No. 109 Mayapán Walled City

The walled city of Mayapán is known as the “Maya People Flag” and it is considered the last great Mayan Capital City. It is a 1.5 square miles area with around 4,000 structures.

Its beginnings go back to the start of our times, reaching its glory in the Post-Classic Period (1200 – 1450 a.C.). It is believed that this city had a population of 12,000 inhabitants. It was founded by the cocom group, whom experts relate to the so-called Maya-Tolteca culture. It was host of the “Mayapán League”, a confederation that gathered Uxmal and Chichén Itzá chiefs. The disputes over the control ended with the itzáe people defeat, who were governors of the region. They escaped towards Petén, where they founded the city of Tayasal. Hegemony of the League was in effect from that moment (late 13^th century) by cocome people from Mayapán, although with a strong opposition from inhabitants of other Mayan kingdoms in the Peninsula. Such alliance seems to have been dismantled around 1440, when cocomes abandoned the square and settled in Sotuta.

Worthy of admiring is the work of their expert sculptors, which can be distinguished from the considerable number of pieces of modeled stucco, reflecting the high quality of their artworks. It is worthwhile to highlight the mural paintings, where you can see scenes of war and events related to the worship to Death, what makes evident the cultural relation with the Altiplano from Central Mexico.

The city of Mayapán was built resembling Chichén Itzá. Its main buildings are a copy of the ones of the itzáes capital city. The construction style included elements of the architecture from central Mexico, combined with features inherited from ancient Mayan cities. However, with the Chichén decline, Mayapán developed its own style, focused on the reprocessing of ancient shapes. Its main building is called El Castillo (The Castle), and it is a pyramid base of 9 departments with a height of 49.2 ft, where an interesting light and shadow phenomenon takes place during the winter solstice (December 21^st), identical to the one in Chichén Itzá.

You can also see civic, administrative, and religious buildings, as well as residences from the governing social class. There are buildings constructed over foundations that have aisles with columns, temples, and oratories with an altar at the bottom and sidewalks on the sides. There are round buildings which are also representative and known as Observatories and the small sanctuaries.

It is in the southern part of the State of Yucatán, on mile 27.9 of Mérida-Acanceh freeway, on the same direction of the so-called Convents Route.

This micro company comprised by a group of Yucatecan Mayan women devoted to the rescue, production and elaboration of products derived from the Melipona bee (beecheii) and herbology from the Xcunyá community, located 20 minutes away from Mérida. The experience in the world of the Melipona bees (without sting), which are considered sacred, and have been harvested since the Pre-Hispanic times, starts guided by the expert and charismatic Doña Anselma Chalé, discover this fascinating world of Mayan bees or xunaan cab, starting the tour at the botanical garden with the explanation related to plants, arriving quickly to a recently built wooden palapa with palm roof, where you can see small wooden boxes where bees get in and out in their trip to collect honey, nectar and pollen. If you are lucky and patient, you will see the inner part of the hives, and will taste this precious, sweet liquid which is considered to have medicinal properties.

Different species live together and produce harmonically with the lush vegetations surrounding the property. Continue the experience in the shop, where you will find products like sweets, creams, soaps, pure honey, and propolis. For herbology lovers, there is a botanical garden with local flora, perfect for improving your knowledge, as an additional piece of information, in this beautiful community called Xcunyá, you can find a gothic church.

Less than 50 ft of depth, and just 22 nautical miles from the port of Sisal, you can see the remains of a Dutch warship which sunk in a storm on February 6, 1722. The warship is known as “Madagascar Canyons”, as reference of the place where is located, at the Madagascar Reef, and after 300 years under water, is partially buried under 5.9 inches of coral. Surrounded by a beautiful and vibrant macrofauna, “Madagascar Canyons” is linked to animals, plants, and corals that will distract you from the 12 iron cannons 8.2 ft long, and almost 2 ft of diameter, and some other remains of the wreckage, like cannon balls, ceramic fragments, and brass remnants used in the ship construction.

This new experience of scuba diving at the sea is available on certain seasons of the year, with certified instructors and nature guides. When plunging, you will find a real subaquatic marine paradise, with the beauty of the sea bottom, a vast variety of fish, seashells, and sea turtles; on sunny days, with the sun lighting everything, you will be able to observe the sea bottom. The best part is that in Yucatán, most of the time is sunny, so you will not have to worry for this circumstance.

To finish this activity and recharge energy, you can enjoy a fresh ceviche and a delicious coconut, which you can eat while going back to the shelter port.

