Once a place of prosperity for the henequen business—a plant used to make a coarse, thick cloth for ropes, bags, and other things—at one point, Merida was home to millionaires who built enormous mansions for themselves. Nowadays, these buildings are used for different purposes, from businesses like banks and coffee shops to housing museums. One…
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Evangelism is an essential chapter of Mexican history, which is why the country is full of centuries-old religious buildings, and the San Bernardino de Siena Monastery, in Valladolid, Yucatan, is one of the most important. Still active as a church, it’s also a museum to learn about this place and places such as this; from…
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Contrary to the big hotels and resorts on the beaches of the Riviera Maya, in central towns like Valladolid, they tend to be smaller but—some would say—with a lot more personality. Meson del Marques Hotel, for instance, used to be a mansion of impressive dimensions which was turned into a hotel over 50 years ago.…
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The Yucatan peninsula is chock-full of exotic wildlife which includes species not found in any other regions of the country. Many fall victim to the animal black market or other kinds of animal trafficking for the purposes of entertainment, such as circuses. Fortunately, places like the Vallazoo Zoo, near Valladolid, do all they can to…
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Perhaps one of the reasons the Riviera Maya is so popular is the things to see and do it offers visitors with a wide variety of interests. While some are looking to socialize at the trendiest beaches, bars, and resorts, many others want to learn more about Mexican history and culture. There’s so much to…
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There are a few cenote tours in the town of Cuzama with which you can visit some local cenotes with different characteristics. The Cuzama Cenotes tour begins at Chinkanan, a former henequen hacienda. Here you’ll board a “truck”—a small wagon on rails pulled by a horse—and tour three cenotes along five miles of wilderness. Cuzama…
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Cenotes are all shapes and sizes, and the one at Chooj-Ha is simply impressive. When you factor in a couple of extra activities this place offers, it makes it an unskippable stop. The facilities around Chooj-Ha Cenote The Chooj-Ha cenote has pretty basic facilities, but they’re everything you need: changing rooms, bathrooms, and showers. There’s…
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The road to the Kankirixche Cenote 30 miles from Merida, Yucatan’s capital city, Kankirixche cenote is not the easiest to get to. The signage is all right (that wasn’t always true), but a narrow, one-lane dirt road in the middle of the wilderness separates the highway from the cenote’s entrance. Just be patient and careful.…
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The Riviera Maya is peppered by cenotes and the location of some is very convenient. The Hubiku cenote, close to Yucatan’s city of Valladolid, is right on the way to and from Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and other, smaller archeological sites. It’s a perfect stop before or after spending the day touring the Mayan ruins…
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The beautiful island Holbox has been inhabited by the Mayan people since before the Spanish Conquest. Its name comes from the Mayan language and means black hole. However, this slice of paradise could not be further from such a thing: thousands of tourists flock to this place every year due to its sandy beaches, tranquil…
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