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"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people,
you might better stay home."
James Michener
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Attractions
All of the following areas, except Uxmal & Campeche, are within a two hour dive from Valladolid; most of them are less than one hour and make for a very easy day-trip. We have not included any information or suggestions on Cancun, Isla Mujeres or the Mayan Riviera since most guide books have more than enough information about them. Once you see the Yucatan outside Merida, you will feel you are in a strange land. The Yucatan is even foreign to other Mexicans. The food is different, the customs are different, the launguage is different, the dress is different and the people are different. To this day, many locals identify themselves first as Yucatecos or Mayas and only then, almost as an after-thought, as Mexicans.
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| Valladolid |
| Dzitnup |
| Balamkanche |
| Chitchen Itza |
| Yaxunah |
| Cobá |
| Tulum |
| Ek Balam |
| Cuyo & Rio Lagartos |
| Isla Holbox |
| Izamal |
| Merida |
| Uxmal & Campeche |
Colonial Churches
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| Things To Do: |
In addition to the normal tourist activities of exploring the ruins, checking out the churches, caving, cave diving, shopping, birdwatching, etc., there is a rare opportunity in this region to actually interact with the indigenous Mayan people in the small villages surrounding Valladolid. Casa Hamaca can help take you places where only experienced anthropologists and archaeologists usually visit. You can experience and learn some of the authentic Mayan culture.
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| Mayan Plant Medicine |
| Weave a Hammock |
| Mayan Cooking |
Valladolid...the Heart of the Mayan World (Mundo Maya)
Casa Hamaca is located in Valladolid at the center of the Mayan world. Valladolid is surrounded by 5 major Mayan ruins (Chitchen Itza, Cobá, Tulum, Ek Balam and Yaxunah) and, literally, uncounted lesser ones. It's also surrounded by hidden caves and lush cenotes (the only source of ground water for most of the Yucatán), tropical birds and exotic jungle plants. But most of all, Valladolid is surrounded by the living Maya people, whose descendants built the surrounding pyramids and who still live much as their ancestors did. Area maps are found under at the Resources page.
The Yucatán is a fascinating place for anyone interested in the Maya world; in caves and cave diving; in birds, plants and the natural world; in spiritualism and shamanism; and in the history of the Conquistadores and the Spanish attempted-domination and settlement of the Yucatán peninsula.
Warning: if Cancun nightlife is your idea of a good time, then Valladolid and the Yucatán might not be for you. Check out Miami Beach or Las Vegas.
Valladolid was founded by the Spanish Conquistadores in 1543 on the site of the ancient Maya city of Zaci. This was a common practice of the Conquistadores since existing Maya cities usually had a dependable water supply as well as ready-to-use building materials when the Maya temples, pyramids and other structures were torn down to provide already dressed stone blocks. The local people were also to continue to grow crops to support the newly-arrived Spanish and to further serve them as necessary.
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The fountain at the main square, Valladolid
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Valladolid was once the capital of the Yucatán and is the third largest city in the state of Yucatán. It is almost exactly halfway between Cancun and Merida and their respective international airports. Car rental agencies are located at both airports. A modern, high-speed toll road connects Cancun with Merida and has an exit directly to Valladolid. Or enjoy the more leisurely old road that passes through rustic Maya villages. Bus service is México is among the best in the entire world. You can get from just about anyplace in México to any other place, efficiently and inexpensively. Valladolid is served by both first class and more traditional bus service to Cancun, Merida and many other local destinations.
Valladolid has a cathedral as well as five historic churches. Another decommissioned church holds a museum filled with both pre-hispanic and historic materials. The Municipal Building on the main square has some amazing murals depicting regional Mayan history. Within a block or so of the main square are numerous shops selling clothing, handicrafts and artifacts. There are also vendors in the square itself, especially on the north side of the square, selling dresses, napkins and various other handicrafts. The Cenote Zaci along with the restaurant of the same name is located a few blocks from the main square...it's worth the walk to see it. I have seen numerous swimmers in the cenote, but do not recommend swimming there since all of the cenotes in the Yucatán are interconnected and there have been reports of both skin irritation from the water as well as parasites. Swim the cenotes at your own risk since almost none of them have lifeguards. A few short blocks beyond brings you to the municipal market...best experienced very early in the day when the farmers bring in their produce to sell.
Valladolid has a number of very good restaurants. But your choice of good cuisine is limited to Yucatecan food or sea food. There are Chinese and Italian and Lebanese restaurants as well as restaurants serving "Continental"...all that I have tried come up short. In fact, I have not found a restaurant that I can recommend that serves really good "Mexican" food (whatever that is)...with the exception of some of the chicken take-out places. They are pretty good. The food served at the municipal market that I have tried is excellent...but is country food (which I love) including cochinita pibil (pork wrapped in banana leaves and baked underground), hot atole and roast suckling pig. The ambiance might be too much for delicate stomachs. But if you ever visited the old Les Halles in Paris or the old Fulton Fish Market in New York City and enjoyed the food, you might love it here. The food stalls around the main plaza (zocalo) are also good. See which stands the locals are patronizing and get in line. If you want you cochinita pipil or your lechón (suckling pig) without innards like liver and whatever else might be there, be sure to tell them "puro carne" (all meat)...you might even ask for cochinita or lechón "light"...yes, you can use the word "light"...many of the vendors will understand and serve meat without the fat that often comes attached to it.
