Some of the haciendas I visited do indeed communicate this complex past, but not all of the old plantations in Yucatan have had a second life like Kampepén: Hacienda Uayalceh, just 50 km to the west, has been completely abandoned. As I wandered around the property, I saw bats and birds nesting in the towers of the chapel, bushes of wildflowers covering the once tall galleries, and no locked doors or ticket booths.
By contrast, a short drive northwest, Hacienda Yaxcopoil — a cattle ranch turned henequen plantation that once spanned 22,000 acres — has been converted into a hotel and wedding venue offering rustic stays , walking tours and a dose of history via its Engine House with henequen equipment and its Mayan Gallery of relics found nearby.
There are other areas that have also benefited from a tourism upgrade, such as Sotuta de Peón Hacienda Viva, which combines a luxury hotel with a historic throwback experience: a comprehensive museum with actual henequen processing tours” from sheet to string”.
“There is no government effort to rebuild or renovate haciendas. All efforts, whether for renovation or transformation into museums, come from individuals or associations,” Gallegos explained.
Several other haciendas are scattered around this area of the Yucatan Peninsula, and adventurous travelers can get there by asking the locals for advice. Some are accessible by bus or rental taxi, others require a 4×4 vehicle or motorbike, but their presence is evident everywhere – from the overgrown ruins in the thick, dense woods to the crumbling old buildings just outside. outside small villages and towns. A story of power, wealth, oppression and ruin is slowly being replaced by a story of reconstruction – and memory.
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