Magical Valladolid, Mexico: Things to Do + Travel Guide, The Ultimate 2 Weeks in Mexico Itinerary for First Time Visitors, 13 Out-Of-This-World Things to Do in Oaxaca, The Ultimate 10 Day Yucatan Road Trip Itinerary, 25 Fascinating Ruins in Mexico to Visit (Mayan, Aztec + Beyond! Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 6 km | Entrance: 150 pesos, or 250 with buffet | Hours: 9 am 5 pm daily. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Another option is to simply hire a taxi in town, have them drop you off, and then get their number or arrange for a time for them to come pick you back up. Conveniently located just a five-minute walk from the city square, Cenote Zaci is a gorgeous oasis offering a relaxing way to quickly retreat into a bit of nature. Or how can we improve it to help you travel better? This cenote mainly gets bus groups stopping by in the mornings on their way to Chichen Itza or Ek Balam Mayan ruins. Google Maps | +52 985 856 0721 | Entrance: 30 pesos or free with meal purchase | Hours: CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS AS OF FALL 2021. All in all, if youre with a group, Cenote Saamal is a great one to visit. Its not only one of the top restaurants in Valladolid, but your cenote entrance ticket will come free with the purchase of a meal. If youre staying in Valladolid itself, there surprisingly arent many cenote tours to choose from. Wondering what to bring with you when heading out on a day trip to Ek Balam and Cenote Xcanche? This can be a good place before or after a visit to Ek Balam. Dont miss a chance to go swimming in Cenote Xcanche! The lockers and showers are new and spacious, there is plentiful parking, and the cenote itself has a zip line and even a kayak you can take out into the cenote. Xcaret discounts, sales coupons and ways to save money on your trip! The menu was limited, but the food was excellent and prices great (80-100 MXN, or between $4-6 USD) for a mealwe paid less there than at an average restaurant in Valladolid. Valladolid is a charming colonial town just about 30 minutes south of Ek Balam. Personally, I really think Valladolid deserves at least one night to experience it fully. In all Cenote Samula was my least favorite of the two, though that may have been because there was a very upset child swimming whose cries echoes through the cave walls. There are two sets of stairs that descend into the cenote, one being much steeper than the other. Cenote Zaci is a large open cenote that is partially open to the sky. One of the newest cenotes to open in the Yucatan, Cenote Chukum is one of the most beautiful cave cenotes Ive seen in all of Mexico. Bug Spray Heading into the jungle to explore Mayan ruins practically guarantees a few mosquito bites, but you can avoid the worst of it with bug spray! Id suggest coming in the morning, taking a refreshing swim before it gets crowded, then hitting the buffet afterward.
Youll also have the option of visiting a nearby cave that was recently opened and features various sacred Mayan artifacts nestled amongst the stalactites. The crowd loves cheering as people take turns on the rope swing! When visiting, people also can visit the cenote that is nearby. You just have to time your visit for the early morning or late afternoon, when the tour buses arent at Cenote Ik Kil. Collectivos, or shared taxis, are far cheaper than booking a private taxi, but the trade-off is that they only leave when theyre full. Be sure to protect yourself from the sun! Required fields are marked *. This is a large cave cenote, with a small opening to the sky above. There are male and female changing areas with lockers, but you need to bring your own lock. You can get to Valladolid by renting a car and driving, taking the ADO bus, or via tour. Driving through town, you will notice many places selling both. All rights reserved. If it were closer to Valladolid, this cenote might just top this list. We also have a guide to great restaurants in town. Note: As of my last visit in fall 2021, Cenote Zaci was temporarily closed for renovations. We hope you get to explore all around our area. ). There is a wooden walkway around the cenote with a few places to set things down. After you travel down the trail to the cenote you know you have arrived when you see this sign. Most cenotes require the use of life jackets, and personal flotation devices are a good idea even when they dont in order to minimize your risk. Your email address will not be published. Thank you for reading our article about the cenote at Ek Balam. We mainly recommend taking the package with bike and cenote combined. There are areas that are dry and fairly easy to keep your eye on. But considering just how beautiful the cenote is, and how modern the facilities are, Cenote Chukum is for sure one of the best Valladolid cenotes! Just politely decline and continue on to the entrance, where youll find lots of parking. Mexicos Yucatan peninsula is famous for its cenotes, covered or partially open swimming holes fed by underground springs. Opening a business in Playa Del Carmen -is it for you? This is the other Dzinitup cenote, and Cenote Xkeken is definitely my favorite of the two. If you are visiting the Ek Balam ruins you might also like to read our guide to the best hotels in Valladolid to stay in. The showers are located right next door to the cenote, so its very easy to pop in before going swimming. You can support us by purchasing via the affiliate links on this page, which may earn us commissions. If youre visiting Valladolid from Cancun, check out this highly rated cenote tour from Viator. But Ive been several times, and it always has a fun party vibe. Around the cenote you will find a large restaurant that offers buffet service, a touristy Mayan village and super touristy Tequila tasting. 
