The Yucatan has been the epicenter of the end of epochs and the beginning of cultural awakenings. It has been home to thriving civilizations and host to adult playgrounds. The history of the Yucatan, with its unique geological composition, plentiful water and magnificent beaches is the history of humans in the Western Hemisphere.
Natural History
The Yucatan has played an outsized role in natural history, mostly because of the collision that ended the dinosaurs. But this beautiful peninsula has many other stories to tell.
Pre-columbian maya history
From Palenque in the northern hills of Chiapas to Ek Balam, the Maya civilization left its mark all over the jungles, uplands and beaches of the Yucatan. As much as there is to see and learn following the ancient white roads of the Maya, there is just as much that has yet to be discovered and uncovered. The jungle gives up its treasures reluctantly, so take the opportunity to absorb what we know to date about this very durable and expansive civilization.
Colonial History
Like the Maya before them, the Spanish also left their mark. From the gorgeous cities of Merida and Campeche to the regional market towns of Valladolid and Izamal, you haven’t seen the Yucatan until you’ve seen what the Spanish left behind, much of it build right on top of Mayan structures. Also learn about what sets Mexico apart from other Spanish and British colonies. Mexico saw the clash of civilizations in a way most of North America did not.
post-colonial history
There are many stories to tell about what happened in and to the Yucatan that brought us from the Colonial era to modern day. Read about the Yucatan’s Pirates of the Caribbean and how much of Quintana Roo was settled in the 20th century. In case you didn’t know, the Maya did not fully accept Mexico’s authority until quite recently.
Yucatan culture & the modern maya
One of the globe’s few remaining ancient civilizations, the Modern-day Maya now face the challenge of finding their place in the ever-progressive world they live in today. The Yucatan has changed much in the last generation, impacting the indigenous people and their land. Learn how the Maya have adapted to these changes and adopted Mexican culture as their own.