Cultural tours in the Riviera Maya have long concentrated on established archeological sites and visits to Maya communities that have been groomed and amplified to provide education and entertainment for groups. An organization formed in 2014 aims to expand that focus. Several Maya communities of the area, with help from government and private investment, have created a program called Maya Ka’an. Emphasizing culture, eco-tourism and sustainable projects in Maya communities, Maya Ka’an encompasses tours to small villages, colonial towns and untrammeled archeological sites where local guides provide insight into daily life. Punta Allen and Sian Ka’an are included in project, and tours include bird watching, kayaking, traditional medicine, history, and a creepy cave where snakes hang from crevices to hunt bats. The companies running Maya Ka’an’s tours include small cooperativas where some members are trained as licensed guides while others are learning how to interact with foreign visitors and share their knowledge about everything from the use of indigenous plants to cooking in pibs (wood burning ovens and raising stingless bees to produce honey. Natural products are sometimes sold to guests—the honey shampoo is amazing.