Cenote Ik Kil is definitely the most crowded of the cenotes near Valladolid, owing to the fact that many Chichen Itza tours stop here and unloaded hordes of visitors coming up for day trips from Cancun or from Playa del Carmen to see the famous Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza.
There is also a zipline available for an extra fee. Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 29 km | Entrance: 190 pesos for entrance to cenote, cave, and kayak | Hours: 8 am 5 pm daily. But, if you dont mind the drive, its well worth a visit! Towel If you prefer not to drip-dry (or collapse into a hammock for half an hour to dry) after visiting Cenote Xcanche, youll want to be sure to throw a towel into your day bag. You can even imagine being back in time with the same corn fields planted by locals nearby. If the thought of driving in Mexico scares you, another way to visit many cenotes in one go is to join a guided tour to various cenotes. Plus, Hacienda Chukum offers the most modern facilities of any cenote Ive visited near Valladolid. If you are looking for a good restaurant, Restaurant Temozon is one of the best in town. Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 17 km | Entrance: 100 pesos | Hours: 9 am 5 pm daily. ), 17 Best Things to Do in Isla Mujeres, Mexicos Laid-Back Island Paradise, How to Take a Traghetto (Cheapest Gondola in Venice! Plus, the stalactites that dangle from the cave roof are pretty dramatic! Tips for Visiting Cenotes from Valladolid. It is only possible with a car since there is no public transportation options available nor taxi. Be sure to stop on your way up to check some of the incredibly ornate carvings still located on the structure! It was at its height from roughly 770 to 840 CE, and was the home of around 20,000 people. Ek Balam is increasing in popularity, and more and more tours are starting to pop up. There are dozens of tree roots that dangling down to the water, making Ik Kil an absolutely beautiful setting (when the cenote isnt packed with hordes of swimmers, anyway!). Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 8 km | Entrance: 80 pesos for adult & 50 pesos for children | Hours: 9 am 5 pm daily. Just aim for something comfortable to wear, not flashy, and medium-sizedwe used aNorthface Jester backpackfor years and loved it as well. Finally, if you dont mind a little exercise, some cenotes (especially the Dzitnup cenotes and Hacienda Selva Maya) are fairly easy to access via bike trails from Valladolid, Mexico. Known as El Torre, or The Tower, this structure is one of the largest Mayan ruins to be found on the Yucatan peninsula. Your best bet is to join this cenote bike tour, one of the few running directly from Valladolid to the nearby cenotes. Valladolid is the largest town nearby and a colonial gem that makes for a good base to explore the area. To get into the water, there are stairs to the water. Honestly, I did find the buffet a little paltry (especially given the price). Nestled in a quiet corner of Mexicos Yucatan peninsula, far away from the crowds of Chichen Itza and the Riviera Maya, sits the stunning Mayan city of Ek Balam and its gorgeous next-door neighbor, Cenote Xcanche. To enter Ek Balam, youll need to pay 413 pesos (around $22 USD)/person. What makes this cenote special is that it is enclosed, has beautiful stalagmite and stalactite structures and crystal clear water. Although you might be on a self guided trip and have time to visit the two during your time in the area. If you do visit, you will find bathrooms, changing area with outdoor showers, a small restaurant and hammock area. Sunscreen Sunscreen isnt allowed in Cenote Xcanche in order to preserve the fragile environment, but youll definitely want to have some on when visiting Ek Balam! If you have extra time to visit more, here are a few other Valladolid cenotes to add to your list: The best way to visit the many amazing cenotes near Valladolid is to rent a car in Cancun or Merida upon arrival and drive yourself. I recommend timing your visit to Cenote Zaci for lunch at the nearby Restaurant Zaci. If youre staying on the Riviera Maya, a taxi will set you back a pretty penny, but is technically still an option (though not one wed recommendat that point, youre better off with a tour). This is a great place to visit after the ruins to swim and cool off. Many tourists choose to just visit Valladolid as part of a day trip from Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Cancun, often in combination with a tour to Chichen Itza. 
