Welcome to the Yucatan Peninsula, one of the most amazing places in Mexico! This land of paradise and beauty stretches from the Northern tip of the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatan, to the Mexico-Belize border of Campeche. Surrounded by the gorgeous waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, the peninsula is covered with tropical beaches, lush rain forest, and beautiful landscapes, making it a paradise on earth. The low-lying plain of the Peninsula is one of the most tropical-feeling areas of the country, but in fact it lies farther north than you might imagine! Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, is actually found north of Mexico City. Until the 1960s, when proper road and train links were finally completed, the Yucatan Peninsula lived out of touch with the rest of Mexico – there was almost as much contact with Europe and the United States as with the center of the country! Now tourism has made major inroads, especially in the northern parts of the Peninsula around the great Mayan sites and on the route from Merida to the “super-resort” of Cancun. Yet a unique character of the Peninsula remains, and in the south, where townships are sparsely scattered in thick rain forest, there’s still a distinct pioneering feel.

Physiographically, the Yucatan Peninsula is composed of a coral and limestone table with an average elevation of less than 152 m (500 ft), except in parts of the south, where projecting spurs rise to a height of about 460 m (about 1500 ft). Distinctive topographical features of the northern portion are the numerous limestone caverns and underground channels into which rainwater drains. These underground channels are called “cenotes”, and it is now known that the Mayans practiced human sacrifice by throwing their victims into these deep caverns.

The first European explorers to the Yucatan Peninsula were the Spanish, who arrived in the early 16th century. The Spanish general Hernán Cortés crossed the base of the peninsula in 1525 and Spain began the conquest of the Mayas a few years later. By 1549, approximately half the peninsula was under Spain’s domination. Spanish control over much of the region continued until early in the 19th century, when Mexico and Central America won independence. Yucatán and Campeche were constituted separate states of Mexico in 1862 and Quintana Roo was made a territory in 1902 and a state in 1975.

The Yucatan Peninsula is also home to a menagerie of flora and fauna that can be found in its vast forests, marshes and warm blue waters. When driving through the countryside, expect to see families of Howler and Spider monkeys, watch for the raccoonlike Coatimundi’s, and you may even catch a glimpse of a rare Baird’s Tapir (see Costa Maya Times Vol. 4, Issue 1, Feb. 2004). Don’t forget to look to the skies and see the magnificent Jabiru Stork or the White Ibis; and nesting in the trees you may find a resident Keel billed Toucan or the regal Quetzal with its 3 foot long emerald tail feather! (**If you are interested in finding out more about any of these exotic animals, contact our Senior Correspondence Administrator Yury Di Pasquale at oceanfront@transcaribbeantrust.com!. The Yucatan Peninsula offers many wonders for visitors and residents alike, and now is your chance to be a part of this enchanting land! Trans Caribbean Trust is pleased to announce that we have property and investment opportunities available throughout the Yucatan Peninsula! Good luck in finding that perfect piece of paradise that’s just for you, and Welcome to the Yucatan Peninsula!!