MOTUL, typical Mayan village You can take a ride on bicycle or horseback to this village (9 km.) to visit the Franciscan convent of the 17th. Century or visit the market full of color and the fragrances of the region, famous for its tropical fruits. Botanical tour, a walk through the delights of nature A good option is to take a walk with a guide to discover and listen to the birds of the area, the tropical plants and their use. A delightful experience close to the hacienda. ALACRANES, reefs of great beauty The boat leaves Progreso to reach this natural reserve, so named because its territory has the shape of a scorpion. These islands are a refuge for many species of sea birds. Here you can practice Scuba diving and discover fish of vivid colors or the wrecks of ships guarding their mysteries. AKE, live sisal tradition Watch the sisal, the so-called 'green gold', being produced at the seat of the old hacienda that has kept the old machinery running. The agaves are cut to pieces and ground, the fiber is separated, laid down to dry and later baled and sent to the rope factory, undoubtedly this will be a different and interesting visit. The archeological site of Aké and a cenote are located next to the hacienda. Insofar as gastronomy, Cacalchén is famous because that is where the 'cochinita enterrada' (buried piglet) is prepared. The natural beauty of the caves at BALAMCANCHÉ and the cenote at DZITNUP Close to Chichén Itza, in the innards of the earth, are the Caves of Balamcanché, with extraordinary rock formations and cenotes, and were once a Mayan sanctuary as attested by the cave paintings, oblations and the Throne of Balam. You should also visit the traditional city of Valladolid and the beautiful cenote at Dzitnup, whose stalactites hang forming a fantastic ceiling guarding the transparent water in which you can swim. The road to the YUCATECAN COAST keeps mysteries and offers delights After leaving Mérida you will find the Mayan city of Dzibilchaltún, where you can admire the Temple of the Seven Dolls and visit the 'cenote' of Xlacah and Museum of the Mayan People, where you will learn much about the costums and thinking of the proud inhabitants of the Yucatán Península. Following the same road you reach the port of Progreso, with nice beaches for swimming or kayaking. Further on is Chicxulub, where you can see the crater of a meteorite or go down to beaches of Telchic, or see the flamingos in Uaymiún. You can also visit the ancient Mayan port of Xcambó. CHICHÉN ITZÁ, splendid Mayan city where wisdom, architecture and astronomy flourished. It is an imposing experience to see The Castle or the Pyramid of Kukulcán upon arrival there. At sunrise on each equinox the sun comes down the stairway from the top of the pyramid making it seem as if the god Kukulcán was descending in the form of a serpent. The observatory known as El Caracol is another sample of the very advanced astronomical knowledge of the Maya, whose calendar was far more accurate than our present Gregorian calendar; you can also admire the beauty of the Casa Colorada (the Red House), the Church, the Edifice of the Nuns, and the Temple of the Thousand Columns. The ancient city of Ek Balam is nearby, and its Oval Palace and the Structure XVI are well worth seeing. DZILAM DE BRAVO and RIA LAGARTOS, beautiful spectacles in pink. Choose the scenery and enjoy the sight of hundreds of pink flamingos taking flight in the stuaries of the 'Yucatecan' coast. Dzilam de Bravo is the closer option; marshes and mangroves add to the charm of this spot. If you decide to go farther on, you will enjoy the calm surf that welcomes the nestling and mating of these birds. You can also visit San Felipe, charming quaint fishing village whose wooden houses painted in bright colors add charm to the place. The YUCATECAN HACIENDAS, testimony of the splendor of the green gold. Visit some of the all seats of these haciendas: Yaxcopoil stands out for its elegant neoclassic architecture, which currently houses an archeological museum; Teya, whose building dates from the 17th. Century, and today has converted its main house into a hotel, the machinery hall into a restaurant and ball room, and whose culinary fame for regional cuisine is great; Uayalceh, although somewhat abandoned is still in operation, and Xcanchacán, known for its arch of mixed lines at the entrance adorning the chapel and for its notable three floor main house. IZAMAL, ancient Mayan city and today colorful village. ... the ancient plaza surrounded by five temples was the center of the city, there are vestiges of three of them. Currently, the imposing Convent of Izamal with its bright yellow walls and humongous atrium dominates the town. This religious building is surrounded by houses of the colonial era that modestly, but with typical flavor offer the visitor culinary delights and arts and crafts; a ride around town in a horse drawn 'calandria' is a most for tranquil sightseeing. Visit Euán on the way, where the famous "tongue of cow" hammocks are made. MÉRIDA, the white city adorned by its palaces, mansions, and churches. This placid city was founded in Pre-Hispanic times under the name Thó. It still retains its colonial design and three of the old arches that guarded and adorned the entrance to the city are still standing, they are known as the bridge of Dragons, of the Bridge and San Juan, as is the old cathedral. During the sisal boom of the 19th. Century, many palaces and mansions were built on the Paseo Montejo and the Paseo Colón. The beautiful Casa Montejo is the best example of the 'Plateresque', and the Palacio Cantón that houses some of the oblations found in the sacred 'cenote' at Chichén Itzá. Mérida is renown for the delicacies of the Yucatecan cuisine and its musical heritage of its ballads, regional dances and shows that enliven plazas or parks in the city.