Dzilam de Bravo
One of the most dramatic and soul-churning coastal towns in Yucatan, you'll be writing poetry within the first few hours and hoping to stay for days and days and days.
Dzilam de Bravo is a spectacular and spectacularly underrated natural landscape and beach site on the north coast of Yucatan. It is named for channels of water entering the sea amidst stunning mangroves and wetlands. The area is protected nature reserve of some 62,000 hectares but the small beach town is also a striking coastal colonial town.
People visit to go kayaking and camping. The Xbuya Ha freshwater spring flows directly into the sea and the Elepetén cenote is almost hidden in the mangroves. Tours are organized by local providers well versed in the ecology of the local environment.
Dzilam de Bravo is the main fishing port and one of the most important for the fishing industry in Yucatán. Bocas de Dzilam to the east of the town refers to the protected natural reserve area. Dzilam in the Mayan language of the area means bare or unwrapped , that is, a bare thing or object. The town is known to have been occupied by Maya peoples prior to the Spanish invasion and that it was part of the Ah Kin Chel jurisdiction. It became the municipal seat only way later in 1921. By then it had long been known as a terrific fishing area.
Today people visit to walk the magnificent waterfront. Some of it is very rustic, but it is always inspiring, even truly exhilarating. But archaeological sites are almost too numerous to mention: Xalau , Tamba, Bolmay, Petul, Sotpol, Xuyap, Poxil , Xcoom, Palabán , Xmaos and Xcan .
The vast majority of people will continue to get to Dzilam de Bravo via Merida. The bus from the capital can take just about 2.5 hours. An increasing contingent of travelers (from Cancun especially) are getting off at Izamal. The drive from the Tren Maya station there should be about one hour, but Autobuses Noreste Yucatán and Autocentro are, at this writing, still routing passengers through Motul. Ask your driver or when you purchase a trip. The bus trip through Motul can take up to 3.5 hours.
