SPACE

Temazcal, Stingless Bee Sanctury, and Pool

Our Spa lets you relax and heal in a natural environment. You get to choose from a variety of treatments that suit just your needs.

We use our Sweat Lodge (Temazcalli in maya) as often as possible, as we consider it a deep and efficient tool to detox and reconnect to our deepest self. To learn more about the ceremony, visit our EcoTours page

Sweat Lodge

Our pool offers you another option to relax in nature. There’s nothing better than being in a pool surrounded by trees by day and stars at night.

We have created a round shaped palapa, a healing and learning space, and looked for the best teachers on the island to teach a variety of classes

Traveling to the Stingless Bee Sancturay

"Stingless bees?!"

Stingless bees are a large group of bees of over 500 species, comprising the tribe Meliponini. They can be found in most tropical and subtropical areas, including Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia, and tropical America. But the most ancient relationship between stingless bees and humans is likely to be here, in the land of Yucatan, where the Mayan people for thousands of years have domesticated various native stingless bees, but Melipona Beecheii, or, in Mayan language, Xunan Cab (“royal lady bee”), was their favorite. In fact, bees were once the subject of religious ceremonies and were a symbol of the bee-god Ah Muzen Cab, known from the Madrid Codex. The honey extracted was sacredly used for ceremonies, food, and medicine. Meliponini honey has many medicinal properties, and has been used for centuries to prevent cataract, cure conjunctivitis, pterygion, digestive disorders, respiratory infections, wounds, fatigue and skin ulcers.

The easiest way to help is not to harm

Native stingless bees, as most tropical animals, depend on the forest, not only as a food resource but also for shelter. In fact, Meliponini bees choose one hollow tree trunk and live there their entire lives. As deforestation keeps on growing, their colonies and homes have no chance of survival. The only tree-home they know is cut down and is either taken as construction or fire wood, or left exposed to natural enemies on the ground.

More than 90% of deforestation is sponsored by our consumption of animal products, especially beef and dairy. So, the easiest way to avoid bringing bees and other species to extinction, and to lower our carbon footprint, is just by transitioning to a more plant-based, sustainable and healthy diet.

Other factors to consider are the introduction of the European bee by the Spaniards, its Africanization in the 90’s in Brazil, and the large scale use of pesticides and fertilizers, which the bees collect and bring to their hives, which then are poisoned and die.

Our mission

Cozumel, as part of Yucatan, was deeply rooted into the Mayan tradition. Therefore, Meliponicultura (or stingless beekeeping) was quite popular on the island, which used to produce big amounts of Meliponini honey.

Another common use of Melipona honey is that of delivery enhancer and post-birth recovery, which might be the reason this bee has been considered a goddess for so many generations. There are twenty thousands species of trees in Yucatan, a third of which have medicinal properties - each specie of bees likes different trees, which may be the reason why each type of honey has different taste and use.

Until the conquest, modernization, and urban development have now put them at a high danger of extinction; on the island, and in the rest of the world.

Our mission consists of 4 parts:

Rescue as many bee hives as possible from areas that are in the process of deforestation
To respread stingless beekeeping on the island by creating a Meliponicultura course that will allow locals to have their own stingless bee hives
Research and experiment the function of Meliponini honey (and pollen) as a healing product for cataract, conjunctivitis, respiratory and gastronomic problems, and other diseases
Spread awareness about stingless bees through social media, events and sales.

To support our mission on the island, you can send us a donation through Paypal

Traveling to the Organic Garden of Eden

2. Environmental Impact

Resistance to water scarcity and flooding
Since this area has a very hot season with the risk of fire, and a short winter season with frequent rain, flooding, and storms, we chose plants that are resistant to pests and highly adapted to harsh climates, such as Dioscorea spp, Xanthosoma spp, Manioca esculenta, and Morus Rubra.

High Carbon Retention
We are aware that the more roots and efficient trimming you have, the more carbon will be retained, and are happy to contribute with our land.

Rescuing and Repopulation the Stingless Mayan Bees

Stingless bees are one of our deepest passions. These bees are masters of coexistence and peace, as the guardian bees stand at the entrance of their hive, weaponless, but with intention. An intention that has served these incredible bees for millions of years, but isn’t enough anymore. The introduction of the european bee by the Spaniards, the unstoppable and constantly rising deforestation and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are the main threats of these endangered species.

The hives are inside empty trunks. Whenever possible we visit areas in deforestation and look for We have hired a beekeeper in Playa to save the bees that would be cut down before construction, transfer them from trunk to wooden box, and eventually duplicate the colony. These bees are fundamental for the local ecosystem and without them many plants will disappear, and consequently the rest of the ecosystem will suffer the losses.

3. Self-consumption

We want to have a little bit of everything, even if our land is relatively small! (in process)

VEGGIES

Yucca, Taro, Macal, Camote (4 varieties of local potatoes), Arugula, Kale, Lettuce, Ceylon Spinach, Nopal, Radish, Tomato, Cucumbers, Pumpkin, Chaya, Chipilín, Onion Grass, Green Onion, Coriander, Garlic, and more

FRUITS

Papaya, Jackfruit, Coconut, Banana, Avocado, Dragon Fruit, Passion Fruit, Spanish Lime, Guava, Soursop, Caraili, Mulberry (one of our favorites!) Melon, Watermelon, Pineapple (all three are actually veggies, but we decided to include them in here for convenience)

Expirences

Retreats

Therapies

Organic Edible Ecosystem

Three main principles:

1. Integration of Biology

After observing the ecosystem of the Yucatan peninsula, we decided to plant local perennials roots, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers that provide us with natural medicine and a variety of the basic nutrients we need - carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins.

Microbiology

We support the increase of microbial activity by applying minerals, melaza (liquid sugar), and yeast, improving the fertility of the land, and, as a consequence, have a better carbon retention.

Mushrooms (in process)

Regenerative agriculture is based on the restoration of deforested, burnt, or dead land, by the application of animal grazing, and perennial, trees, bushes, and weeds plantation. On the other hand, conservative agriculture is based on the conservation of the forest and using its shade efficiently to grow food. We are happy to take advantage of the high concentration of humidity and the shade of the trees to grow mushrooms efficiently outdoors.

Meliponini bees

Meliponini bees help the fertilization of our ecosystem through pollination.