It's a dreamy 15 km stretch surrounded by lush mangrove vegetation. Its name derives from the Nahuatl words "manine" (crawling animal) and "tepetl" (place), which can be interpreted as "place of lizards."

The mangroves surrounding the lagoon are home to a wide variety of birds that nest in the mangroves, such as pelicans, seagulls, ibises, herons, spoonbills, cranes, jacanas, divers, and kingfishers, among others. You can also observe numerous wild animals such as raccoons, martens, deer, wild boars, foxes, and crocodiles, although the latter are endangered due to uncontrolled hunting.

Within the lagoon, there is a "magical" island called "Isla del Gallo," where, according to the legend told by the local fishermen, every December 24th, any man lucky enough will hear a rooster crowing at night.

At night, this lagoon offers an unforgettable spectacle as the slightest movement causes the water to glow in an intense blue color, due to the phenomenon known as bioluminescence. This is because the lagoon is home to millions of microorganisms that generate a chemical reaction to protect themselves.

This phenomenon is more easily observed from May to November, during the rainy season.

The lagoon has small beach areas where you can catch tilapia, snook, or catfish. 

There are restaurants, boat rentals, and kayaks available for tourist excursions in the lagoon.