Cenotes of the Riviera Maya: the essential guide
What cenotes are, why they were sacred to the Maya and how to choose which one to visit on your trip.
If there’s one symbol of the Yucatán Peninsula, it’s the cenotes. These natural freshwater pools hide the planet’s most extensive underground world and were, for centuries, the spiritual heart of Maya culture.
What is a cenote?
A cenote is a sinkhole: a limestone cave whose roof collapsed and exposed the groundwater below. The peninsula has no surface rivers, so these reservoirs were the only source of freshwater —and therefore sacred places.
Types of cenotes
There are open ones (like open-air pools), semi-open ones (with part of the roof intact) and underground or cavern cenotes, where you swim among stalactites with light filtering through the cracks. Each type offers a very different experience.
Cenotes for your list
Río Secreto is an underground river you cross on foot and swimming among thousand-year-old formations. Other tours pair cenotes with the ruins of Cobá or Tulum, perfect for a full day of nature and history.
Before you go in
Use only biodegradable sunscreen or, better still, shower before entering: creams harm the delicate ecosystem. Bring water, non-slip footwear and respect: for the Maya, these places are still the gateway to the underworld.