04Experiences

Beneath Yucatán

Swimming in cenotes

A cenote is a natural pit that forms when a limestone roof collapses and exposes the groundwater below. The word comes from Yucatec Maya, and these wells were the main source of water on the peninsula, so cities such as Chichén Itzá grew up beside them. There are at least 6,000 cenotes on the Yucatán Peninsula, and some estimates reach 10,000. The water is usually crystal clear, because it is rain that has filtered slowly through the rock. Some are broad pools open to the sky, others sit inside caves hung with stalactites, and some near Tulum lead into long flooded cave systems that draw divers. The best known are the big open pools like those at Chichén Itzá, but most are small and sheltered. Many are open for swimming, with wooden stairs and platforms. Rinse off before you get in, skip the sunscreen to protect the water, and wear a life jacket where asked, as cenotes are often deep. Save the swim for the end of a hot day at the ruins.

at least 6,000

Number of cenotes