World Country Guide

The Yucatn Peninsula

More than 3000 years ago, there emerged a highly sophisticated civilisation, the Mayas, in the diverse landscape of what is now Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras and part of El Salvador, as well as the Mexican states of Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Chiapas and Tabasco. The variety of landscape is matched by the abundance of flora and fauna, unrivalled anywhere else in the continent. Birdlife, especially, seems to abound, including toucans, parrots and macaws, hummingbirds and others. The lowland rainforest of Chiapas, Campeche and Quintana Roo is home to such exotic wildlife as ocelots, margays, whitetail deer, anteaters, peccaries, tapirs, howler and spider monkeys and jaguars, the largest wildcats in the Americas. The upland cloud-forests are home to the multicoloured guacamayas as well as the resplendent and elusive quetzal, an emerald-coloured bird with trailing feathers considered sacred by the Mayan Indians. The coast also supports a wealth of birdlife, as well as alligators and manatee, a rare aquatic animal distantly related to the elephant, which can be found in the coastal lagoons. The Wildlife Reserve of Contoy Island is the resting and nesting place for hundreds of migrant and resident birds. Even the underwater world can offer a richness of species such as marlin, snapper, grouper, bonito, wahoo, shrimp, lobster, octopus and sailfish, and the beaches are important nesting places for sea turtles during the summer months.
At the height of their development (AD 250-900), the Mayans built extraordinary temples and ceremonial centres, many of which are now engulfed by the rainforest. Among the most important archaeological sites to be found in this region are Palenque and Bonampak (Chiapas); La Venta and Comacalco (Tabasco); Edzna, Chicanna and Becan (Campeche); Chichn-Itz and Uxmal (Yucatn) and Tulum and Coba (Quintana Roo).
The capital of Yucatan State is Mrida, the ‘White City’, founded in 1542 on the site of an ancient Mayan town. It has an air of elegant, faded grandeur, a legacy of its once worldwide importance as a centre of henequn (sisal used in the manufacture of rope) production. It is still reckoned to be one of the best places in Latin America to buy fine quality cotton hammocks. There is much to keep the tourist here, including a fine cathedral, the Casa de Montejo, and a museum of archaeology, but above all it is a good base for excursions.
Nestled in the foothills at the edge of the Chiapas rainforest lies Palenque. This small but important Mayan site is one of the most aesthetically appealing sites of the Mayan world, with its exquisite stucco faades. The Temple of Inscriptions (above the crypt of a Maya king), the Multileveled Palace and the Temple of the Count are other highlights. It is easily reached in a couple of hours' drive from Villahermosa or San Cristobal de las Casas.
The site of Bonampak, 150km (90 miles) southeast of Palenque, is famous for the finest Mayan murals ever to be discovered. Housed in the Temple of Frescoes, the multicoloured murals depict scenes of Mayan warfare, sacrifice and celebration.
The museum park of Parque-Museo La Venta not only boasts one of the few extensive collections of Olmec artefacts, but it is also the only archaeological site ever to be completely transplanted. The original Olmec city of La Venta (1500 BC) was situated on the island of Tonala and featured, among other exceptional sculptures, the colossal human heads that now characterise the Olmec civilisation. Originally evacuated in 1925, it was moved to Villahermosa in the 1970s because of the fear that nearby oil drilling would damage the site. The museum park contains 30 Olmec sculptures set in a botanical garden.
About 67km (42 miles) from Villahermosa is Comacalco. This archaeological site of the Maya civilisation dates back to the late Classic period (AD 500-900). Some of the structures resemble those at Palenque though they are still unique in the region. All the buildings here are made from bricks rather than the stone used elsewhere. In fact, Comacalco means ‘in the house of bricks’. Sights include the Great Acropolis with its detailed stucco masks and the small museum.
Edzna, 65km (40 miles) southeast of Campeche, dates back to 300 BC. Besides the Chenes-style architecture, visitors can also see an extensive network of canals, reservoirs and waterholes. Attractions include the Great Acropolis, the Small Acropolis, the Platform of the Knives, the Ball Court, the Temple of Stone Masks and the Nohochna.
The famous archaeological and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chichn-Itz, 120km (75 miles) east of Mrida, contains the Pyramid of Kukulcan (El Castillo), where one can find the ‘Red tiger with jade eyes’. During the spring and autumn equinoxes (21-22 March and 21-22 September), huge crowds gather to see a unique spectacle, when shadows create the illusion of a serpent descending the northern staircase. Of interest are also the snaking columns of the Temple of the Warriors, a ball court in perfect condition, El Caracol (the observatory), the Caves of Balankanche and the Sacred Cenote (where bejewelled young girls were thrown into the well as sacrifices to the rain god Chac).
The elaborate stucco work and detailed faades of Uxmal, 80km (50 miles) south of Mrida, have led to a comparison of the city with Rome. Among the fine stonework are the entwined serpents in the Nun’s Quadrangle, the House of Pigeons and the Ball Court. Other attractions include the Pyramid of the Magician and the Governor’s Palace.
The walled fortress of Tulum, 131km (78 miles) south of Cancn, has been described as one of the most dramatic sites of the pre-Hispanic world. Perched atop rugged cliffs on the coast, this last outpost of the Maya civilisation commands a breathtaking view of the Caribbean. Settlement here dates from AD 900-1500 and sights include the Temple of the Descending God, El Castillo and the Temple of the Frescoes.
Coba, 38km (24 miles) north of Tulum, is possibly the largest archaeological site on the Yucatn peninsula. This town, set amongst dense jungle and marshlands and including four lakes, dates from the classical period and is believed to have been occupied during the time of the conquest. The most significant groupings of sites are the Coba Group, Las Pinturas, the Macanxoc Group, the Crossroad Pyramid and the Chumuc Mul Group. It also houses the tallest structure in Yucatn, the Nohoch Mul Pyramid.
Cancn, Cozumel, and Isla Mujeres were once little more than sleepy villages, but now these Caribbean Coast resorts are world renowned for their vacation facilities. The Isla de Cancn, made up of some of Mexico’s most expensive beachfronts occupies the northeast tip of the Yucatn. The Punta, or point of the island, is nestled between the Baha de Mujeres (Bay of Women) and the Caribbean Sea and boasts some of the best areas for sunbathing on the Peninsula. At the tip of the point is Playa Chac Mool, a public beach area offering comfortable dining and shopping. Although the beaches of Cancn are known for their powder white sand and exquisite beauty, the waters along the east edge of the island are subject to strong undertow and should be treated with caution. Lifeguards are posted on the beaches fronting most of the major hotels and swimming is encouraged in these areas only. On the west side of the island are the shimmering waters of Laguna Nichupt (Nichupt Lagoon) and Laguna Ro Ingls (English River Lagoon), which are home to 200 species of birds and host a number of watersports. The Ciudad de Cancn borders the west side of the lagoons, and is a good place for shopping. South of the point lies the Zona Arqueolgica El Rey, with a small collection of Mayan ruins. The Isla Mujeres, once known for its remote jungle and mysterious ambience, attracts visitors who prefer to explore the less developed areas of the Peninsula. Accessible by a 25-minute boat ride from Cancn, the island is home to six different species of endangered turtles, and a marine farm that oversees their protection. The reefs of Los Manchones, Cuevones, Chital and La Bandera are prized diving spots, known for their extraordinary marine life and unusual cave structures. South of Cancn is the equally prized beach resort of Cozumel, with its extraordinary coral reefs, gentle currents and exceptional diving.