Quintana Roo Mundo Maya
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QUINTANA ROO MUNDO MAYA ENGLISH VERSION Chetumal Riviera Maya The State capital was founded in 1898 This area, with about 120 km of by Othón P. Blanco, envoy of Presi- coastal extension, which has abun- dent Porfirio Díaz to control this re- dant flora and fauna, has a superb in- mote territory. Originally called Payo frastructure and extensive beaches, Obispo, it was given the name of Che- ecological parks and archaeological tumal in 1936. The attractions of the sites. Among the sites that make up city include the Corredor Escultóri- the Riviera Maya are Holbox, Isla TUR C co Chactemal (Chactemal Sculpture ONSO Mujeres, Contoy, Cozumel, Can- SE AL Corridor), the Plaza Las Américas cún, Punta Bete, Playa del Carmen, and the Museum of the Mayan Cul- Xcaret, Puerto Aventuras, Xpu Ha, PHOTO: ture. Please visit the boulevard - that Akumal, Xelhá and Tulum. Riviera Maya. surrounds the city and is the longest of the Yucatan Peninsula - and visit Cancún for all kind of watersports. It is also Tulum the lighthouse and beaches Punta DE LOURDES MARÍA PHOTO: an ideal starting point to visit the ar- Estrella and Dos Mulas. In the vicin- Fort of San Felipe, Bacalar. It has a wide range of services, which cheological Mayan sites, - one of It was the most important Mayan ity of Chetumal one can find natural added to its natural beauty makes it, them in the same Cancún and is trading port of the Eastern coast of resources like lakes, rivers and thick scene of clashes between Mayan and are the aforementioned Fort that cur- undoubtedly, one of the most im- known as El Rey – and other places Quintana Roo in the Late Postclassic jungles, as well as places like the fish- Spanish people and was ravaged by rently works as a Museum, the Church portant resorts of Mexico and the like Punta Nizuc, Punta Cancún, Period (1200-1521 AD). A wall with ing village of Calderitas. pirates, which led to the construction of San Joaquin, patron of the city and world. By the Caribbean Sea and sur- Bahía de Mujeres and Nichupté la- five gates surrounds the ceremoni- of the Fort of San Felipe. In the nine- the Casa de Cultura. It has also two rounded by extensive lagoons, the goon, all ideal for the enjoyment of al center of the city, which consists Bacalar teenth century it was the bastion of notable natural attractions, the la- hotel zone of Cancún is a paradise the sea and nature of temples, palaces, shrines and the rebel Mayans during the war goon of Bacalar - or the seven color platforms in which the ruling group Town founded in 1544 under the of castes. Among the attractions of lagoon - and the Cenote Azul, one of rooms were located. It also had fa- name of Villa de Salamanca. It was the this place, considered a magical town, the largest in the Mayan area. cilities and spaces dedicated to trade, ceremonies and public ad- ministration. The most important Lagoon of Bacalar. structures include: The Castle, the PHOTO: SECTUR largest and most important of Tu- lum, the Temple of the Descending God and the Temple of the Fres- coes. Other sites of the Eastern Coast that can be visited are El Meco, Xcaret, Xelhá and Muyil. Isla Mujeres Here arrived, in 1517, the first Span- ish expedition to Mexican territory. Isla Mujeres has a very complete tourist infrastructure and numerous attractions, including natural reefs and places for the practice of diving, such as the Cruz, the Virgen and the “Cueva de los Tiburones Dormi- dos” (Cave of the sleeping sharks). The Castle, Tulum. PHOTO: GUILLERMO ALDANA / RAÍCES QUINTANA ROO Isla Holbox Isla Contoy Isla Mujeres. PHOTO: CLAUDIO CONTRERAS KOOB Chiquilá Yum Balam El Meco Isla Mujeres Punta Sam Cancún Puerto Juárez Punta Cancún Kantunil Kin El Rey YUcatÁN Punta Nizuc 180 Laguna To Mérida Nichupté Ideal Puerto Morelos MEXICO 307 Punta Betec To Chemax Playa del Carmen Xcaret San Miguel Xpu Ha San Gervasio Cobá Puerto Akumal To Valladolid To Aventuras Cozumel Xelhá Tulum Arrecifes To Mérida Tihosuco de Cozumel Muyil Cozumel Banco Chinchorro Surrounded by numerous reef for- It’s the largest and richest coral atoll Dziuché mations, it’s the Mexico’s largest in- of Mexico - 800 km2 — and the sec- Tixcacal habited island. In addition to the ar- ond in the world. By its geology, ex- José María Morelos 295 chaeological site of San Gervasio, tension and marine biodiversity, it’s PLACE OF INTEREST Cozumel has magnificent beaches a unique place in Mexico. In addition 184 HERITAGE LIGHTHOUSE like San Francisco and San Juan, you can practice sport fishing and is OF HUMANITY Felipe Carrillo Puerto MUSEUM close to San Miguel in Cozumel, ideal for diving. MAGICAL TOWN MONUMENT the island’s capital. It is also one of CIVIL ARCHITECTURE NATIVE PEOPLE the best places in Mexico for the