On The Road Again: Campeche
It seems like a very long time, due to COVID, that we have been able to hop on a plane or get in our car and just go explore. Well, with the help of our friends, Brandi and Deborah Mahan, we decided it was time to get back in the saddle and go. For our first trip we decided to go back to Campeche city in the state of the same name. We had visited it briefly when we did our driving trip from Charleston, SC to the Riviera Maya back in 2019. We spent only one night that trip, as I was still recovering from food poisoning and our dog, Maya, was dying of lung cancer; needless to say, we did not get to experience Campeche as we would have like.
This time we chose our dates based on Rufugio Xaman Ek’s schedule for their monthly guest chef’s Farm to Table dinner. In October, we found out, they were doing a special event including a Mayan Shaman, an explanation of Dia de los Muertos and a blessing, that sealed the deal. Next, we needed to find accommodations and we settled on trying Puerta Hacienda Campeche, one of several sister Haciendas in the Marriot Bonvoy Collection. A bit pricy but for 3 nights we decided to splurge.
Bags packed and ready to go, we headed out around 9 and decided to make a stop in Valladolid. What we didn’t know was that Valladolid was going through major renovations and many of its streets were torn up and rerouted due to construction. The places we had visited exactly 5 years prior were not easily accessible, so we agreed to come back to visit another time and headed straight for the Cuota towards Merida.
Sometimes the detours in life take you to some of the most memorable hidden gems, and that was certainly the case that day. Brandi got on her phone and started searching for “restaurants near us” and found Hacienda Teya www.haciendateya.com . According to its description it was an “old farm house” – perfect! Little did we know that this is a well-known venue just outside of Merida. Established in the 1600s, it was an amazing stop and great place for lunch. When we drove through the arch and down the driveway, we immediately realized we had found a perfect spot. If you are ever looking for a place to stop to eat just outside of Merida, put this on your bucket list. It is also a wonderful location for special events. Take enough time to wander around the grounds and visit the outbuildings, church and gardens. Deer and peacocks roam free, and you can often spot them through the window while dining. The food is typical Yucatecan cuisine with a tasty twist and beautiful presentation. We chose the pumpkin dip and guacamole to begin. Deborah chose the Sopa de Lima, which was so chock full of chicken it was more than a meal. Brandi, Mike and I went for the panuchas filled with beans topped with either chicken or cochinita pibil.
Full and ready to get to our final destination, we piled back in the car and headed for Campeche. It is an easy drive with great roads all the way, though there is construction between Cancun and Merida. Our hotel couldn’t have been simpler to find and the location was incredible, right in the middle of everything we wanted to see. Puerta Hacienda Campeche, one of the few urban haciendas, stands at the walls of the fort where the wall meets 59th Avenue, which is the pedestrian street running from the eastern gate to the Malecon and the Gulf of Mexico. You can read more about this amazing place in our review section. The location, facility, food, drinks and service were all 5 Star!
We settled in for the evening and chose to spend our time relaxing at the lovely restaurant, which is open to the beautiful courtyard and unique pool area. Tired from our journey, we slept like babies in our lovely courtyard rooms.
According to locals we met, from March to November you will want to get up early to walk around and get the lay of Campeche. We traveled in October and the temperature was high 90s with a heat index well over 100. As many Campecherons told us, “it’s not as hot as Merida,” which is true since Campeche is located right on the Gulf of Mexico. I enjoyed the early morning walks around the city when it was still shaded and the city was just coming awake. The architecture makes it one of my favorite cities – a beautiful mix of Colonial and Modern. The streets were very clean and the people incredibly friendly. The Malecon has a waking path and bike lanes, making it one of the widest I have seen. There are even stops along the way with outdoor exercise equipment. The Cathedral and parts of the fort are also a must see. What I loved were the rainbow colors of the homes and shops, similar to Rainbow Row in Charleston, but found throughout the city.
Dinner our second night was at Rufugio Xaman Ek, held at their facility outside of town. They did an amazing job of making this a one-of-a-kind experience. The tables and chairs, small bonfires, bar and Dia de los Muertos alter were all set up in a field, which is usually home to their rescue dogs, horses, goats, and pigs. The chef, Enrique Ortiz, from La Maria in Campeche, did an amazing job of creating a vegan feast using the organic foods from the farm next to the sanctuary. Each course was paired with a tasty and creative cocktail. Located about 15 minutes from Downtown Campeche, this is a must visit - they also do a Green Market once a month. We went back to visit on our way out of Campeche and had the opportunity to meet the rescue animals and visit more with John.
After our picnic dinner in the country, we were greeted back at the Hacienda with a very pleasant surprise. The staff had opened the rooftop up for us, previously closed due to Covid. This evening they lit candles, put the cushions on the furniture, set up music and had wine chilled with a lovely charcutier platter prepared, none of which we requested. This is how special the staff was. With the gentle evening breeze this was the perfect touch to an amazing day.
For our last day in Campeche our mission was to find and devour stone crabs. We first chose to try a restaurant located on the Malecon with a lovely view of the Gulf. To our disappointment, they were almost out of crabs and the ones they offered us free of charge were a tad disappointing. We did, however, enjoy some apps and a cocktail before heading to La Pigua for a second go at stone crabs. This place did not disappoint! La Pigua is a lovely small restaurant located in the historic district, with a beautiful atmosphere, linen table clothes, excellent service and incredible seafood! Be sure to add this to your Campeche Bucket List.
Again, we were greeted back at the hotel and had no need to have dinner, but the staff kept surprising us with incredible small plates of food. Our patio ended up being as far as we journeyed that night. Great company and incredible service led us to an easy decision: on our last night we would be spoiled on our patio then, when the weather cooled, we would come back to explore more of Campeche.
Our last morning started like each morning, with an incredible breakfast, which was included with our stay. You have a choice of ordering anything off the extensive menu, and between the four of us during the 3 mornings, I think we tried everything. Not dish disappointed. The only disappointment was that our stay had come to an end.
We will be back to Campeche for the shopping, history, food and excellent hospitality.The shops in Campeche did not disappoint either.We found artisan shops which sold everything from hats, clothes, handcrafted items for the home and even chairs – ours should be arriving soon.