Do you have a free day and want to explore Yucatán? Don’t miss the route that we have especially prepared for you! Get ready to enjoy two fantastic cenotes that will leave you enchanted with the natural beauties of the town of Abalá and its surroundings.
Visiting cenotes is much closer than you think. Just 57 km from Mérida on the road to Uxmal, turn left on the road across from Hacienda San Pedro Ochil. You will pass Abalá, then Mucuyché…and there begins the adventure! Travel just over 1 km of dirt road to reach one of the most beautiful cenotes in the area: Kankirixché (“tree of yellow fruit”).
Along the way you will feel like an explorer surrounded by nature, trees, and butterflies. The experience is worth it, as the cenote is the semi-open type, a rich blue color. It is ideal for swimming and scuba diving; it has a maximum depth of 50 meters, but there are areas where you can cool off without worrying thanks to the mounds of stones that allow you to enjoy the water practically standing up. Do not miss the stalactites that continue to be formed, a sight to stop and enjoy!
There is a parking area, as well as bathrooms and a palapa. For the safety conscious, the residents will rent you life vests. There is an access fee of $20 pesos per person. Try to enter with minimum personal belongings, because the space below is very small and the stairs are quite slippery. No guide required.
The next stop is the cenote Yaal Utsil (“the good son”). Take the road towards Mucuyché: at the entrance, pass the roundabout dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe and shortly thereafter, you will see a large tree on the left; turn there and park your car. The people in charge of the cenote are very friendly. The fee is $25 pesos per person and you can also rent a life vest; the depth of this cenote is more than 50 meters.
The view is spectacular from above as it is an open type cenote with freefall. To reach the mirror of water you take a 12-meter wooden stairway, very safe. The water is a transparent blue, which allows you to appreciate the many fish that inhabit this cenote. You can descend with a towel and light belongings, as there is a platform where you can leave your things. If you are bold and fearless, you can dive in, for an extremely refreshing experience. Or if you are more cautious, keep going on the stairs and get in from the lower part. Try to swim out to the center of the cenote to appreciate the numerous caves, refuge of the mythical Toh birds that live there. Be respectful of the vegetation and animals…simply enjoy the sounds of nature and you won’t notice the passing of time.
Surely after all this adventure you’ll be hungry, so you can visit Hacienda San Pedro Ochil, where they have an exquisite regional food menu from Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays you can have their delicious Yucatecan buffet. Try to book ahead (www.haciendaochil.com).
Two cenotes that will transport you to a day of adventure, nature, and peace, a combination that will remain engraved forever in your memory.
By: Violeta H. Cantarell
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