Cancun’s commitment to sustainable tourism has reached another goal. There is a new community-based alternative tourism network called ‘Puerta Verde’ (‘Green Door’) that provides visitors, through the NGO Kanché, a sea and jungle route operated by 14 cooperatives from 7 different Mayan communities in the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas. Going to ‘Puerta Verde’ with Kanché means that cooperatives get directly paid for the services they provide while a percentage of the proceeds is reinvested in environmental an cultural improving projects in the region.

This new circuit allows enjoying experiences such as exploring caves, kayaking on lagoons, visiting a colorful butterflies’ house, camping in the jungle, tasting traditional gastronomy or swimming with the harmless whale shark.

Altogether 23 activities are combinable in many ways: from one day getaways to the whole 4 days and 3 night route. ‘Puerta Verde’ was born with the aim of being an adventure where visitors and hosts share a magical world of traditions and nature. This is how one of the local guides of Solferino community explains it: “We are making lots of friends. Because they are not just customers, they become friends”.

There are organized tours to ‘Puerta Verde’ from Cancun with the NGO Kanché, a non profit organization that brings about sustainable development in rural communities of Quintana Roo and Yucatan states.

‘Puerta Verde’ community-based alternative tourism network has taken 10 years to become a reality. With their effort, Mayan communities have built little enterprises with ideal conditions of infrastructure and knowledge to provide the visitor a quality service. Thank to this new activity, environmental and economic development shake hands in a common path where one supports the other for success.

‘Puerta Verde’ is an opportunity for those tourists who wish to have real experiences and make their holydays a binding with indigenous communities and the environment. Adventure, nature or culture aside, visitor plunges in the Mayan culture reality through a privileged insider view; sharing experiences with local guides and inhabitants and taking home stories of a world that is much closer than can be imagined.

Now, Cancun is the gateway to the ‘Puerta Verde’ adventure, where visitor plays the leading roll of a life-changing journey.