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Dzitnup
The Cenotes at Dzitnup are located a few miles outside of town on the free-road to Chichen Itza. The cenote on the left hand side of the road is the best known, but the one on the right hand side is even more interesting. The cenotes on the left is said to be the most photographed in Mexico since is is an underground dome pierced by a small opening through which beams of sunlight, birds and butterflies enter this subterranean world. The other cenote also has sky window. Swimming is allowed both cenotes, but suntan oil and lotion as well as other body chemicals are not allowed since they will pollute the water. Local kids will offer to watch you car while you go underground. Ask them how much to watch the car and ask for a name. Tell them you will pay them when you are ready to leave if everything is OK. And be sure to give them whatever you agreed to give them. It seems that these kids never go to school, but most of them do...and then come here to work the parking lot and seperate some pesos from the tourists. They are cute kids and fun to talk with, but make sure your car is locked.
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Balamkanche
Further along the road to Chichen Itza is the sacred cave of Balamkanche. The local Maya have known of its existence for hundreds of years, but it was not until recent times that the site was "discovered" by a non-Maya and opened to the public. The cave has been in use as a sacred ceremonial site for hundreds of years and is still filled with the jars, incense burners and matates that were brought there as aids to worship.
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Chichen Itza
And then, of course, there is Chichen Itza. The "Castillo", or main pryamid at Chitzen Itza is probably the most recognizable structure in México and one of the most recognizable in the world. The site is regarded as one of the "new" Seven Wonders of the World and should not be missed. Chichen Itza has been extensively restored, but there are still many parts that look as they did when outsiders first discovered this ancient city. A short walk on the paths south of the cleared area could get you lost, but could also allow you to experience the thrill of discovery. If you go off the beaten path, use caution: take a compass and water and let someone know where you are heading. Its almost 20 kilometers of thick jungle before you might reach the next village of Yaxunah. Casa Hamaca is near enough so you can arrive hours before the tour busses show up...and so that you can experience and photograph the site in solitude.
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Yaxunah
About 20 kilometers directly south of Chichen Itza is Yaxunah. From the top of the main pyramid at Yaxunah, you can see the Castillo at Chichen Itza. But you can't see the main pyramid at Yaxunah from the top of the Castillo. You can't see it because the huge site at Yaxunah is almost all overgrown with trees, plants and bushes. A few years ago, an American university was allowed to map and begin excavation, but something happened and the Méxican government agency charged with overseeing all the ruins and archaeological sites in México closed the site down. All the trenches were back-filled and the site was abandoned. Yaxunah is the western terminus of the 100 kilometer sac be (or white road) running between Cobá and Yaxunah. The road runs in a straight line between the ancient cities and was built hundreds of years ago as a commercial and communications link between them. The roads are called "white roads" because of the building materials used to make them... white limestone sand and gravel. The Yaxunah area is filled with hidden cenotes, abandoned haciendas and unexcavated ruins. But you need a local guide to find almost anything...there are no signs here and few guidebooks even mention the area. We can hook you up with reliable local guides there.
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Cobá
Cobá can be reached from Valladolid by taking the free-road east until the turn-off just before Chemax...just follow the signs. It's a easy drive without too much traffic. The drive sometimes offers wildlife views that are often difficult to find elsewhere. Many of Cobá's structures are different than those of the rest of the Yucatán. They are more like the towering pyramids of Tikal in Guatemala. And the experience is much more of a Indiana Jones experience than a Walt Disney one. Jungle paths connect the structures. The thick jungle blocks distant views so that huge structures suddenly leap out of the jungle to startle you with their existence.
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Tulum
Continuing east from Cobá is the unique ocean site of the Mayas...Tulum. The structures at Tulum are not as imposing as those at other sites, but the location on an ocean cliff is worth the trip. Just north of Tulum, on the tourist-filled Mayan Riviera are the Walt Disney-like experiences of Xcaret and Xel Ha.
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Ek Balam
Going north from Valladolid, through the small town of Témozon, take the right turn-off with the signs to Ek Balam. The main pyramid is higher than the Castillo at Chichen Itza and, in volume, is one of the largest in the Americas, but you will have the site almost to yourself. The site is just beginning to be publicized and more than one tour bus in the parking area is a surprise. The first time I was there, on a Sunday afternoon back when Sundays meant the ruins were open at no charge and most ruins were filled with cheapskates like me, my car was the only vehicle in the entire parking area! There are more cars now, but you won't have any trouble finding a parking spot. The downside of this means that there are limited tourist services...bathrooms are available at the ticket office and there are two vendors who have set up shop near the parking area. One sells souvenirs; the other, beverages and snacks. This area is still so undeveloped that the beverage seller keeps his drinks cold in an ice chest because there is no electricity. If you hire a guide, ask for Navidad. He is a local and lives in the town of Ek Balam (after exiting the ruins, make a right and continue for just a few miles to to his village). He lives in the corner house on the left just as you enter the village proper. His sisters make, display and sell hammocks at the house (a traditional thatched-roof Maya dwelling...known as a na). The young ladies also make miniature hammocks to store fruit...these make terrific Barbie hammocks if you need a gift for a young girl.
