The stingless melipona bees of the Yucatan are famed for their honey – historically prized by the Mayans for its medicinal and herbal benefits – but as the Melipona becomes more endangered, locals are buzzing to protect this sacred species. Guests at WAYAM Mundo Imperial can join the hive with BEE MATTERS, an experience that gets up close and personal with the bees and the area communities that foster them.

During BEE MATTERS, a guide walks visitors through all things Melipona: the importance of these bees, the types of bees found throughout Mexico and the Yucatan, the many benefits of their honey, their lifestyle, and why they are so important to conserve. Guests then sample honey and learn about the two types of beehives. With an in-kind donation, visitors can support the female-dominated Mayan collectives, or meliponarios, dedicated to protecting the species from extinction.

“The sweet taste of the Yucatan is a culinary souvenir to remember with BEE Matters,” said Mauricio Ramirez, Commercial & Marketing Director at Mundo Imperial Entertainment & Hospitality. Recently incorporated as a tour offering for WAYAM guests, BEE Matters lets guests honor the property’s promise to leave a positive impact on its community. The experience is an homage to the magic of nature.

Participants are invited to leave their mark at the meliponario by decorating their own beehive box, a wooden box that guests can paint. Guests can then ‘adopt’ a beehive by donating their finished box to the meliponario. The experience concludes with a home-cooked meal in a Mayan home – the very definition of farm-to-table. Months later, after a new beehive develops in the donated beehive box, participants will be sent an image of the new family.

For more information on prices and hours, visit www.mundoimperial.com/wayam/360.

As one of Mexico’s leading companies in tourism, entertainment, and meetings & conventions, Mundo Imperial Entertainment & Hospitality is paving an exciting new path for destinations in Mexico and Latin America. The company’s world-class accommodations include over 2,100 rooms across four hotels: the new WAYAM Mundo Imperial in Mérida, and three classic resorts in Acapulco, the Princess, Pierre, and Palacio Mundo Imperial, located in Riviera Diamante Acapulco.