Yucatec Maya
Yucatec Maya, spoken primarily in Yucat n, Campeche and Quintana Roo, and in the northern and western parts of Belize, is part of the Amerind family of Native American languages. This means that Yucatec Maya commonly called 'Yucatec' by scholars and 'Maya' by local speakers is related to many languages spoken in the southeastern United States, as well as many of the indigenous languages of far-off California and Oregon eg Costanoan, Klamath, and Tsimshian . Yucatec is just one of 28 modern...
Clothing Panama Hats
Camiser a Canul 923-5661 Calle 62 btwn Calles 57 amp 59 8 30am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm Sun A good place for guayaberas and huipiles. It has been in business for years, offers fixed prices and does custom tailoring. The Campeche town of B cal is the center of the hat-weaving trade see p222 , but you can buy good examples of the hatmaker's art in M rida. Prices range from a few dollars for a hat of basic quality to US 80 or more for top quality. The Casa de las Artesan as has only very low-quality...
Behind the Scenes
The 3rd edition of Yucat n was written by Daniel C Schechter and Ray Bartlett. The 1st edition was written by Scott Doggett, and the 2nd by Ben Greensfelder. This guidebook was commissioned in Lonely Planet's Oakland office, and produced by the following Commissioning Editors Greg Benchwick, Suki Gear Coordinating Editor Evan Jones Coordinating Cartographer Jolyon Philcox Coordinating Layout Designer Laura Jane Managing Cartographer Mark Griffiths Assisting Editors Janice Bird, Lauren...
Ticul To Tihosuco
The route from Ticul to Tihosuco, in Quintana Roo, is seldom traveled by tourists. Some might say, 'There's nothing to see.' But others will welcome the opportunity to travel through farmland and jungle and see glimpses of Maya life that have remained the same for centuries. Indeed, the Maya in these parts entered the 21st century continuing to honor the gods of rain, wind and agriculture, and to hold religious ceremonies in their fields presided over by a wise man, just as their ancestors had...
Sabancuy
One base for exploring the laguna is Saban-cuy, a truly picturesque fishing village on the lower side of an estuary that branches off the lagoon's northeastern end. Sabancuy is 2km from the coast, across the estuary via two bridges. You enter onto the village's cute little waterfront plaza, the focus of activity. Facing the estuary, 15km from town by motorboat, are the extensive ruins of the old Hacienda de Tixchel, a cattle ranch and sugar plantation during the late colonial period. The ruins...
Isla Mujeres
Quiet, welcoming Isla Mujeres Island of Women lies just north of Canc n and is an ideal day trip or a destination in its own right. There's not much here and that's the whole point come to bask in quiet shallows or stretch out on the sand, to snorkel or scuba dive, or just to put the sunglasses on and open that book you've been waiting to read. Yes, there are T-shirt shops and agencies renting mopeds and golf carts, but there's nothing near the number of touts you'll find in Canc n, and Isla...
The Itzes
Forced by invaders to leave their traditional homeland on the Yucat n's Gulf Coast, a group called the Itz es headed southeast into northeastern Guatemala. Some continued to Belize, later making their way north along the coast and into northern Yucat n, where they settled at the abandoned Uucil-abnal around AD 1220. The Itz leader styled himself Kukulc n the Maya name for Quetzalc atl , as had the city's Toltec founder, and recycled lots of other Toltec lore as well. But the Itz es strengthened...
East Of Progreso
Heading east from Progreso, Hwy 27 parallels the coast for 70km, to Dzilam de Bravo, before turning inland. It's a beautiful drive, and you'll pass miles of mixed mangrove clumps and notice that on the right south the mud takes on a beautiful pink color. Not surprisingly, this area is named the Rose Lagoon. Heading east from Dezilam, the road continues a further 100km to hit the coast again at the charming fishing village of San Felipe see p206 . On the seaward side the north of the Rose Lagoon...
TOURS Ufc
Most hotels and travel agencies work with companies that offer tours to surrounding attractions. Popular day trips are Chich n Itz , Cob , Tulum, and the theme parks at Xel-H p117 and Xcaret p115 . Often local touts at the hotels and agencies are paid only in commissions, so if you chat with someone and decide to take the tour later, be sure to take the time to find the same person who assisted you or he she may not get paid. Alltournative 984-873-2036 www.alltournative .com Av 38 Norte, L3...