Xooch cenote is, without doubt, one of the most special in the eastern part of the State, and unique in Yucatán due to it large size, with a water mirror of approximately 196.8 ft of diameter, and the lush nature surrounding it. To get to the beautiful Xooch cenote, you must ride a bike for 3.1 miles, starting from Cenotillo center, up to the cenote. Most of the road is plain, so it is not exhausting, besides, you will be surrounded by lots of flora, so you do not have to worry about the sun; however, if you like to feel a little more of adrenaline, just before arriving to the cenote, the pathway becomes a little rocky.

When getting to the tourist look-out, you will decide if you want to relax a little in a small resting area in a palapa, to recover energy, or you can immediately change and enjoy the cenote as most of the time as possible.

To access the cenote, you will go down through vertical stairs 49.2 ft long; inside the cenote, you can get into a big raft with your companions and go on a tour along the cenote, the staff will point out the most important features within the cenote. Another activity you can do is to jump on one side of the cenote from a Tarzan-like rope, feel safe doing these activities, as all the time you will be oriented to do them properly and without any risks.

Once you have jumped from the Tarzan-like rope, enjoy the crystalline waters that will wonder you; the size of the cenote is impressive, you will have lots of time to explore it and swim around. Moreover, you will surely have the opportunity to watch the Turquoise-browed Motmot (Toh in Maya language) and listen to its singing. This bird was one of the royalty’s species from the bird kingdom in Mayan lands.

Practice yoga in front of the sea. Breathe at the rhythm of waves and connect with nature through a deep, body, mind, and soul experience.

Enjoy a multilevel practice of Hatha and Vinyasa from a special elevated platform in the Yucatán coast.

Strengthen and stretch your body, as well as you mind and emotions.

It is a construction, representative of the Porfiriato period in México. It has eclectic architecture with an inclination to the neoclassic. There are beautiful gardens and terraces, fruit trees, and gorgeous flowers. Learn about the history of this house, its builders, and the Montes Molina family.

Inside Montes Molina House-Museum you can see European furniture, Carrara marble floors, valuable Baccarat and Murano crystal lamps, ancient clocks, Art Decó pieces, porcelain and alabaster sculptures, family’s china, and all kinds of furniture, ornaments, and antiques.

Chambers and bathrooms are elegant with European touch, a strong influence in those times. In the basement, you can see the kitchen, laundry room, warehouses, ancient wine cellar, and service people rooms.

Finished around 1902, this magnificent manor became property of the Montes Molina family in 1915, and it has been preserved with all its original furniture from those times, through the four generations who have lived and still live there.

Visitors who want to transport themselves to the Golden Era in Yucatán, should walk along Paseo Montejo, main avenue in that period, and watch the sumptuous constructions of rich landowners, henequen landowners, and merchants.

In Mérida, this is the only house preserved as it was originally, which is open to public.

Chukum Hacienda is a new adventure destination near Valladolid, Yucatán. It has a cenote of 131.2 ft of diameter called Chukum-Ha due to the chukum trees surrounding the area. The park offers visitors numerous activities full of adrenaline, an open restaurant with Yucatecan traditional cuisine, and a souvenir store where you can find a wide variety of traditional Mexican handcrafts.

The underground cenote from the Chukum Hacienda Park has three natural openings in the vault that allow sunlight to illuminate its turquoise waters, it offers several activities full of adrenaline for visitors, like zip-lines, three diving platforms of different heights that go from 3.2  to 13.1 ft over the water; besides, Chukum-Ha has a rope swing and a rappel experience of more than 59 ft that goes from one of the openings on the cave towards water.

After enjoying the warm waters and the restaurant’s buffet under s spectacular palapa in the Hacienda, you can go to the Chukum Hacienda shop, which is very near, to buy a souvenir or a handcraft.

Experience camping and enjoying nature staying in a glamping accommodation, with all the amenities of a boutique hotel. Glamping is a unique accommodation experience that combines contact with nature in a rustic camping, with luxury services and amenities of a 5-star hotel.

Hameki takes you to visit three beautiful cenotes in Homún village, located within the cenotes’ ring, one of the most important areas in Yucatán. Go on an adventure to discover grottoes and cenotes in an underground system, where you can see stalactites and stalagmites of hundreds of years, as well as crystalline waters, where you can swim. On the other hand, you can swim in a nice pool of natural stones, or rest in a comfortable hammock or sunbed. Enjoy the company of your family or friends while doing activities for all ages: board games, balls, swings, tumbling, and many more.