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Tizimin
Between Ek Balam and the coast is Tizimin, the second largest city in the Yucatan. It boasts of having a world-class disco...not quite sure what that means, but it sounds as if there is nightlife here. Tizimin also boasts a very popular rodeo & fiesta celebrated in early January. People come from all over the Yucatan including from Cancun for the events. Tizimin is the heart of the Yucatán cattle and horse country. When the early Mayan people first saw the horses that the Spanish brought with them, they didn't know what to call them. There was no word in the Mayan language for "horse". So they called them after the local animal most similar...the tapir or the tizimin.
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Cuyo & Rio Lagartos
A bit further afield, the road leading north from Valladolid passes through Tizimin on the way to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mexican beach get-away of Cuyo and the nature preserve at Rio Lagartos where you should be able to see lots of flamingos and might see the caimans for which Rio Lagartos is named.
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Isla Holbox
Some back roads connect the north-south road to Rio Lagartos with the next one to the east...the road to Isla Holbox. But unless you are adventurous and speak some Spanish, the better way to get there is to take the free-road east from Valladolid to the left hand turnoff to Chiquila and the ferries to Isla Holbox. The island has been described as what Isla Mujeres looked like 40 years ago...very laid back with sand streets, few tourists and great seafood. Holbox is beautiful and offers some of the best fishing in North America as it is almost at Cabo Catoche where the waters of the Gulf meet the water of the Caribbean. There is a beautiful beach with almost no development. Why? One reason is that this area is also known as the Mosquito Coast. Bring lots of bug dope especially if you are going to be out at dusk. Ask around about swimming with the whales if it is the right time of year. An hour-long boat ride (sometimes more) brings you to the area where gentle, giant whale sharks (the oceans largest fish) sit on the surface of the ocean to catch the sun and allow swimmers to come right next to them and touch them (sometimes to actually crawl on top of them).
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Izamal
For the less adventurous, visit the colonial city of Izamal. Take either the toll road or the free-road west toward Merida and follow the signs to Izamal or the "Yellow City". Once again, Izamal was a Mayan city before the Spanish came. And once again, the Spanish tore down the Mayan structures to use the stones as building blocks for their own churches and convents.
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Merida
Further west is the "White City" of Merida. The now familiar story of the old city being dismantled to build the new one was told here as well. Merida is a real city...vibrant and exciting and, reportedly, the safest large city in all of México. Lots to see and do here. And there actually is nightlife here.
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Uxmal & Campeche
South of Merida, roads lead to the colonial/pirate city of Campeche as well as to the unique Mayan ruins of Uxmal and other surrounding archaeological sites.
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Colonial Churches
Almost every town in the region has a unique colonial church; some still in use and some in disrepair. A drive in any direction from Valladolid allows you the thrill of discovery as you encounter churches that were built hundreds of years ago.
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Things To Do:
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Mayan Plant Medicine
In cooperation with aNeed2Heal Bodywork Centers, Casa Hamaca has a multi-day Mayan Medicine Workshop Program. Much of the program takes place in the jungle. A local Mayan guide will lead you into the jungle to show you and teach you where certain medicinal plants grow and when and how they must be harvested. You'll learn the natural habitat of these plants so you will be able to find them again on your own. After you have harvested the plants, you'll learn how to prepare them for use. Some plants might be boiled in water, others might be mashed and still others dried. And then you will learn how to use them; how to apply them; learn the conditions for which they have been used for centuries. Then you will actually use them on a real live person.
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Weave a Hammock
A Mayan woman who declared "hammock making is my life" will demonstrate how her hammock loom works and instruct you on how to set one up. You will have the opportunity to design and weave your own hammock in whatever size, colors and patterns you want. Detailed hammock loom drawings will be provided that will allow you to construct your own loom at home. Or you can purchase one and take it with you. This is also a multipday program.
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Mayan Cooking
This is a hands-on workshop. Mayan women will take you to the market (or the garden or the fields or the jungle or all three) to purchase (or gather) the ingredients for a meal. You will learn how to make tortillas a mano (by hand), how to prepare for and cook in an underground oven (you wil be able to simulate this at home using your regular oven or stovetop). You will help prepare the piib (the cooking pit) and prepare the chicken or pork to make pollo pibil or cochinita pibil. You'll learn how to make kabax or Mayan beans and how to make habenero salsa with hot chilis (you can tone it down if it's too hot for you). And you'll make Mayan hot chocolate and atole. You'll learn to make a variety of things that you can make again at home for guests. And then you will get to eat what you cooked.
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