Rabies
Rabies is a viral infection of the brain and spinal cord that is almost always fatal without treatment. The rabies virus is carried in the saliva of infected animals and is typically transmitted through an animal bite, though contamination of any break in the skin with infected saliva may result in rabies. Rabies occurs in all Central American countries. Most cases in Mexico are related to dog bites, but bats and other wild species remain sources of infection. The rabies vaccine is safe, but a...
Around Hopelchn
Tohcok is a walkable 3km west of Hopelch n. Of the 40-odd structures found at this site admission free , the only one that has been significantly excavated displays features of the Puuc and Chenes styles. The custodian can point out a chultun - a Maya underground cistern - one of around 45 in the zone. Some of the most significant caves on the Yucat n Peninsula are found 31km north of Hopelch n, shortly before you reach the town of Bolonch n de Rej n. The local Maya have long known of the...
Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Kaan
Over 5000 sq km of tropical jungle, marsh, mangroves and islands on Quintana Roo's coast have been set aside by the Mexican government as a large biosphere reserve. In 1987 the UN classified it as a World Heritage site - an irreplaceable natural treasure. Sian Ka'an Where the Sky Begins is home to howler monkeys, anteaters, foxes, ocelots, pumas, crocodiles, eagles, raccoons, tapirs, peccaries, giant land crabs, j aguars and hundreds of bird species, including chocolateras roseate spoonbills...
Downtown
'Budget' is a relative term prices in Can-cun are higher for what you get than most anywhere else in Mexico. Much of Cancun's cheap lodging is within a few blocks of the bus terminal. Go northwest on Av Uxmal to reach the first four places described here. Hotel hawkers tend to waylay anyone exiting the bus station, sometimes going so far as to insult people heading to other hotels. 'God Bless you if you stay there was one choice line. Just say 'No' and keep heading to the place you planned on....
Mahahual The Costa Maya
Expect big changes to happen to these sleepy coastal communities over the next five years. Mahahual has been picked as the next Cancun or Playa and sees so many cruise-ship visitors that most locals simply don't understand that sometimes people arrive by car or bus. A four-lane highway slashes in a straight line through miles of spectacular mangrove from Route 307 to the shore, where the jade-green bands of ocean, barrier reefs and palm-shaded white-sand beaches seem straight out of Paradise....
Corredor Arqueolgico
The Corredor Arqueol gico comprises the archaeological sites of Dzibanch and Kohun-lich 8am-5pm . At the time of research, one admission ticket got you into both, and tourists were also free on Sunday this may vary based on the person collecting the fee . As at most Maya sites charging an entry fee, the use of a video camera requires you to pay an extra US 3 at the first site visited, which gives you a slip you can use all day, at as many sites as you can reach. hourly minibuses from minibus...
Information 1
Coffee Press Calle 2 at Quinta Av Sells used books and does two-for-one exchanges. Tourist police kiosk 873-0291 24hr Guards the north corner of the main plaza. You can't toss a stone without hitting an Internet caf . Two popular options Antro-Net 10 Av btwn Calles12 amp 14 7am-11pm Cybernet Calle 8 per hr US 1.50 8am-11 15pm Just east of Quinta Av, it has generally good connections. L v nderi del C rmen Calle 2 No 402 btwn Calles 10 amp 15 8am-10pm Mon-Sat Conveniently has an Internet caf in...
Grutas De Calcehtok
The Calcehtok caves h 9 30am-3 30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm Sat amp Sun are said by some to comprise the longest dry-cave system on the Yucat n Peninsula. More than 4km have been explored so far, and two of the caves' 25 vaults exceed 100m in diameter one has a 30m-high 'cupola' . The caves hold abundant and impressive natural formations, human and animal remains and plenty of artifacts, including many haltunes stone basins carved by the Maya to catch water . Archaeologists have found and removed...
Exploring the Site
The city of Mayap n was large, with a population estimated to be around 12,000 it covered 4 sq km, all surrounded by a great defensive wall. More than 3500 buildings, 20 cenotes and traces of the city wall were mapped by archaeologists working in the 1950s and in 1962. The late post-Classic workmanship is inferior to that of the great age of Maya art. Among the structures that have been restored is the Castillo de Kukulc n, a climbable pyramid with fresco fragments around its base and, at its...
La Costera South
The costera also known as Calle 1 winds south several kilometers along the lakeshore from Bacalar town to Hwy 307 at Cenote Azul. All the following places to stay and eat are on it, listed from north to south. Los Coquitos sites per person US 4 A nice camping area on the lakeshore, run by a family who live in a shack on the premises. You can camp in the dense shade of the palm trees, enjoy the view of the lake from the palapas and swim from the grassy banks. Water and soft drinks are sometimes...