Chetumal
Chetumal is the capital of the state of Quintana Roo and is situated in the southeast corner of the Yucatan Peninsula, adjacent to Belize. It was officially founded in 1898. The city has a population of about 150,000 (2010). Chetumal is a cultural center with many Mayan ruins nearby, the largest and most famous is Kohunlich. There is more information about our visit to this ruin, in the Gallery marked Mayan Ruins. The town also has a small three level Mayan Museum. Many of the exhibits are replicas of actual artifacts. The nearby town of Calderitas has many good restaurants, influenced by the Mayan culture, immigrants from the Caribbean and Mexican. The restaurants are right on the edge of the water. My favorite dish here was a type of “Caldo de Seite Mares” and Joyce’s was bacon-wrapped giant shrimp.

During the time we were in Chetumal, we stayed an hour north of the city at Ecoturistica El Chital in wooden cabins called cabanas. The site was on the shore of Laguna Guerrero, a Manatee sanctuary, and breakfast came with the room. It is definitely off the path, but not primitive. Vehicles are not allowed in the cabana or restaurant area. Parking was just off the road with a cleared path from the parking area to the cabanas (about a quarter of a mile). The cabanas had electricity, showers, toilets and serenity. The dawn each morning had a special kind of serenity, the loud calling of a bird called a Chachalaca. Nearby, the resident Manatee arrives in the morning for his breakfast of lettuce and poses for a few “ham” photographs.