Ecotourism Escape in the Yucatan

A December 2002 trip to Yucatan Peninsula by dosgringos

<b>Welcome to Komchén</b> Photo - Rancho Komchén de los Pájaros, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Quote: This journal describes a one-month stay and our volunteer work at Rancho Komchen de los Pajaros, a rustic ecotourism ranch, following Hurricane Isidore. This ranch is located in the state of Yucatan 45km from Merida, 15km from the coast and 300km from Cancun.

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Ecotourism Escape in the Yucatan

Overview

<b>Hurricane Damage</b> Photo - Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Quote:

Our visit in the Yucatan was mostly for volunteer work following Hurricane Isidore in September 2002. We had contacted Ana Maria via her website to inquire about staying at Rancho Komchen de los Pajaros over Xmas and New Year's 2002-2003. When she described the state of the ranch, we thought that she might be able to use two able-bodied Canadian "boys" to help put things back together. If you could ever cry in an e-mail . . . well, let''s just say we gave the best Christmas present in a long while. Anyhow, these are our highlights -- your mileage may vary....Read More

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Rancho Komchén de los Pájaros

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Hotel | "Rancho Komchen de los Pajaros"

Quote:

Set in a 340-hectare (840 acre) tropical dry forest, Komchen de los Pajaros is a old sisal ranch that has been left to regress to its natural state. Now a wildlife reserve and bird sanctuary, the owner Ana Maria rents out rustic casitas to help sustain the operation.

Each casita is equipped with one to four beds, a cold (warmish) shower and a dry toilet (outhouse). Of note, the outhouses do not "smell" as they have been properly built with a ventilation shaft. Inside the walls are whitewashed and the floors are aged ceramic tiles. Front windows are screened and have inside-opening shutters. This is not hotel-style accommodation in that your room is not cleaned daily. But this doesn't mean you'll be roughing it as the beds are comfortable and rooms have electricity with reading lights and ceiling fans (no A/C). A few of the casitas have covered verandas where you can hang a supplied hammock.

There are also hot showers available in a small screened palapa just steps from the common kitchen. The building housing the kitchen has rounded walls and a palapa-style roof. Inside, meals are served a long banquet table capable of seating 12. Screened windows and a ceiling fan keeps things cool and the odd bugs away.

Outside, there is a 40' x 15' lap pool for swimming (see photos in the Volunteer Work journal entry). Horses run "free" in an enclosure that surrounds the accommodations. It is far enough from city lights that you get an astounding view of the night sky. Relatively quiet with only the odd carryover from nearby Dzemul. There are several "ruins" on the site, outbuildings of the old sisal operation. Recently restored trail leads out for bird watching.

It's a good base camp for those who want to explore the area on daytrips with a rented vehicle (as an alternative to staying in Merida or Cancun). This is also an ideal place for those looking to get away from things in general. Without a vehicle though, some might find it a bit isolated...but guests have been known to ride-share amongst each other and there are always the bicycles for rent.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 13, 2003

Rancho Komchén de los Pájaros
Libramiento Dzemul-Xtampu KM 1.5
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico 97404

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Yucatan Express - Scotia Prince

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Attraction | "Yucatan Express"

<b>The Yucatan Express</b> Photo - Yucatan Express - Scotia Prince, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Quote:

Great while it lasted (2002-2003), this passenger/car ferry service took us across the Gulf of Mexico and saved us 6 days driving in 36 hours of sailing time. It costs about the same as driving if you have a regular vehicle (not oversize). Getting aboard in Tampa was fine, but the wait at the ticket counter and the line-up driving onto the ship were excruciatingly slow. Once aboard the Yucatan Express (a.k.a. Scotia Prince), you quickly figure out that this is primarily a ferry ship with cabins. The age of the ship is evident and drifting diesel fumes greet you in the hallway...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 18, 2003

Yucatan Express - Scotia Prince

Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

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Volunteer Work

Story/Tip

<b>The art of whitewashing</b> Photo - Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Quote:

Volunteer work at Komchen de los Pajaros We arrived at Komchen in late December 2002 a week after the power was restored. It was pretty much what we expected, a mowed down landscape with very little vegetation and every outbuilding in need of some kind of repair. All the buildings which make up the compound were flooded in two feet of standing water which stuck around for weeks following the hurricane. It was a race against the clock to get all the casitas ready for the first wave of guests arriving on January 6th. What added to the difficulty was that every room was to be occupied during the same weekend! No possibility of turnover! So first off,...Read More

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About the Writer

dosgringos
Ottawa, Ontario

"Landscapers in Ottawa, Canada. Travel winters to Mexico. Recently returned from a 5 month road trip..."
1 journal
16 photos
2 reviews

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