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Visit a historic henequen hacienda

Historic Henequen Hacienda

Discover the surprising substance that made the Yucatán peninsula's fortune in the 19th century – henequén, or sisal.

Find out how a variety of agave plant came to shape the fortunes of a vast region of Mexico on this tour of the Yucatán’s henequén (sisal) plantations. The strong fibres yielded by the plant were found to be the most effective raw material for rope-making – a booming industry in an era of seaborne trade and transportation.

Begin by visiting a working henequén hacienda to see for yourself how the substance is cultivated using centuries-old machinery that recalls the sisal boom years of the 1800s. Ride out on a wooden cart pulled by mules to tour the plantation and stop for a swim in a cenote (a natural sinkhole typical of the peninsula).

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    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

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