Campeche tour from Merida. Best tours in Yucatan
Wild Lunch at Codornejo - Akil, Yucatan
The Church of Hoctun in June
Los Chocantes Caves - Revisited
In my previous article on Tekax I mentioned the Chocantes caves and described my brief visit there with Pedro, the owner of the property and the most chill guide ever.
On this latest visit, with a group of Lawson’s guides, we took the entire tour, crawling inside the caves to see the magnificent crystal formations (hence its name Gruta de los Cristales) and cruising down the hillside on the Yucatans longest zip line (150 meters in 14 seconds).
Ideally, you would want to set aside 4 hours or so to visit the site completely and thoroughly. Again, like at Chacmultun, bring a cooler with lots of ice, Gatorades and water - you will need it. And while this tour can be done in a day from Merida, I would highly recommend an overnight, either in Akil, or as we did on this occasion (six people) in a lovely airbnb property in nearby Tzucacab.
Pedro and his staff are friendly, professional and the operation is supervised and safe. Guides in front and back keep an eye on the group so no one falls behind during the hiking and caving. All zip line activities are professional and done with the latest equipment so no one goes flying off into the underbrush at a 100 miles per hour.
Contact us at lawsonsyucatan@gmail.com to set up a private tour for your group to this area including lodging and meals along with the many activities.
Enjoy the photos!
Tekax - History, Nature and Mayan Archeological Sites
Tekax, officialy known as Tekax de Alvaro Obregon, after the Mexican revolutionary politician and one-time president, is next door to Akil and very near Oxcutzcab, making it another destination for those who happen to find themselves in the ‘citrus belt’ of the Yucatan.
Vegetation abounds on the outskirts, lush green and varied. Fields and orchards attest to the rich soil in the area. The town itself, a two hour drive from Merida, is historically interesting and relevant as well. Definitely worth at least one overnight stay while you are exploring the area.
You will see that the town is very colorful, with lots of colonial era constructions including the famous ‘casa de tres pisos’ a three story home owned by a wealthy property owner and the site of bloodshed during the Caste War. In fact, you can see the marks on the dilapidated wooden front door, apparently made by Mayan machetes as they tried to gain entrance to this imposing house. The place is still owned by descendants of the last owners and since it is such a huge undertaking to maintain and perhaps restore it, you might very well be able to purchase this and sink a ton of money into it.
The main square central park area, featuring a wrought iron fence, is one of two such parks in the Yucatan, the other being in Valladolid. There has been a great effort made to landscape and plant, as well as providing citizens and visitors with places to sit and contemplate life while listening to piped in music, often classical. On the morning when I was there last, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Spring) was wafting over the area.
Nearby is the impressive Chacmultun Mayan site, and there are a gazillion caves to explore (with a guide, por favor) the most famous of which are Sartenejas and Chocantes. The nearest known cenote is San Mateo, near the town of Peto, a bit of a drive from Tekax.
Enjoy the photos! (click to enlarge and see them completely)