If you want to leave behind daily stress, you can enjoy a relaxing massage providing you with total comfort.

Another way to making your body feel better is through meals, the restaurant offering international food will delight you and you will also be able to taste your favorite traditional dishes from the region. They also have a special vegan menu. Finish the day admiring the stars by a bonfire, while you roast sausages and marshmallows.

It includes a luxury glamping tent, pool, and use of facilities. It is recommended to wear a swimming suit, comfortable clothing, and shoes.

Cultural survival of the use of products derived from bees without a sting among Maní inhabitants is firmly underpinned due to their participation and handling of indigenous herbology, mainly by women. Melipona bees without a sting represent “environmental health” for ecosystems of Maní village, as they actively form part of the pollination processes of most of the flower plants.

One of the places with an extensive surface, trees with flowers all year long, like jabín, oak, dzidzilché, among others is the Melipona apiary called U Naajil Kaab (bees’ house), a site considered as one of the greatest examples of harvesting rescue of the Melipona bee in Yucatán.

This tourist attraction surrounds you with lush nature, Mayan huts where you can personally learn about this insect considered as sacred, and their products or honey is thought to have medicinal properties and a myriad of uses.

The concept of jobón or ancient trunks where bees nest, reproduce, and preserve their honey is clearly illustrated in this experience guided by an expert.

It includes a local guide, visit to the apiary, tour around the facilities. It is recommended to make a reservation by phone call or social media.

Progreso de Castro is located 30 minutes away from the city of Mérida.

It is a municipality with a wide variety of tourist attractions, characterized by its beautiful beaches visited by local, national, and foreign visitors who arrive into the Cruise Terminal every week. The bordering area of Progreso Port is known as Ría Progreso, and forms part of the Estuaries and Mangroves State Reserve in the North Coast of Yucatán. In this place, you can watch varied species of mangroves, birds, fish, as well as human activity, as it is surrounded by marinas, shipyards, and nautical companies.

This area, known as estuary, is where allis shad or tarpon recreational fishing takes place. It must be in shallow and quiet waters, using rotating rods to hook fish. Once the tour starts, in less than 10 minutes, with the proper technique and good conditions, you can catch your first allis shad fish. Another fish species you can find are spotted sea trout, snook, and barracuda, among other species.

It includes a 25 ft vessel, lifejackets, water, ice, Gatorade beverages, fishing guide, and vessel’s captain.

It is recommended to make a reservation by phone call or social media.

Are you ready? Do not miss this unique experience and visit this lovely port in a bike tour. Go along the different landmarks of El Cuyo, accompanied by your family, couple, or friends. You will see gorgeous landscapes, multicolor bird species, and the vast biodiversity that lives there. The beach is one of the most beautiful in the country, due to the turquoise blue of the sea, and the green vegetation. Either if it is to gather with friends or family, or to explore new territories, riding a bike is something everybody likes, you just need enthusiasm for pedaling, releasing stress, exploring, and having fun. If you do not have a bicycle, do not worry, the tour already includes it, and you get it at Casa del Ritmo (Rhythm House).

This warm place is located at El Cuyo, which offers serenity and harmony with the sea breeze, Caribbean music, fresh ceviche, and fish, you can rest in a hammock, surrounded by palm trees, with a cold coconut in your table, a complete relaxation ambiance. It has two air-conditioned rooms, hammock area, restaurant, and night musical events, previously booked.

It includes a bicycle and a local guide. It is recommended to wear comfortable clothing, sunscreen, and ecological repellent.

Kaan Ac Hacienda, built in the 16th century, is located in the Magic Town of Valladolid. It has a unique architecture in the region, surrounded by the most extensive and preserved Yucatecan jungle, it has large gardens, terraces, and a chapel for religious events of small groups. Nowadays, it offers accommodation in comfortable rooms, each one of them is decorated with wooden furniture, valuable antiques, canopied beds, chairs, and tables, which will make you feel as a king; of course, inside the rooms you will find comfortable and luxury conditions. This tourist site has areas for reading, cultural activities, and an atmosphere full of nature, and art; with anticipation you can get assistance to improve the tourist experience.

It offers events organization services like baptisms, weddings, anniversaries, and meetings; “El Filibustero” restaurant has a menu of regional, national, and international food, apart from beverages. Nature, history, and Mayan culture in just one ideal place to rest.