During my time in Cancun, I visited several cenotes. What is a cenote? A cenote is a sinkhole that exposes groundwater underneath. The cenotes were revered by the Mayans, as they were a source of water in dry periods. The cenotes contain fresh water, and sometimes have fish and other wildlife living in them. These natural pools are each unique and lot of fun to explore.
Ik Kil
The first cenote we visited was Ik Kil, and it was impressive. This cenote is very close to Chichén Itzá, so it is common to come here after visiting the ruins, which we did. First stop was the bathroom to change into bathing suits, then lockers to secure our belongings (available for a fee, as are snorkels and lifejackets), then the outdoor shower (mandatory before entering the water), and then the 26 meter walk down stairs to reach the cenote.
The view on the walk down just gets better and better. There are windows to the cenote below in the stairwell, so you can see what awaits you. As you get to the cenote, the size and beauty are striking. Ik Kil is a large and deep cenote, with the water measuring 60 meters wide and 40 meters deep. There are vines growing down into the water, which make it feel like a tropical oasis. There are ladders for climbing into the water, and multiple areas to jump into the water. The water is chilly, so getting in quickly is suggested.
Once in the water you are free to swim around. Since the cenote is so deep, there are few opportunities for standing, so unless you are a really good swimmer, a life jacket is helpful. There is a rope strewn across the cenote, for guests to hold on to. Many partake in jumping into the cenote from a high rise off to the side of it. My favorite activity was to lay on my back, and look up at the vines, flowers and blue sky. It was a stunning sight!
After all the swimming and jumping into the water, we had worked up an appetite. There is a restaurant on site, as well as a snack bar and drink bar. Additionally, there are tables, lounge chairs and hammocks available for those that want to hang out, or have brought their own lunch. We opted for lunch at the snack bar, before moving on to Cenote Suytun.
Suytun Cenotes
Suytun is actually home to two different cenotes, the main one, Suytun, which only has a small opening in the top, Suytun kaa Pe which is more open. Neither looks quite as grand as Ik Kil, but both are interesting and the crowd here was much smaller.
The main cenote, Suytun, is known for the stone pier reaching out into the middle. There is an opening up above the pier that allows sunlight to enter. The stalactites hanging from the ceiling are a sight to see. Since this is a shallow cenote, diving is not allowed but swimming is. There are some blackfish in the clear water, should you wish to swim with them. Most of the guests were not swimming in this cenote, but rather taking turns getting pictures from the pier. Considered the most Instagramable of the cenotes, getting your picture in the middle of the pier with the sun shining down, is a must!
The second cenote on the property, Suytun kaa Pe, is a semi-open cenote. While others did not appreciate this cenote, I did. Swimming isn’t suggested here, as the water is filled with leaves and other natural debris that falls from above. There are fish in this water, which can be fun to watch. Apart from a gentleman raking leaves, we were the only people in this cenote, which is probably why I enjoyed it. Additionally, because it is semi-open, it didn’t have the bat guano smell found in the main cenote.
Gran Cenote
I truly enjoyed the visit to Gran Cenote. We arrived at this one early in the morning, having read that is can become quite crowded. The turtles swimming in the clear waters make for a memorable experience. It has open areas as well as cave areas, and is a good mix of all the different environments one can find in a cenote.
Gran Cenote has deep parts as well as shallow parts. Areas with rocks and fish and turtles swimming around. There are open areas as well as cave areas, and you can even swim from one open area through the cave to another open area. We spent multiple hours here, as there was so much to see and explore!
Cenote Calavera
Cenote Calavera, which means skull in Spanish, gets its name from the 2 small holes and one large hole above the cenote, which can look like a skull. This is a smaller cenote just down the road from Gran Cenote. This cenote doesn’t have the facilities (bathrooms/changing rooms, lockers, showers) that the other cenotes have. It is a more minimalist/rustic experience. This cenote does offer opportunities to cliff jump into the water. You can jump into the large opening, which also has a ladder to climb down into the water. In addition, you can jump through the two smaller eye openings, but you would need to be far braver than I am to do so.
The water here is quite deep, and there is no place to stand inside the cenote. Thus, a life jacket is recommended if you aren’t a great swimmer. There are a few ropes hanging down that guests can hold onto to take a break from swimming or treading water. This wasn’t the most interesting of the cenotes to me, but those that like cliff jumping would find it more exciting. Additionally, the depth and breadth of the cenote under the water make it a great place to scuba dive.
Dos Ojos
Dos Ojos is in a park with several other cenotes, all offering something a little different. However, this was our third cenote of the day, so we were happy to take in the namesake of the park, Dos Ojos. As the name indicates, there are two eyes (openings) to this cenote, which connect via an underwater passage. This is the deepest known underwater cave passage, and one many scuba divers come to explore it.
We weren’t diving, but enjoyed swimming around in each of the eyes. I would definitely recommend bringing goggles or snorkeling equipment to this cenote, as there is a lot to explore and see under the water. One of the eyes is much bigger on the surface than the other, so we spent most of our time exploring the larger one. It was fun to swim into and through the cave areas. This cenote has very deep areas, but also several rocks, so there are places to stand in the water as well. My other suggestion for this cenote is to bring water shoes. I didn’t, and ended up cutting my foot on one of the rocks. But, I still had a great time swimming around in the clear water!
Recommendations
Cenotes are a ton of fun to explore. If you have the chance to visit a cenote, please do so. Here are a few recommendations to prepare for the trip:
- Bring along a life jacket. Life jackets will be available to rent at many cenotes. However, if you are going to more than two, it will be cheaper to buy one. Life jackets are a necessity if you are not a great swimmer. Even for great swimmers, they can be helpful in the deep cenotes.
- Bring water shoes. Many of the cenotes have rocks in them close to the surface, so it can be easy to cut your foot on them while swimming, or while trying to stand on them. Also, for the cenotes with lockers to store your stuff, there can be a decent walk from the lockers to the cenote, and water shoes will be helpful.
- Bring earth/coral-friendly sunscreen. Many of the cenotes have living creatures in them and therefore only sunscreen that is eco-friendly is permitted.
- Make a plan to take pictures in the wet environment. When you visit the cenotes you will want to take pictures. Perhaps you bring a go-pro or waterproof camera with you. If you don’t have either, you can buy a special waterproof bag for your phone to protect it while taking pictures in and near the water.
- Just Go. Even if swimming in water with unknown creatures isn’t your thing, visit a cenote anyway. Even without getting in the water, you can take in the magnificent beauty of these natural pools.
