Cenotes are said to the Mayans ‘ gateway to the underworld; we wanted to experience what this may have been like. So we rent a car in Progreso to do a three-day, self-directed mini-tour. We then created a list of which experiences and locations we want to visit: some cenotes, a couple of Mayan ruins, and the Grottoes Loltun Caves. On our first day, we visited Dzibilchaltun ruins, which are just north of Merida. After touring the ruins, we drove south of Merida to two cenotes, Noh-Mozon and Yah Nah. On day two, we traveled to Uxmal ruins, and later that day, we toured Grottoes Loltun Caves. On day three, on our way back home to Progreso, we stopped and visited another two cenotes, which were X’batun and Dzonbacal.
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Cenote Noh-Mozon
After leaving Dzibilchaltun ruins, we headed to Noh Mozon; this took us a little over an hour to get to. I would definitely recommend GPS. We used the Google Maps app on our phone (Mexican Sim card). The road into this cenote is passable by car need to take your time as you could bottom out. There were 4 gates that you need to go through; remember to close them after you have gone through (show respect). Approximately 1 km before the cenote, several people were sitting out at a table collecting your money. The cost of this particular cenote was 40 pesos. They had life jackets that looked like you could rent if needed. There are ample parking and a bathroom, which was good as you could also use it to change.
This particular Cenote is classified as open style. To access the water there is a steep rickety wooden staircase down to a platform with a ladder leading into the beautiful turquoise water. There was no shallow area in this particular cenote so you need to know how to swim or have a life jacket.
When we first arrived there were divers swimming near the bottom and some others swimming, several people were resting on the platform. Within minutes they had all left, not sure if that was a reflection on our hygiene or not. The water was cooler than the ocean but a nice reprieve from the heat of the day. The sun’s rays were striking as they passed through the water and gave you a glimpse of the wonders of this cenote.
We enjoyed a nice 30-minute relaxing swimming using our snorkel gear; thus, we saw some fish near us. In the meantime, we noticed that a couple of divers had joined us. This cenote got quite deep and appeared to continue through what looked like an underwater cavern. After our swim, we were off to the next cenote Nah Yah. YouTube of Noh-Mozon
Cenote Yah Nah
After leaving Noh Mozon cenote we headed to our next cenote Yah Nah, this took us less than a 1/2 hour to get to. The road is good and not that far out of the town Pixya. The cost to visit this cenote was $40 pesos very reasonable. A gentleman is here to collect your monies, this cenote also has a bathroom. Yah Nah cenote is similar to Noh Mozon as it also has a staircase going down into the cenote which leads to a platform complete with a ladder into the water. Being the only ones at this cenote we enjoying ourselves, we used our mask and snorkel to swim around for approximately 30 minutes, very peaceful, beautiful, and relaxing.
We did see some fish here as well; nothing dinner plate size, so we left the rods at home. The difference in this cenote, with no direct sunshine coming in. This made it very difficult to make out details at the bottom of the cenote or see if the cenote was carried on into a cavern. Yah Nah cenote is cavernous in spots with long stalagmites going from the top of the cave all the way into the water a few meters. YouTube of Yah Nah.
After our swim, it was off to our hotel in Ticul for the night. We picked Ticul as it is close to Uxmal our next day’s excursion. Using Airbnb we had booked a room at Hotel Bugambilias for $334 peso for the night. This hotel is nothing special, cheap and clean and with air, don’t expect anything else, it served the purpose well.
Reaching Ticul, we headed to a local store to pick up a few things, cervezas, and snacks. After looking around town for someplace interesting to eat, we settled on a pizza joint. I hadn’t had pizza since leaving Canada, and if any leftover, this would add to our breakfast. In the morning, we stopped at the local grocery store and grabbed some iced coffee and snacks for the day; we wanted to be at Uxmal when it opened.
Airbnb stay
Wednesday, we spent a busy day visiting Uxmal and Grottoes Loltun Caves. Having booked an Airbnb with a pool for the night near the location of our next two cenotes. We were looking forward to a relaxing evening enjoying the pool. Having a one-hour drive over to San Antonio Mulix, our Airbnb called Turistico Xuux Eek was located. Relaxing stay this was not to be, the pool was shut down for maintenance, and there was nothing around to do. All in all, we would not recommend this Airbnb. Definitely overpriced for what you got, only fitted and top sheet for bed covers, so we got cold during the night, and we are from Canada. The bathroom toilet had no seat (never understand this, it is the standard thing at public bathrooms), and lastly, the food was overpriced, good but overpriced. Not all Airbnb’s are created equally.
Purchasing cenote entrance tickets
To purchase tickets for our next two cenotes, we had to find a house in town. Not as difficult as it sounds as we were able to get directions. The price of entry to the cenotes was very reasonable, 50 pesos each but that gives you entry into both cenotes at this location; X’batun and Dzonbacal. Furthermore, the road going in is very good, with good posted directions as well, and it’s not a very long drive. It appears that the town runs these cenotes, so they are clean with no garbage, nice to see. If you travel at all in this world, garbage is an issue everywhere and an eyesore.
Cenote X’batun
X’batun cenote is an open style cenote with a shallow end so it would be good for none swimmers. Parking and bathrooms available, they request that you take a shower before entering the cenote. Being clean with no deodorant, scents, or sunscreen of any kind are the best at these locations. So after the shower, we walk down a path to get to the cenote.
The water is a beautiful turquoise in color, with some lily pads growing to the left in shallows. To the right was a small pool of water. We entered at this point; it went straight down into an underwater cavern quite sharply. There was a shallow part that we swam across to get to the main swimming hole. This area in the cenote also dropped down sharply into what looked like a cavern. We saw a few different fish swimming species around, and they didn’t seem bothered much by us intruders. The water was warm and easy to enter. X’batun cenote was busy with around 8 people already, so it didn’t take long to be crowded. No Video; it appears that I lost it?
Cenote Dzonbacal
Dzonbacal cenote is a short drive down the road from X’batun. It is an open style cenote, and it has a shallow side to it so that it would work well for nonswimmers. A staircase leads down to a platform with several ladders leading into the water for ease of getting in and out. Farther out from the platform, this cenote looks like that it goes down into a cavern. We enjoyed ourselves here; we used our snorkel and mask, not many people when we first got there; others showed up later. We spent approximately 30 minutes here before traveling home to Progreso. See YouTube Video of Dzonbacal
Final Thoughts On Cenotes
- We were enjoyed all of the Cenote’s that we had the opportunity to visit; they were refreshing on a hot day of travel. Furthermore, they were inexpensive, clean, safe, and a wonderful experience. The Yucatan region has many Cenote’s, so when the occasion arises, jump right in the water is nice and cool.
Our Positives
- The cenote is a great way to spend part of your day in the hot Yucatan sun
- Refreshing, safe, inexpensive, a beautiful way to connect with nature
- some have life jackets
Our Negatives
- Some have no shallow end, so you need to be able to swim
- No active supervision, but this is to be expected
- some places have no life jacket
- They can be difficult to locate at times (Goggle maps recommended)
Would have, Could have, Should have
- Maybe taken the time to dive a cenote, that would have been an experience
Next Stop
We are off to see Uxmal a large and impressive Mayan ruin
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