First they represented the main water supply in a land that has no surface water bodies and suffers long dry seasons. Cenote comes from the mayan word dzonot or ts onot which means sacred well and had great significance for the maya. There are an estimated 7 000 cenotes in the yucatán peninsula.
Cenote dos ojos is one of the most popular cenotes to visit for the day in the yucatan peninsula and is a fantastic dive site it is also one of the largest underwater cave systems in mexico the whole cave system is at least 61 km long. Many of them have underwater cave entrances for divers but many are fantastic to use for snorkeling or just as a swimming hole and place to sun oneself. Each cenote is a collapsed part of a cave that fills with water often pure crystal clear water.
The yucatan is pock marked with many many of these cenotes. It was founded in 1543 upon the old mayan city of zaci a name still used for one of the cenotes below. Valladolid is a spanish colonial city in the heart of the yucatan peninsula about 50 minutes east of chichen itza.
Once revered by the ancient mayans as sacred wells they are now magnets for tourists adventurers and explorers alike. There are thousands of cenotes dotted all over mexico s yucatan peninsula and their existence is as much a defining characteristic of the region as is the distinct geological feature from which they result. They are freshwater but many of them empty into the sea there are thousands of cenotes in mexico and most of them are in the yucatan peninsula.
Cenotes are natural swimming holes underground rivers and cave networks filled with cool blue water. What are cenotes in the yucatan. These entrances to the maya underworld also offer spectacular snorkeling and surreal swimming.
Cenotes like this one in tulum dot mexico s yucatán peninsula. The best times for droning are mornings just after sunrise and evenings before sunset. To capture the full beauty of the miguel colorado cenote from the air we used our dji mavic drone.
Yucatan peninsula mexico cenotes. Mexico s yucatán peninsula has undeniably stunning beaches around cancún playa del carmen and tulum. But those who wish to cool off from the sun and mexico s yucatán peninsula is full of cenotes where you can swim in crisp waters in magical caves and jungles and feel lost in another time. S ɪ ˈ n oʊ t i or s ɛ ˈ n oʊ t eɪ. Is a natural pit or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath.
Especially associated with the yucatán peninsula of mexico cenotes were sometimes used by the ancient maya for sacrificial offerings. The term derives from a word used by the low land. Miguel colorado cenote in yucatan peninsula mexico.
Miguel colorado cenote in yucatan peninsula mexico. The term derives from a word used by the low land. Especially associated with the yucatán peninsula of mexico cenotes were sometimes used by the ancient maya for sacrificial offerings.
Is a natural pit or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. S ɪ ˈ n oʊ t i or s ɛ ˈ n oʊ t eɪ. But those who wish to cool off from the sun and mexico s yucatán peninsula is full of cenotes where you can swim in crisp waters in magical caves and jungles and feel lost in another time.
Mexico s yucatán peninsula has undeniably stunning beaches around cancún playa del carmen and tulum.