Native Trails MyTrails 2025 241 Quintana Roo 29 Punta Sur Eco Beach Park - Nature preserve of Cozumel Duration: 06:00 h · Level: Medium The Punta Sur Eco Beach Park is the largest protected nature preserve of Cozumel Island. Discover the unique nature of the southernmost point of the island, the intense surge breaking on the open eastern shore, the historic lighthouse of Celarain with its small maritime museum, and the small archaeological zone along the access road. By way of contrast, you can enjoy protected bays, which are ideal for a refreshing swim, and a boat tour through the mangrove forests of Laguna Colombia; just a bit of luck, and you will see crocodiles and a lot of other inhabitants of this nature preserve. 30 Visit of the cenote Manatí Duration: 02:30 h · Level: Medium Unlike many other more or less round cenotes, Cenote Manatí appears like a river about 250 m (270 yds.) long and about a dozen meters (40 ft.) wide. Its banks are grown with luscious vegetation including mangroves. It is particularly exciting to explore and enjoy nature not only above, but also under the water snorkeling or diving. You can observe various species of fish as well as turtles, and as the cenote has a direct connection with the sea, it takes just a bit of chance to see a manatee – for which this body of water was named. 31 Tepich city tour Duration: 01:00 h · Level: Easy Accompany us to the small, but famous town of Tepich – it is the place where, in 1847, the Caste War began, which was to ravage the peninsula of Yucatan for 54 years. A statue has been erected on a small plaza in the center, just next to the street passing through the village, to remind people of the life and actions of freedom fighter Cecilio Chi; he was a Mayan cacique, who was born and lived in Tepich and who, on 30 July 1847, gave the final impulse for the start of the war between the Mayas and Mexico. From the plaza you continue to the church of San José Patriarca, which was built on a platform that is likely to have been the base of a Mayan temple in former times. Near the plain church, you will also find Cecilio Chi’s grave. 32 Visit of the ruins of Tulum Duration: 02:30 h · Level: Easy Your tour will take you to the Mayan rock fortress of Tulum, located directly on the Caribbean Sea. What remained of the great Mayan city is only the temple area with the palace. Other buildings include the Templo del Dios Descendente and the Templo de los Frescos. Tulum's appeal lies in the interaction of the ruins with the white sand and turquoise water. 33 Visit the Museo Guerra de Castas Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy The Museo Guerra de Castas lies in the center of Tihosuco (which the Mayas formerly called JO'OTSUUK) and explains the history of the war of independence that the Yucatec Mayas fought against the ruling white upper class. Begun in 1847, the so-called “Caste War” ended in 1901 when Mexican troops took “Chan Santa Cruz”, the last Mayan base to have kept its independence, and completely destroyed the town of Tihosuco. The exhibits in the four rooms include oil paintings, maps and old weapons and give a complete overview of the history of the Mayan population in the second half of the 19th century – a history full of suffering, but also of glory. 34 City walk in Tihosuco Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy Tihosuco was conquered by Spanish Francisco de Montejo in 1544 and soon began to flourish and prosper. The Franciscan order used it as its base to control the mission of the Mayan people in the center of Yucatán; the mighty church ruin testifies to the past splendor and will not fail to impress you. Apart from raids by pirates Laurens de Graaf and Michel de Grandmont, it was in particular fighting in the notorious Caste War that plagued the town. Only in the course of the 1930’s did the first families come back. Today several thousand mestizos and Mayas live peacefully here side by side.
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