Yucatan: Mayan Ancestry and So Much More

About an hour’s drive from the Cancun International Airport, the State of Yucatan’s countryside is a gateway to ancient Mayan culture and a study in how ancestral traditions are kept alive by the current generation. It also may be one of Mexico’s best kept secrets, though that may soon change.

The State of Yucatan is one of three states occupying the Yucatan Peninsula. Though American visitors are most familiar with the Caribbean stretch between Cancun and Tulum (the state of Quintana Roo), neighboring Yucatan is readying for its prime-time debut. The new President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in December 2018, largely campaigned to create a Mayan Train that would transport visitors from tourist-saturated areas like Cancun and Tulum, to less-discovered gems. The proposed 913 miles of track are scheduled to be functioning by 2023. Though the ambitious project is not without its controversies, one thing is certain: it will alter tourism in the region.

Road Trip Ready

Don’t wait. Currently, the best way to explore the Yucatan is on a road trip that can include archeological wonders, complex cultures and unspoiled natural habitats. As Mexico’s second busiest airport (after Mexico City), Cancun is a direct flight from many U.S. cities; then you only need to drive inland.

First, head to Valladolid, one of Mexico’s “Magical Towns.” Less than two hours by car from Cancun, this little town packs an architectural punch. You’ll be walloped by quaint colonial buildings, the sixteenth century fortified San Bernardino of Siena Convent and the baroque eighteenth century San Servacio Cathedral. Valladolid is also a great base from which to explore the Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza, which are a mere 25 miles away and are UNESCO World Heritage-listed and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Chichen Itza is marvelous and you should absolutely see it. You know who else is seeing it, though? Everyone. Being a Wonder will make you quite wanted. For the road less traveled yet no less fabulous, head to Uxmal and its unique pyramid with rounded sides, also a UNESCO World Heritage site and a wonder to be shared with a lot less tourists. It also, happens to have a hotel steps away. Yes, you can actually stay at the Lodge at Uxmal, with its rustically luxurious rooms, pool, museum, restaurant, bar and specialized tours … and, when you’re ready, walk four minutes (I timed it!) to the ancient Mayan city of Uxmal.

Mayan Culture

During your stay, arrange to have a traditional Mayan breakfast in the village and experience how their culture continues to thrive today. It’s easy to think (or it was for me, at least) of Mayan culture as something ancient, but there are 800,000 speakers of Maya and its dialects in the Yucatan area today. Communities that only speak Maya and live without modern developments continue to thrive. At breakfast you’ll start with their hot chocolate, made with hot water, cacao beans and cinnamon, but no milk. Apparently, many Mayans are lactose intolerant.

Our breakfast also included a gorgeously arranged fruit platter and Huevo Escondido (hidden egg or Jé Ichgjé in Mayan), where the egg is cracked and cooked inside a homemade tortilla over a wooden fire. It was delicious and you’ll want to try a version at home, but I promise you it won’t taste the same without the setting or the hospitality of the Mayan hosts.

Instagram Worthy Vistas

Want to expand your social media influence? Head to Las Coloradas in the Rio Lagartos region. On a little stretch of land that separates a lagoon from the Gulf of Mexico, salt and Instagram memories are made every day. This functioning salt factory is home to photogenic pink lakes to which people are flocking for the perfect pic. Instagrammers have literally boomed the area’s economy because of its beauty as a backdrop. And the lakes truly are a sight. There are no added chemicals in the water; it’s the unique combination of salt, wind, sun and beta carotene that give these lakes their rosy hue—#nofilter. Every six months, the salt is harvested, turned into table salt and sold at stores all throughout Mexico.

After making your friends Insta-jealous, explore the 233-square miles of the Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve nearby. On a Rio Lagartos Adventures boat tour your guide will take you through mangrove forests and lagoons that are home to more than 2,000 species of animals.

Don’t Miss the Cenotes

Finally, you’ll want to experience the Yucatan’s famed cenotes. A cenote is a sinkhole, created when the roof of a limestone cavern collapses and fills with water from the underground rivers that flow throughout the region. These natural pools have been both pristine water sources and sacred spots for Mayans for hundreds of years. Today, the Yucatan Peninsula has over 6,000 cenotes, with many open to the public. For an experience that combines thrills and relaxation, head to Los 7 Cenotes, located 80 minutes outside of Merida. Here you can zip line over an open-cenote, free-fall for seconds before being lowered into a deep cavern or experience their unique cenote cave, which takes you on a full sensory floating experience.

Containing wonders to satisfy your archeological curiosities, natural resources that will impress the most jaded of urbanites, and a thriving Mayan community, the Yucatan State is on the verge of becoming Mexico’s next-big-thing. I suggest you get there now.

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