A former mahogany company town south of Xpujil, laid out in the 1940s with wooden clapboard houses painted in bright colours, now a base for community forest walks and night wildlife spotting in the Calakmul buffer zone
Zoh-Laguna was built in the 1940s as a company town for a mahogany and chicle export operation, and its rows of wooden clapboard houses, painted in bright colors and raised on stilts in the style once common across the logging camps of the Peten and Rio Bec forests, still stand largely intact along quiet tree-lined streets. Unlike the ruined stone cities nearby, the town's interest lies in this slice of 20th-century industrial history, a company settlement built for extraction of the region's mahogany reserves before the industry declined. Today the community has turned toward ecotourism, organizing forest walks by day and, more distinctively, night wildlife-spotting outings into the surrounding Calakmul buffer zone forest, where spotlights pick out kinkajous, owls and other nocturnal species rarely seen on standard daytime visits to the archaeological sites nearby. A stop in town to see the historic houses takes under an hour, while the evening spotlight walk runs a couple of hours after dark. Because it sits conveniently between Xpujil and the Escarcega highway junction, Zoh-Laguna works well as an overnight base or an add-on evening activity for visitors already exploring the Rio Bec sites.
Highlights
- Walk streets of colorfully painted 1940s mahogany-camp clapboard houses
- Join a community-run night spotlight walk for kinkajous and owls
- Learn about the region's 20th-century mahogany and chicle export history
- Use the town as a quiet overnight base near the Rio Bec archaeological sites
Tips for visiting
- Book the evening spotlight walk through the village cooperative in advance
- Bring a flashlight or headlamp as a backup for the night walk
- Combine with a daytime visit to Becan or Chicanna, both a short drive away
- Wear long sleeves and insect repellent for the after-dark outing
When to visit
Visit in the evening for the spotlight wildlife walk; daytime for a quieter look at the historic houses.
Accessibility
Town streets are flat and walkable, but the night forest walk follows unpaved trails unsuitable for wheelchair users.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a visit to Zoh-Laguna take?
A walk through the historic houses takes under an hour; the evening spotlight walk adds a couple of hours after dark.
Is Zoh-Laguna worth it for kids?
The night wildlife walk appeals more to older children who can stay quiet and alert after dark.
Is photography allowed on the night walk?
Yes, though flash photography can startle nocturnal animals and is best avoided or used sparingly.