Maya Ka'an
Amaze - Explore - Awaken
Maya Ka'an
Maya culture, where the land beats
Maya Ka'an lies south of the Riviera Maya, in central Quintana Roo: jungle, lagoons, wetlands and Maya communities that keep their language and traditions.
Visits are run by cooperatives from the communities themselves, and the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covers much of the region.
- Right now
- 78°F (26°C)Drizzle
- Best for
- Community tourism, nature and living culture
- When to visit
- Year-round; the most pleasant weather from December to April
- Payments
- Cash in the communities; ATMs in Carrillo Puerto
Getting here
Airport
By road
Visits
Sian Ka'an
Float down the Maya canals through the mangroves
Sian Ka'an, meaning "origin of the sky" in Maya, is a biosphere reserve of 1.3 million acres (528,000 hectares). The Maya cut its canals for trade; today you ride them by boat or float down with the current between walls of mangrove. The reserve protects jungle, wetlands and reef, and is home to jaguars, crocodiles and sea turtles.
Living history
The Talking Cross, sanctuary of the town of warriors
Founded in 1850 as Chan Santa Cruz, Felipe Carrillo Puerto was the Maya refuge during the Caste War and is known as the town of the warriors. According to tradition, the cross at the Sanctuary of the Talking Cross spoke to guide the Maya rebels; the guard shifts and offerings continue there to this day, and the Casa de la Cultura teaches music, Maya language and dance.
Communities
Community tourism in 78 communities of the Maya Zone
In the village of Señor, henequen is spun and melipona bees are kept; Tihosuco has the Caste War Museum; Kantemó, the cave of the hanging snakes; in Chunhuhub, food is baked underground in a pib, and in Punta Allen and Punta Herrero local fishermen run fly-fishing trips. The food comes from the milpa, the Maya cornfield: espelón bean tamalitos, relleno negro (turkey in a dark chile sauce) and sikil pak (a toasted pumpkin-seed dip). Maya Ka'an was launched in 2014 with Amigos de Sian Ka'an and is run by community tourism companies, local hotels and certified guides.
Maya heritage
Muyil, the Maya port between jungle and lagoon
The Muyil archaeological site, an ancient Maya port, stands beside the lagoon, inside the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve; its El Castillo pyramid rises above the jungle and a wooden boardwalk leads to the canals.
More about Maya Ka'an
September 30, 2024
5 Things to Do in Maya Ka’an
Discover the top things to do in Maya Ka’an: Punta Herrero, the Muyil canals, Maya communities, wildlife in Sian Ka’an and traditional Maya cuisine.
Read the article
September 30, 2024
Exploring the Maya Archaeological Sites Near Maya Ka'an
Explore the Maya archaeological sites near Maya Ka'an: Muyil and its trade canals, Tulum on its cliff, Cobá's Nohoch Mul pyramid and Kohunlich's masks.
Read the article
September 30, 2024
Sian Ka’an: A UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site
Sian Ka’an, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987: 1,305,000 acres (528,000 hectares) of jungle, mangroves, reef and Maya canals in Mexico’s Maya Ka’an region.
Read the article- Thu86°F76°F
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