing in what was then a deteriorated coconut farm. The region had suffered a severe outbreak of a plant disease in the 1990s that devastated coconut palm populations across the Yucatan, leading to the affected trees being removed by the military.
Following the destruction of the coconut palms, Hernández Ramírez and González Torres chose to restore the land’s natural state, inspired by frequent sightings of migratory birds such as flamingos and spoonbills. Over time, native vegetation regenerated, creating a thriving habitat for local wildlife. The couple emphasize the property’s untouched nature, pointing to the absence of permanent buildings and the presence of a white-sand road as features that contribute to its remote and pristine environment.
Both owners have expressed a strong commitment to conservation, describing El Cuyo as a unique sanctuary where guests can encounter multiple species of turtles alongside seasonal dolphin visits. González Torres noted that his attachment to the estate’s beach is so profound that he no longer frequents the shores in his native Spain.
The couple has secured government approval to develop a luxury residential project at the site under stringent ecological guidelines. The proposed development, designed in collaboration with Casa e Progetti, includes plans for 64 Mayan-inspired villas. Each villa would span approximately 5,000 square feet with four to five bedrooms, set on plots ranging from 2.5 to 6.9 acres, and feature private beachfronts of about 328 feet. Planned architectural elements include oval, open-air layouts with wooden frames, stone walls, and traditional thatched roofs made from palm or grass, emphasizing the use of reclaimed natural materials and renewable energy sources.
Due to their advancing age, the owners have decided to put El Cuyo and its approved development plans on the market. Hernández Ramírez expressed hope that future buyers would share their dedication to environmental stewardship, stating that residents should embrace the role of guardians of nature. The sale presents an opportunity for conservation-minded investors or ecologists to acquire a rare parcel of coastal wilderness along Mexico’s Caribbean shore.