Becal

🎩 Bécal: the village of hats woven in stone

📍 Location

• Located on the border between the states of Campeche and the Yucatan, at about 10 km north of Calkiní.
• This peaceful village is surrounded by agricultural land, of small hamlets, and bathed in an atmosphere rural and warm.

🧵 Iconic craft: jipi japa hats

• Becal is internationally recognized for the artisanal production of hats made of jipi japa fiber, often wrongly called panamas.
• This plant fiber, native to Ecuador, was introduced to the region in the 19th century and adopted by local artisans.
• What makes Bécal unique: the hats are hand-woven in caves carved into the limestone, where natural humidity allows work the fiber without breaking it.
• Each hat can take several days to be made, depending on its finesse and style.

🏘️ Village atmosphere

• The streets are lined with colorful houses, of flowery patios, and of family workshops where you can observe the artisans at work.
• The atmosphere is quiet and friendly, with inhabitants proud of their heritage and always ready to share their know-how.
• The village retains a strong Mayan identity, visible in the language, traditions and local festivals.

🕍 Heritage and curiosities

• Colonial Church, craft markets, and hat museum to discover the history of this tradition.
• The natural caves and the shaded parks invite you to walk and discover.
• The Central Park is the heart of the village, a place to meet and relax.

🍽️ Local flavors

• Simple and tasty cuisine: tamales, panuchos, sopa de lima, often prepared in the small family comedores.
• The markets offer fresh produce, the local spices, and sometimes sweets like candied papaya sweets.

✨ Why Bécal is unique

It is a village where craftsmanship becomes heritage, where each hat tells a story, and where the stone shelters the ancestral gesture. Bécal is authentic, discreet and deeply rooted in the memory of Yucatán.