Theyre located less than a 3-minute walk from the cenote. Hat + Sunglasses Be sure to protect yourself from the sun! If you click through a link on Our Escape Clause, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. ), Is a Colosseum Night Tour Worth the Splurge? Thank you! The Dzitnup complex is located close to Hacienda Selva Maya, and so a lot of tourists come through these popular cenotes. His travel advice and musings have been featured in high-profile publications like NBC News, Lonely Planet, Mic, and many more. Eventually, Ek Balam receded into the jungle, and large pockets of its story remain unknown. For 250 pesos, we got admission, a buffet, lockers, plus life jackets (which are mandatory). ), 25 Wonderful Destinations for Winter in Europe (Sun, Snow, or Christmas! At times, Cenote Saamal can attract just a few too many tourists for my taste. Most cenotes that you can swim in are privately owned and carry some sort of entrance fee, though often this is a relatively small fee of as little as 30 pesos ($1.50 USD). Most Instagrammable Cenote in Valladolid (Underground Cenote), Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 8 km | Entrance: 120 pesos | Hours: 9 am 5 pm daily. There is an easy-to-use, expansive parking lot onsite that you can use for access to both the ruins and the cenote. There are other packages which include the one zip line across the top and rappelling. Though divers have reported seeing a crocodile in a cenote near Akumal, this is an extremely rare occurrence and most Mexican cenotes including all cenotes near Valladolid do not contain crocodiles. TravelLemming.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. But its worth the drive and, as Cenote Secreto Mayas name suggests, its a bit of a secret still you wont have compete with as many crowds. Near the entrance, there are booths available selling drinks and snack food. After several attempts of mustering up the courage, my partner Clara finally gave it a go! You walk down a winding staircase, put on the mandatory life jacket, and then can either ease into water or grab the rope swing and jump right in.Cenote Oxman is not the largest Valladolid cenote on this list, and so even with fewer swimmers, it can start to feel a little crowded inside. You just will need to drive here since there is no public transportation. For more about visiting Cenote Hubiku, see our article here. Managing your own trip to Ek Balam will add lots of flexibility to your day, and be far less stressful than worrying about picking up a taxi after you explore, too. Theres plenty of parking, an adjoining restaurant, Mayan performers, and decent facilities. One is paid to the state, and one to a federal agency. If you want something a bit more secure, though, there are lockers near the showers. It is about 12 feet (4 meters) off the water. You have the option of just paying 150 pesos to use the cenote, or you can spring for a day pass and lounge out at the beautiful pool and enjoy the restaurant. Heres what to know before you (literally) dive in. The trail is semi shaded and can be a nice walk if it is not too hot. Open Cenote With Excellent Pool & Restaurant, Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 33 km | Entrance: 150 pesos (cenote only) or 500 pesos (day pass including pool & restaurant) | Hours: 10 am 5 pm daily. There is a buffet in a separate building nearby, though personally, Id recommend the option they give to take a hut by the swimming pool and just order food and drink directly.Cenote Oxman itself is a beautiful cenote partially covered and sunken pretty deep in the crowd. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. There are so many incredible and affordable hotels in Valladolid to choose from, most of them locally owned. The cenote itself is large and mostly enclosed. Fast forward all the way to the 1980s, and excavations began in the city. The distance from the place where you pay to the cenote is 1.5 km ( almost a mile). Cenote Xcanche is a deep cenote. 
Posted in Cenotes, Mayan Ruins // 1 Comment. This is to help protect the fragile ecosystemsimilarly, you should not wear sunscreen or bug spray into the cenote (or any cenote, though some are better about enforcing the rule than others). Cenote SAC-AUA is one of the more unique cenotes to add to your Yucatan itinerary. Purell Hand Sanitizer We carry this everywhere, and never been sorry to have it floating around in our day bag. Climbing to the top of El Torre while visiting Ek Balam and swimming in the cool waters of Cenote Xcanche rank among our favorite travel experiences in the Yucatan peninsulawhich is extremely high praise considering how much we love the area. You can find excellent car rental deals by searching the Discover Cars search engine, which lets you compare lots of different agencies and their reviews (Mexican rental car agencies are known for shady practices, so pay close attention!). It is a much more tranquil place, then the Ek Balam cenote. Open Cenote Near Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins, Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 38 km | Entrance: 80 pesos | Hours: 8 am 5 pm daily. The entrance fee is cash-only and there isnt an ATM onsite, so be sure to come prepared! We typically focus on travel in the USA and Europe (especially in our beloved Italy), but feature destinations across the world! Bathing Suit Dont miss a chance to go swimming in Cenote Xcanche! Plus, perhaps because of the (relatively) high entrance cost and distance from Valladolid, we even had the cenote all to ourselves! If you are traveling by yourself, you can pay 70 pesos for the entrance and walk to the cenote. As an Amazon Associate, Our Escape Clause earns from qualifying purchases. Generally speaking, these tours will reach Ek Balam in the mid-morning, visit the site, and then take people over to Cenote Xcanche, so mid-morning and mid-day are the most crowded times to visit. Owing to its location smack in the middle of the Yucatan peninsula, Valladolid is pretty easy to access from Merida or the Riviera Maya. You can find literally thousands of cenotes in the peninsula, but many of the best are the cenote near Valladolid, Mexico. When you compare this price to the popular Tulum ruins, which clock in at an 80 peso price tag, Ek Balam is comparatively expensive! Heres everything you need to know before visiting these beautiful locations in Mexico for yourself! Comfortable Day Bag We currently usePacsafes sleek anti-theft backpackand love it, but if you dont want to shell out the cash for this trip, thats totally understandable. Never fear, because Im a Valladolid travel expert. Here is everything you need to know about visiting the cenote and options. I am going to have to visit here when I go to Ek Balam. Cenote Sac Aua is an open cenote with a small island in the middle. Temozon is known for its smoked meats and handmade furniture. What I love about Cenote Oxman is that its located in a hacienda featuring a nice pool, bar, and several little cabana huts. If you prefer not to drip-dry (or collapse into a hammock for half an hour to dry) after visiting Cenote Xcanche, youll want to be sure to throw a towel into your day bag. Cenote Suytun is undeniably the most beautiful cenote in the Valladolid area, though be advised that sometimes the line on the stairs to take a shot can back up during peak periods. Heres what you need to know! Just see our clickable map below for more ideas. Were full-time travel bloggers who have been exploring the world since 2016, visiting 50+ countries across 5 continents along the way. Its located in an underground cave but only requires a short flight of stairs to access. There are no shallow areas for young children.
