One of the many unique wonders we have in the state of Yucatán are the cenotes. The Mayas called them dzonot, which the conquering Spaniards called cenote. Giraldo Díaz Alpuche (circa 1579), was a military commander who tried to explain the meaning of the word dzonot, that in Spanish means deep thing. The Motul dictionary defines it as abysm and deep. The cenotes impressed him greatly.
Cenotes are magical, enigmatic and unique in the world, and were the only resource for obtaining fresh, sweet water in the jungle. They were the sacred places of the Mayas because they represented the entrance to the underworld.
The Yucatán peninsula is a porous limestone shelf with no visible rivers or lakes; all the fresh water is underground.Being porous, caverns and caves formed where the fresh water collects – hence the cenotes, or water sink holes. The water that gathers in these subterranean cenotes is a crystal clear turquoise color with a very pleasant temperature of 78° F.
The stalactites and stalagmites that form inside the cenotes are true natural works of art. In many, holes in the ceiling allow the sunlight to filter into the cenotes, giving the area a magical feeling. The cenotes of Yucatán are a natural treasure that should be seen by all, but with the clear idea in mind that they should be protected so that man does not destroy in a few days what nature took millions of years to create.
At Kankirixché cenote you will find a large, spectacular sub-aquatic cavern with crystal clear water that allows fantastic visibility for snorkeling or scuba diving. In this grand cenote you will find stalactites and alamo tree roots that form an impressive formation from the ceiling to the water. Kankirixche is a semi-open cenote 33 feet deep, 90 feet long and about 75 feet wide.
Related articles:
- Cenotes, Underwater sinkholes
Maps:
- Map of the Yucatan Peninsula
Tours to cenotes:
- MAYAN ECOTOURS
Calle 51 #488 x 56 y 54,
Centro, C.P. 97000
Mérida, Yucatán, México
Tel: (999) 987 37 10
Cel: 9991 05 46 14
E-mail: info@mayanecotours.com
Website: www.mayanecotours.com
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