<span id="hs_cos_wrapper_name" class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_text" style="" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="text" >Nature Getaway: Baca and Mocochá</span>

Towns of Yucatán

Nature Getaway: Baca and Mocochá

29 january 2019

3 min. de lectura

Connecting with nature and breathing "country air" is a recipe that we can share with you; 30 minutes from Mérida, along the Baca-Mocochá route. You can enjoy Thai food specialties surrounded by aquatic gardens with lotus flowers, orchids, and minerals at Casa de los Lotos in Baca, and go horseback riding and touring around the Hacienda Zamna. Do you want to know more? Baca means "horn-shaped water" or "spilled water".

It is located 32 kilometers from Mérida; from the road to Motul you take the turnoff under the bridge to enter on the main street. Six kilometers away, or 5 minutes by car, you will find Mocochá, which means "knot in the water." When you reach the center of Baca, your attention is immediately drawn to the terracotta red color of the main church.

This temple was built in the 17th century and is dedicated to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, local patron saint. The nearby buildings that house the municipal offices exhibit colonial architecture with pasta floors, portals, and arches. It is said if you want to know a city, visit its cemetery; and Baca's is quite unique. "Worldly pride ends here and divine peace begins," says a phrase written on its main access. Strategically located in the center of the square, the great big colorful letters of with the name of the town invite you to take a photo with the church in the background.

If you are a traveler who loves to photograph doors and buildings, walk one block along the main street and you will find a façade in shades of cream and pink tones, with decorations of flowers that still retain part of their original beauty. At Casa de los Lotos you can eat authentic Thai cuisine prepared by Chef Fong, who has been in charge of the restaurant for more than 10 years, working with the Baca-based foundation that is dedicated to people with cancer.

Order the fresh house tea with lemon and ginger. The soups, curries, and spring rolls are worth the trip here. For dessert, my favorites are the bananas, try them! It's nice to order several dishes and share. Open for breakfast and lunch.

Complete the experience with moments of serenity touring the lotus flower ponds, noticing the architectural details with Asian touches. Don't forget to greet the great Buddha at the entrance. You can also go horseback riding along jungle trails, learn about the henequén process, admire badgers, deer, sheep, dogs and even a little pig, as part of a visit to the beautiful Hacienda Zamná, always accompanied by a qualified guide who gives you personalized attention. Ideal for families with children. Fortín, the noble horse that I rode, convinced me that children and adults alike enjoy this experience.

Hacienda Zamná is an oasis for nature lovers. It offers transportation from Mérida as a way to reduce the noise of visitors' cars, maintaining the peaceful habitat of the animals that live there. There are various tours, by reservation, either the short two hours tour or the extended one of up to five hours or more for those who already have riding experience; tours are organized in groups of maximum seven people, always accompanied by a guide.

At the end of the tour, the fruit drink of the day, made with local ingredients, served with Yucatecan snacks, close an experience of contact and respect for nature that always fascinates children. On the way back to Mérida, visit Mocochá, birthplace of the poet and composer Luis Pérez Sabido. Check out the church dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption with its two towers of 12 bells.