A Sweet Story: How Bees, the Maya, and Abbey del Sol are Creating a Buzz
Bees are vital to life as we know it, but not all bees are created equal—especially in the Yucatán.
The honeybee with the stinger, (Apis mellifera) most people recognize, is actually an outsider here, brought over by the Spaniards during colonization for honey production and pollination.
The Maya kept a secrete to themselves.
What the colonizers didn’t realize was that the Maya had been cultivating stingless bees for thousands of years, harvesting their medicinal honey, understanding their deep ecological role and keeping records of it.
Since one of the first actions of the invaders was to destroy Maya written records, there was no way for them to learn about Melipona bees.
It took the Europeans nearly 300 years to finally realize that these tiny stingless bees were the only pollinators of vanilla—a crop they had spread across the world.
And only now scientists are finding out about the truly astonishing health benefits of this honey – a knowledge the Maya had already since the beginning of time.
The codex, dating back to the Postclassic period (900–1500 AD), highlights the deep understanding and reverence the Maya have for these stingless bees, long before European honeybees arrived in the Americas.
This page from the Madrid Codex, one of the few surviving pre-Columbian Maya manuscripts, showcases a scene of beekeeping. The figure on the right is tending to a Melipona bee hive, while the surrounding glyphs describe honey production and its role in Maya society.
At Abbey del Sol we believe in supporting those who protect these essential creatures.
Today, bees—both Melipona and Apis—face global threats. Habitat destruction, climate change, and pesticides are causing bee populations to decline at alarming rates.
Through the Maya Hinterland Project, founded by our good friend Michael A. Maurus, we proudly stand with Maya beekeepers Doña Martina and Don Israel—a husband-and-wife team dedicated to preserving both Melipona and Apis bees.
By sponsoring glass jars for their honey, we help them expand their beekeeping efforts, increasing their amount of hives—an effort that could already triple the number of bees in their care. More bees mean more honey, more income for the Maya community, and a stronger, healthier ecosystem for us all.
So what does this mean for our guests at Abbey del Sol?
When you stay with us, you’re not just booking a vacation rental in Puerto Morelos—you’re becoming part of a story that stretches back thousands of years. You’re supporting Maya traditions, sustainable beekeeping, and the delicate balance of nature.
And if you’re lucky, we might even be able to arrange a visit for you to meet the Maya beekeepers in person, where you can witness their ancient beekeeping traditions firsthand and taste Melipona honey straight from the hive—rich in history, healing properties, and the unmistakable sweetness of the Yucatán.
Your visit helps sustain local traditions, protect vital pollinators, and support a community that has lived in harmony with the land for generations.