Day trip to Cuzamá, Mexico

One of our first cenote trips in Central America was to Cuzamá, one of the 106 municipalities of the Yucatán state of Mexico located about 26 kilometers east of Merida (a one hour drive). The word cenote is an ancient Mayan word meaning “well” used to refer to the rocky sinkholes that pepper the Mayan Peninsula. Some of the cleanest and freshest water in the world is located in these cavernous rivers and sinkholes, making up one of the largest underground river systems on this planet.

As part of the day trip (organised through our hostel Nomadas) we visited three of the 300+ cenotes found throughout Cuzamá. As it was the first day after our final Spanish lesson it was great to be the only English speakers on the bus, with most people being from other parts of Mexico along with two American girls and one girl from Argentina.

The first stop of our day trip was an open cenote in a small village, only accessed by bumpy and unpaved road leading to a farm gate that we opened ourselves. From the top of the cenote, we climbed down a narrow wooden staircase and we were lucky enough for the sun to peek out for the short time we were there.

Next, we visited a cenote which was completely underground with only a tiny opening and rickety wooden staircase winding down as the entrance. Once inside, the cenote was quite small but featured a high limestone ceiling and two wooden jumping platforms about 2-3 metres high.

There was very little natural light but the cenote was illuminated by some man-made lights which added a cave-like yellow glow to our surroundings. Most of our time here was spent counting down for people to jump, chanting “tienes mierdo” (you’re scared!) while people pulled up the courage to leap off the platform. There may or may not be an Action Cam video of Alice screaming and falling into the water…

The third cenote we visited was partially underground, with a round hole in the ceiling where the cave had eroded and a tree was growing through. When we walked down into this cenote we were instantly met with plants and greenery against a backdrop of beautiful clear blue water amongst stalactites hanging from the cave walls.

As the clouds moved across the sky there were small bursts of sunshine when the light would shine through the hole, brightening everything up inside the cenote. We got to see some small fish swimming around us, and as the cenote was mostly covered up the water was very cool and refreshing.

If you’re heading to Mexico on a holiday soon, be sure to check out some cenotes. We guarantee you’ll fall in love with them as much as we have.

-wetheexplorers-