Best cenotes in the Yucatan

Exploring the most unmissable cenotes and how to get there

Have you ever come across articles called “Places to see before you die” or “Ten surreal places you must visit”, where you see pictures of these perfect underground pools, with vines coming down from the top and crystal clear water?

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Cenotes are natural sinkholes, typical of the Yucatan peninsula, formed from the collapse of the limestone bedrock, which used to be sacred places for ancient Mayans. While open-air cenotes are hit by sunlight that creates stunning blue and green shades in the water, underground cenotes are magical and surreal places that will make you feel like in a dream.

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Here is a list of the ones I visited during my weeks in the Yucatan Peninsula, with some tips on how to get there and how much it costs.

1. Cenote Ik Kil

Ik Kil is probably the most famous and photographed cenote in the Yucatan. While this is, indeed, a beautiful place, with vines coming down from the top and a trampoline that is perfect for diving, it has all the downsides of very touristic places. If you arrive after 9am, besides the vines and the clear water, you will also see hundreds of people in orange life jackets holding selfie sticks. Afterall, a place like this deserved to be photographed!

Cost: 70 pesos

How to get there: Unless you visit it with an organised tour to Chichen Itza – or have your own car –it’s impossible to get to it by public transport. However, if you are visiting Chichen Itza on a budget, or you are staying in Piste (the best town to visit Chichen Itza without an organised tour, keep in mind that Ik Kil is only 7 km from Piste and 3 km from Chichen Itza, so a taxi from either places shouldn’t cost more than 100 pesos.

2. Cenote Dzitnup

Cenotes Dzitnup is a complex of underground cenotes only 40 minutes away from Valladolid. One of the two cenotes you will find here, Xexhen, is a huge underground cave with some natural light coming through. The second cenote, Sumala, is smaller but it has three shades of colours in the water, from light crystal blue to green to very dark blue, which can clearly be seen from outside.

: Cenote Sumala

: Cenote Xexhen

Cost: 100 pesos for one cenote and of 180 pesos for both.

How to get there: Get a collectivo from Valladolid in calle 44, between 41 and 43, OR if it’s more than two people, it is worth getting a taxi which will bring you straight to the place for less than 40 pesos each.

3. Cenote Zaci

Right in the earth of Valladolid, this cenote is the perfect place to relax, swim and do some cliff jumping. It is also the easiest and cheaper to visit in the Yucatan. Make sure you look at it from all the different angles and just cool off in its pool during the very hot days in Valladolid.

Cost: 30 pesos

How to get there: If you are in Valladolid, this cenote is located just 15 minutes away from the main square.

4. Cuzama Cenotes

Definitely my favourite of all the ones I visited, this site is situated very close to Merida and it includes three stunning cenotes, and the way you visit them makes this experience a must-do.

Once you arrive in Cuzama, you get on a small truck pulled by horse on a rail through a forest, all the way to the first cenote, Chelentun. This cenote looks more like a cave and it’s the only one with parts where water isn’t deep. In here, you can see some stalactites and stalagmites while you walk in the water through a tunnel all the way to the very end. I suggest you bring a torch, because some parts can become very dark (and that’s why we don’t have any pictures of this cenote).

The second cenote, Chacsinicche, has deep blue water and a very easy access to it. You can use the stairs to reach the water level and a platform to jump in.

: Chacsinicche Cenote

: Chacsinicche Cenote

Finally, you arrive to Bolonchojol Cenote, the last and less accessible one. To go in, you have to climb down an unstable vertical stairs made of wood and ropes coming down through a small hole in the ground. Even though this could seem a little scary, it is so worth to look at this stunning cenote – my favourite of all – that is hit only by small rays of sunlight that come through some holes, making the water change colour constantly.

: Bolonchojol Cenote

: Bolonchojol Cenote

: Bolonchojol Cenote

You are allowed to spend approximately 30 minutes in each cenote.

Cost: 300 pesos, which includes the truck for four people and entrance to the three cenotes.

How to get there: From Merida, you can take either a bus or a colectivo in calle 67, for around 28 or 20 pesos, that will take about one hour and a half to get to Cuzama. Here you can get a mototaxi, for 25 pesos per person, that will bring you to the place where the trucks leave in only 15 minutes.

5. Xlacah Cenote

Xlacah Cenote is an open-air cenote situated within the Dzibilchaltun archaeological site, considered one of the oldest Mayan ruin, with some of the buildings dating back to 500 BC. The most important building is the Temple of the Seven Dolls. This cenote is the perfect place for a day trip from Merida.