practice of diving; it has about 55 Sian Ka’an RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE HANDICRAFTS sites in which you can practice this QUintana roo MILITARY ARCHITECTURE GASTRONOMY activity. SQUARE FESTIVITY campeche 293 ESTATE ROUTE Chacchoben Holbox Note: These symbols refer to Limones places described in this guide. Lázaro Cárdenas Rustic and picturesque Island of qui- Cafetal Buena Vista et environment - which is part of the Fuerte de San Felipe protected area of flora and wild fau- To Escárcega Kinichná na of Yum Balam-, in which the inhab- Ichkabal Bacalar Mahahual toURIST attractions itants are mainly engaged in shark Dzibanché Oxtancah Morocoy CAPITAL CITY Xul Há and lobster fishing. Mangroves and Calderitas Banco Chinchorro POPULATION Chakanbakam swamps of the Yalahau Lake are chetUmal RCHEOLOGICAL ZONE 186 home to a variety of birds. The Isla de AUDIO CONTRERAS KOOB A L Palmar Caoba Laguna Pájaros (Island of birds) is an incom- NATURAL AREA Kohunlich Milagros parable place for bird watching, C PHOTO: BEACH which has about 140 species. Mayan girl, Holbox. DIVIDED HIGHWAY TOLL MOTORWAY BELICE Caribbean Sea SECONDARY HIGHWAY ROAD Tihosuco. Sian Ka’an. PHOTO: MARÍA DE LOURDES ALONSO PHOTO: CLAUDIO CONTRERAS KOOB Tihosuco Sian Ka’an Conquered in 1544 by Francisco de It is a large biosphere reserve, Montejo here was built in the 16th covering 600 000 ha of rainforests, century, one of the most important swamps, mangroves, cenotes Franciscan convents in the region. (deep water pits), lagoons and two This village was one of the places fea- large bays. Declared a world heri- tured during the great Mayan insur- tage site in 1987, it has a chain of rection of the nineteenth century, and coral reefs of approximately 100 here is located the Museum of the km. Among other animals, you can “Guerra de Castas” (War of Castes). observe birds - more than 325 spe- cies have been catalogued -, lizards Felipe Carrillo Puerto and sometimes manatees. Village founded in 1850 by the Ma- yan rebels during the war of castes, Kohunlich Dzibanché-Kinichná is now a traditional town that has AD) and beginning of the Postclas- many natural beauties and historical sic (900-1521 AD), contains vestiges City that had its splendor during the One of the cities of the Classic Period and cultural vestiges as the Balam of more than 6 500 structures, some Late Classic Period (600-900 AD), al- (200-900 A.D.) with the largest dimen- Nah Catholic Church and the sanc- scattered and others grouped in though there are buildings from pre- sions compared to other sites of the Ma- tuary of the “Cruz Parlante” (Speak- sets. A great trail system that goes vious eras, as the known building of yan region. Its dimensions make us re- ing Cross). beyond 200 km in length altogether ES the large masks (Edificio de los Mas- alize of its importance: it covers an area C communicated the different parts of AÍ carones). The site has a good num- of more than 40 km2 and contains con- R Cobá the site or led to distant cities, like ber of areas open to the public, structions of great monumentality: Tu- the one joining Coba with Yaxuná, which include ceremonial civic til, Lamay, Kinichná and Dzibanché. This huge site, which had its heyday with 100 km length is the largest in ONSO AL buildings as well as other architec- The city had such power that it held at the Late Classic Period (200-900 the Mayan area. tural developments, which allow us control of the region with Calakmul. In to know aspects of the everyday and this same area are sites such as Ichka- PHOTO: CHRISTA COWRIE / CHRISTA PHOTO: ritual life of its inhabitants. bal, Chacchoben, and Oxtankah. Dzibanché. PHOTO: MARÍA DE LOURDES MARÍA PHOTO: HANDICRAFTS Laguna Guerrero. Thanks to its Mayan roots, Quin- GASTRONOMY tana Roo has a rich craft tradi- The Quintana Roo’s cuisine shares its roots tion. To develop its products the and ingredients with other Mayan enti- artisans turn to a wide variety of ties. Thus, appear alike the traditional in- raw materials, given to them by gredients such as pumpkin seed, annat- the rich natural environment. As to or the Havanan chile and others from in the rest of the Mayan zone, it European kitchens or the one from Belize. stands out the development of ES ES C C AÍ In addition, there are dishes like cochini- AÍ textiles, embroidery and ham- R R mocks. Diverse wood objects ta pibil (slow roasted pork or chicken ONSO HT / HT C AL A are carved; vegetable fibers are UTREY / UTREY N meat with a rich sauce of annatto), the pu- A chero (prepared stew), the chocolomo IO used for wickerwork, hats and G and tamales of xpelon (a type of bean) ER figures of animals; with jugs S and the sotobichay (tamales prepared are made vases decorated with natural motifs and materials with a leaf called chaya).