Oaxaca to Yucatan Peninsula

Rick Stein's journey begins to draw to a close as he heads east from Oaxaca to the Yucatan Peninsula - a place once frequented by real pirates of the Caribbean, including our own Sir Francis Drake. Here, where the Europeans first landed over five hundred years ago, the local folk have lighter skins and bluey green eyes. They feast on the hottest chilli of them all, the habanero, and give slow food a new meaning as they bury and cook their Pibil dishes below ground on hot rocks. This was the playground of the ancient Mayans, their pyramids gleaming like gold above tree-lined canopies and where dishes like Papadzules and Sikil Pak are still enjoyed in small villages across the countryside. Rick ends his journey feasting on grilled seafood in Tulum along the shores of the Caribbean Sea.