Close to the city of Merida, the uniform landscape of the lowland forest is interrupted here and there by high reddish chimneys. They indicate the presence of ancient haciendas dedicated to cultivating henequen plants while maintaining vestiges of the industry and the kind of life led inside them.

Those haciendas emerged in the middle of the XIX century, thanks to a unique plant related to the agave, the henequen. The extraordinary demand for hard fibers in the international market, mainly for American rope factories, turned the henequen into the central axis of the Yucatecan economy between 1880 and 1920, transforming the landscape into hectares of "green gold". Henequen began to be replaced by synthetic fibers after World War Two and demand subsequently declined.

This miracle plant's leaves produce hard fibers that were used to make bags and ropes of different sizes, from strings for making hammocks or ropes to tie up wheat or hay stacks, to powerful cables for tying ships to the docks of the world.

The haciendas were managed by foremen and had their own means of payment and financial control; the landlord provided the necessary goods to his workers and set the rules of behavior.

Nowadays, many haciendas are testimony to that wealthy era. Many have been opened as luxurious hotels, tourist inns and museums, and have been superbly restored according to extensive historical and architectural research. Today, the haciendas serve as an attempt to rescue a fundamental part of Yucatan's historic patrimony, in a wild environment, enhanced by exuberant gardens, where pheasants and peacocks wander slowly, painting the vegetation with their delicate plumage. Many of them are luxurious getaways and starting points for exploring a region rich in natural and cultural wonders.