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At kilometer 65 of Federal Highway 180, you find the picturesque
town of Champoton, located in what the Spaniards used to call the
Bay of the Bad Fight. A river by the same name of Champoton invites
you on a boat tour to learn more about the regional fauna.
Mayan chronicles and prophecies mention a place called chakanputun,
which very possibly is the actual town of Champoton. The town was
the scene of the migration of the Itzaes and of Kukulcan. Champoton
was also precisely the place where the Spaniards, under the command
of Francisco Hernandez de Córdoba, suffered their first defeat
in 1517 during the pioneering advance of Europeans into Mexican
territory — hence the "Bay of the Bad Fight".
Later on, with Spanish rule well established in the area, Francisco
de Montejo, called el Mozo, baptized the town with the name of San
Pedro Champoton.
Some places and festivals of interest:
* The Parish Church of Our Lady of the Graces.
* Bulwark of San Antonio.
* The Festival of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception (Nov 28
– Dec 8).
* Commemoration of the battle against the Spaniards (March 21).
* "Mouth of the River", beach and spa.
* The Champoton River.
The Champoton River is one of the many important attractions in
the area. The river originates in the valley of Edzna, reaching
32 miles (52 kilometers) in length, and is open to medium-sized ships. Fishermen
offer a rental service of boats. We invite you to admire the majestic
landscape alongside the Champoton River shores, characterized by
mangroves that give shelter to birds and other water animals. Following
the drift of the river, you will reach the lagoons of Paychulán,
which are open to fishing, offering Mojarra, Tenhuayaca, Sea Bass
and Carp.
Another option on this tour is a visit to the old Hacienda of San
José Carpizo, which once belonged to the Carpizo family and
was a prosperous henequen and cattle farm at the beginning of the
20th century. The principal buildings surround a central patio big
enough to serve as a public square. Among the buildings are the
machine house, the carpenter and blacksmith workshops, and the kitchen
for the unmarried. The Main House and the Chapel deserve special
attention on account of the major decorative treatment they received
as the most significant buildings of the hacienda.
Following our route we next reach the picturesque fishing village
of Sabancuy, which is located 52 miles (83 kilometers) to the northeast of
the City of Carmen on Federal Highway 180.
One of Sabancuy’s main attractions is an estuary, which is
rich in shrimps, oysters and salt-water fish. The estuary is located
on the north side of the town.
In Sabancuy, you also see traditional houses with a French roof,
which is common in the area. The church dates from the 18 th century.
Across from the estuary, the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico unfold
under tender waves crossing an ocean of a brilliant green color
and a maximum depth of 1.7 meters along the coast.
Champoton is a little town located into a bay who was called by
the Spaniards "The Bay of the Bad Fight". In
Champoton you will be able to find a lot of seafood restaurants
and an interesting river. Another option to visit is the Hacienda
San Jose Carpizo. This Hacienda was at the beginning of the XX century
one of the most important henequen (sisal or green gold)
producers.
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