Palizada
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◈ In the southeast part of the state, in the region of rivers and wetlands, you will find Palizada, the town of the mango trees. It warmly receives whoever comes to visit. Along its boardwalk you will see houses with French tile roofs and colourful facades. And there are always plenty of people riding bicycles on its streets. It is quiet during the day, with only the sound of the howler monkeys in the air. In the afternoon, the hustle and bustle of life returns. A boat slowly gliding over the currents of the Río Palizada provokes a desire for the perspective the water has to offer.
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- Enjoy a hot chocolate and a concha (sweet pastry) in the market.
- Try the ice creams from La Perla de los Ríos in the main plaza.
- Take a boat ride from Palizada to Ciudad del Carmen.
A boat ride along the river is the perfect opportunity to admire the line of colourful houses that bring the town of Palizada to life.
❖ Statue of Liberty
Visit the seafront and admire the 13-foot-tall replica of the United States monument, which has stood to commemorate the liberal spirit of Palizada’s inhabitants since 1949.
❖ Its Mercado Municipal
and Steaming Hot Chocolate
Life in Palizada starts at the town market, early. The fishermen set themselves up outside, offering tilapia, mojarra, and gars. The women sell tamales colados (tamales made with a very fine dough) and atole de maíz nuevo (a sweet drink made from fresh corn). Inside is an organized world of fruit and food stands, where cochinita pibil (slow cooked pork stew), empanadas, and panuchos (stuffed tortillas) take center stage. We recommend you drink a cup of hot chocolate, topped with cocoa foam; the most famous is the one prepared in Don Alí’s stall, along the market’s exterior wall. His granddaughter pours the drink and it comes with a slice of panatela, a sweet, home-made sponge cake.
❖ UMA Cocodrilos
and UMA Quelonios
In the town of Santa Isabel, 7.5 miles away, is this sustainable space where you can see Morelet’s crocodiles of different ages, as well as diverse species of turtles such as the Hispaniolan slider, the furrowed wood turtle, the guao turtle, the Tabasco mud turtle, the common snapping turtle, the white turtle and the alligator snapping turtle. If you are interested in these kinds of animals, here you can see them up close, learn more about these species, and admire the environment that characterizes Palizada along the way.
❖ Wander Along the
Center’s Streets
Notice the old-time atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else. The day is filled with absolute calm; see people enjoying the fresh air in doorways and watch the bicycles as they pass by. In the afternoon, when the sun goes down, look out the enormous windows of the houses in the center. You will see the high rooftops, the mosaic floors, and the fine wooden furniture that decorate Campeche’s living rooms. Walking along the boardwalk is a truly delightful experience.
❖ Sail Along the Río Palizada
all the Way to
Ciudad del Carmen
This river is around 75 miles long, from the point at which it branches off from the Río Usumacinta to where it ends up in the vast Laguna de Términos. A journey along this branch gives you the opportunity to see its natural wealth; its waters sustain many species of amphibians, fish and reptiles, as well as birds such as the tiger heron and jabiru stork. However, its most famous resident is perhaps the manatee, the pacific water mammal that likes to feed in the marshes and mangroves.
You can travel the length of the Río Palizada towards Ciudad del Carmen just like the pirates used to do. Every day at six in the morning a boat departs for the island (the journey is two hours long). But there are also two other boats that travel the same route, El Paliceño and Pueblo Mágico. These trips are much longer and do not depart daily.
❖ Horseback Ride
Along the Riverbank
In the shade of the palm trees and the dense leaves of the mango trees, enjoy the flow of the river while colorful birds fly low to drink water, and from somewhere close by you hear the sound of the splashing Hispaniolan slider turtles. You will only experience this unusual type of tropical charrería (horsemanship) on Rancho El Charro, property of the Guerrero family, champions of this national sport. Here you will enjoy a rural Mexican experience and learn about the art and expertise involved in this sport.
❖ Fiesta de San Joaquín
On the 31st August, Saint Joachim, the patron saint of Palizada, leaves the church with his parishioners and starts on a procession through some of the Magical Town’s streets, along the Río Palizada and the Isla de San Joaquín (Saint Joachim Island). The journey lasts around three hours, and includes firework displays, chants and prayers.
❖ Day of the Dead
On the 1st and 2nd of November, there isn’t a single house in Palizada that doesn’t have an altar to receive their faithful dead. On them are candy, coffee, cigarettes, fruit, bread, flowers, copal and candles.
In the park it is possible to see exhibitions relating to the celebration created by schools and businesses.
Magical Towns in
Campeche
