Do you love reading about pirates? In Mexico, one of the most famous pirates was Fermin Mundaca. Mundaca was originally from Santa Maria, Spain, Mundaca and operated a smuggling empire from Islas Mujeres, Quintana Roo in Mexico. Mundaca worked as a pirate off Mexico’s Carribean coast during the mid-1800’s. If you want to step back in time and enjoy a top Puerto Vallarta tour, book a day on the Marigalante pirate ship. It’s one of Puerto Vallarta’s top tours. Visitors will love spending a day in Banderas Bay on the authentic 17th century replica Marigalante pirate ship. Meanwhile, read more below about pirate Fermin Mundaca.
Born in Spain
Born in October of 1825 in a village known as Bermeo of Santa Maria in Spain, Fermin Mundaca completed school in the area. Next, he decided to leave Spain and travel to the New World when he became a young man. In 1958, he arrived in Mexico on Isla Mujeres. Before he arrived in Spain, he was able to make a small fortune by selling captured Mayan slaves to Cuban plantations. Mundaca enjoyed life as a pirate and was proud of his tough reputation.
Isla Mujeres Hacienda
Once in Mexico, Mundaca quickly built a large hacienda that he anmed “Vista Alegre.” The massive hacienda was so large that it covered more than 40% of the island. The property has different areas for livestock, birds, vegetable gardens, fruit orchards and even exotic plants that were imported from across the world. He even built a lovely garden known as the “The Rose of the Winds.” This special garden served as a sundial that told the time of the day by its shadows.
Love Gone Wrong
Years later, Mundaca fell in love with a much younger woman named Martiniana Gomez Pantoja. The locals called her “La Triguena” for her brown hair. La Triguena was a willowy young woman who had stunning green eyes. Her beauty attracted many suitors including Fermin Mundaca. Mundaca was smitten with La Triguena and even dedicated the arches above his home’s gate to her by naming them “The Entrance of the Triguena” and “The Pass of the Triguena.” Mundaca hoped that she would fall for him, but she instead married a man closer to her own age. Fermin Mundaca was so sad that he slowly went insane and died alone in Merida. In the Isla Mujeres cemetery, a tomb he carved by his own hands that had a skull and crossbones in honor of his pirating days lies empty today.
If you want to enjoy one of the best pirate ship adventures in Mexico, check out the Marigalante in Puerto Vallarta. Tour guests will love setting sail through Banderas Bay, the largest bay in Mexico. A Marigalante pirate ship tour includes world class entertainment, a gourmet meal and premium open bar. Currently, special tour packages are on sale. The Marigalante also has COVID safety measures in place so visitors are safe to enjoy their day of fun. Book your tickets for the Marigalante pirate ship tour today!
