The Caste War Museum in Tihosuco

The Spaniards may have conquered the Yucatán with relative ease, but destroying the spirit of the Maya proved a far more difficult task. From the very beginning of the conquest and up into the twentieth century, the Maya fought back against their oppressors, bending but never breaking. The stories of their struggle are told in the Museo de las Guerra Casta, in the village of Tihosuco.

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Sayil

The third ancient city which we visited on our trip along the Yucatán's Ruta Puuc was Sayil. Long since abandoned to the jungle, this extraordinary site is still paying silent testimony to the magnificence of the Maya civilization.

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The Eco-Museum of Cacao

We weren't sure what to expect from the Eco-Museum of Cacao, found between the archaeological sites of Labná and Xlapak. Apart from a flier we'd picked up in a tourism office, we hadn't read a thing about it, and that's usually a bad sign. But the museum turned out to be excellent, with nicely-presented information, a chocolate-making demonstration, animals and even a re-creation of an ancient Maya rain ritual.

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Cozumel’s Museo de la Isla

When preparing to explore Cozumel, a logical place to begin is the Museum of the Island, found near the ferry pier. I know, I know... the weather is great, the water is crystal blue, and the amount of things to do outdoors is overwhelming. Who wants to spend time in a museum? But the overview of Cozumel's history, geography and ecology is brief and well-presented, and afterwards you can reward yourself with an excellent breakfast in the museum's restaurant.

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The Casa Catherwood

A few blocks west of the Plaza Grande and across from the Iglesia de Santiago, you can find the Casa Catherwood. Hanging on the walls of this gorgeous old home are the drawings of Frederick Catherwood, an English artist who was one of the Yucatán's first modern-day explorers.

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