Summer is here and what better
time to visit Mérida, Mexico to tour some of the wonderful cenotes that dot the
landscape around the city. These
wonderful sinkholes, each one with its own special feel, provide ample
opportunity to relax, cool off, and enjoy one another’s company as you escape
the heat of summer.
Over
3,000 cenotes dot the Yucatan peninsula.
These swimming holes have been used by locals and visitors alike for
hundreds of years. Some cenotes are just
a few feet below the surface and resemble sunken lakes or a pond. Others are much deeper and require some
climbing to reach the cool water. Still
others require diving under a stone wall or archway to reach them. And many have been outfitted with ladders and
even concrete stairs to facilitate reaching them easily. Whatever your adventure level, you will find
a cenote just right for you. Here are
just a few of the cenotes reachable in a day trip from Mérida.
Cenote Chelentun
Valladolid
Several accessible cenotes are located in and around the
town of Valladolid, south of Mérida.
Right in the center of town is Zaci, very popular for swimming and
relaxing. An eyeless black fish, the
lub, swims along with you in Zaci. For a
fun day, rent bikes in the center of town and bike to two cenotes, X'Keken and
Samula, located across the road from each other in the village of Dzitnup.
Cenotillo
This little village sports more than 150 cenotes. You can hire a local guide to take you to one
or several of them.
Xlacah
Just north of Mérida is Xlacah, on the Mayan site of
Dzibichaltún. This cenote is at ground
level and a treat for swimmers. At 140
feet deep at one end, it’s a great way to cool off after a hot day climbing the
pyramids at Dzibichaltún.
Kankirixche
This cenote attracts snorkelers and scuba divers exploring
its crystal clear waters.
These are only a few of the many opportunities to take a dip
in a cenote around Mérida. Come explore
and decide for yourself which is the best.
No comments:
Post a Comment