In my previous post, I mentioned that cenotes (natural sinkholes that people swim in) are commonly found in all three states on the east of Mexico: Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo. Last post was about my trip to Campeche, which is the capital city of the state Campeche. This post is all about Merida, which is the capital city of Yucatán, where many travelers visit to enjoy swimming in cenotes and Chichen Izta, which is one of the seven wonders.
Cenote Yaal Utzil is one of my favorite cenotes
3 types of Cenotes
There are thousands of cenotes here in Merida. You’ve probably heard a lot about the three different types of cenotes based on the shape and location of the cenotes. I am sharing some of the ones I’ve visited during my trip.
- Open cenotes- Cenote Yaal Utzil
Open cenotes are “open” as the name suggests and there are no covers that make the cenote dark. You will be exposed directly to the sun and will see a beautiful sky while swimming. You get most of the sunlight so this type of my cenote is my favorite. Life jackets are not required but if you want to be safe, you may rent/borrow one.
- Semi-open cenotes- Cenote Kankirixche
Semi-open ones are half covered by a cave and half exposed under the sun. You get some shady areas as well as warm/bright areas under the sun, which makes it very unique. The water was extremely clean and clear and you will see tons of fish swimming inside.
- Closed cenotes- Cenote El Gato
Fully closed cenotes are covered 100% (located underground or inside a cave) and have no exposure to the sun. You will have artificial lights inside the cenote to swim. It’s a bit scary at first but you will get used to it.
Open Cenote- Cenote Yaal Utzil. This was my favorite. The water color is amazing and it was so nice to swim under the sun.
Semi-open cenote- Cenote Kankirixche. I saw tons of fish while swimming. What an experience!
Closed cenote- Cenote El Gato. This one was located in the basement of a Mayan family's home, which is part of the Sotuta community.
Chichen Itza
One of the seven wonders, Chichen Itza is located only two hours away from downtown Merida. I was planning to get there on my own but ended up taking a tour from Merida so I can hear about the history of the Mayans and also to make it easier to get their by a shared van. The door opens at 8am so I booked a tour that starts early so that I can beat the heat and the crowd. It was really hot when I was there in March 2024 (it was 104F or 40C) so I made a good decision! I’m adding the tour company link that I used so you can book with them. I think this was the only company that began tour at 6am, as most of them started at 8am in Merida.
one of my favorite jump shots :D
Temple of Kulkulcan
Some things to note:
- If you have GoPro, you need to pay extra $50MXN. Normal camera/digital cameras don’t require a fee. Drones not allowed.
- Security check: security checks bags. Snack allowed to bring in.
- Vendors sell crafts and arts inside Chichen Itza. Always negotiate the price of an item before purchasing. Just because they ask you for whatever amount, it doesn’t mean you have to pay that much. They usually require a lot.
- I went to Chichén itza from Merida but it seemed like there are options to travel from Cancun, Valladolid, Tulum etc. Make sure to double check the starting point/meeting point when booking a tour.
Spending time in Merida overall was great! It was extremely hot when I was there even it was in March but I learned a lot of cenotes and the history of Chichen Itza. Yucatán is a very different feel from Mexico City and if you are interested in learning about the Mayans and cenotes, I highly recommend visiting Merida!
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