Puerto Morelos. México

Puerto Morelos is a small town located just 30 km (19 miles) south of Cancun and 34 km (21 miles) north of Playa del Carmen. The city is divided into two sections. The first and oldest section is the one by the beach.

Puerto Morelos, Riviera Maya, Mexico

The second section includes a small community on both sides of Carretera 307 (Federal Highway 307). Both sections are separated by a 2.5 km (2 mile) road flanked by mangrove trees. Due to the beneficial effect that mangroves have in preventing soil erosion and creating places for various sea creatures to spawn, some hotel developers have been turned away from Puerto Morelos by locals and environmental organizations.

Originally, Puerto Morelos was a fishing village founded in the 1890’s right after President Porfirio Diaz granted permission to the US to extract chicle, the principal ingredient of chewing gum, and other natural resources, from the coastal area that stretched from Cabo Catoche to Tulum. Puerto Morelos was the main area for exporting this valuable natural resource. Compañía Colonizadora de la Costa de Yucatan, a Mexican-British Venture, was charged with extracting the chicle, which was removed during the rainy seasons. It was then sent to Cozumel Island on small wooden boats where it was shipped to the United States, Europe and Japan. In those days, Puerto Morelos was known as Punta Corcho (Cork Point). Among other products exported abroad were various precious woods, as well as coconuts, known as “white gold” in those days. At that time, Puerto Morelos was also surrounded by Mayans who fought against the central government, in the well known War of Castes. There were nearly a thousand workers extracting materials from the area in its heyday, including Mexicans, Spaniards, and Chinese.

Puerto Morelos has been hit by several severe hurricanes, one of the most notorious was Beulah (Biula) in 1957.

Puerto Morelos leaning tower, Riviera Maya

This hurricane is well remembered because it badly damaged a lighthouse, causing it to lean to one side. El Faro Inclinado (The Leaning Lighthouse) stands to this day by the beach and is now a well-known symbol, reminiscent of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. While its symbolic value remains unchallenged, El Faro Inclinado is no longer of much use. It has been replaced be a larger, working lighthouse.