We found that most of the structures in Ek Balam were able to be at least partially climbed, and the various viewpoints provided great angles to admire the rest of the city. This is the small town you pass through on your way to Ek Balam if you are heading north from Valladolid. Wild and wonderful, Cenote Xcanchesometimes referred to as the Ek Balam Cenote because of its very close locationis among our favorite cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula. Theres also a small restaurant next to Cenote Xcanchebut more on that below. The walks to and from Ek Balam and Cenote Xcanche are fairly shaded, but the ruins themselves are primarily in direct sunlight. If you dont put your things in the locker, you can descend into the cenote and set them on the side. But dont let Ik Kils popularity deter you from visiting! The climb up is steep and tested my fear of heights quite a bit, but the views from the top are well worth the effort. The experience is completely different than visiting a highly touristic site like Tulum or Chichen Itza, and it is absolutely magical! Road bike rentals and pedicabs are easy to come by, though. This cenote is a little further off the beaten path, but work taking the time to get there. ), How Choosing a Life of Travel Changed Everything, If youd like to consider driving to Ek Balam, we recommend searching for rental cars through. So I snapped a few photos and hiked over to Cenote Xkeken quickly. You might miss this town if you blink, but there are a few little things of note here. 
Cenote Samula is one of two underground cenotes near Valladolid that together make up the Dzitnup cenote complex, along with Cenote Xkeken. If it is a hot day and you dont want to walk to the cenote, a bike rental or taxi is recommended. ), 15 Incredible Books About Iceland (To Read Before Visiting! Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, Im working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA. This cenote opened to the public in mid 2017. If you want to sample some local specialties, Carnes Concepcion is one of the best places. There are other options that include bike rental or the tricycle taxis. The entrance booth is located just past the first grouping of souvenir stalls that you pass after buying tickets for Ek Balamor theres a more direct path you can take from the parking lot, too. Its large, with several platforms for taking photos, jumping, or swinging on a rope swing. Sure, its a little touristy, but Cenote Hubiku is still one of my favorite cenotes near Valladolid. Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 28 km | Entrance: 70 pesos | Hours: 8 am 5 pm daily. With that said, the Yucatan peninsula is home to literally thousands of cenotes, located in everything from schools to Costco parking lots, so it is possible to find some cenote without an entrance fee. But, if you come in the late morning before the tour buses roll in, its probably the most beautiful cenotes to swim in. In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. There are also more fully covered underground cave cenotes, which give off the vibe of something in an Indiana Jones movie. We recommend having at least 600-700 pesos/person on hand when you arrive, especially if you also plan to visit Cenote Xcanche and/or eat lunch on site. The cenote itself is deep. We saw more than a few fish swimming in the waters. Cenote Xcanche is one of those places where its easy to understand why the Mayan religion purports that cenotes are the entrance to the underworld. Shop rental cars for your day trip to Ek Balam today! While the above are my top 11 recommendations, there are so many amazing cenotes in Valladolid to consider. During our Ek Balam visit, both tickets were handled seamlessly with one purchase, so there was no need to think much about it! On the path to the entrance, you might be flagged down by other tour operators selling everything from ATV rides to ziplines. If youd like to consider driving to Ek Balam, we recommend searching for rental cars through Discover Cars, which will search multiple companies for your dates to find the best combination of price and rental inclusions for your trip! Here on Our Escape Clause, we are dedicated to helping travelers plan their adventures. Ek Balam ruins are one of the popular sites that people visit in the Yucatan Peninsula. If you happen to be staying in Valladolid, its incredibly easy to grab a taxi for Ek Balam (there are several taxi stands in the city, but the one right in front of the cathedral in the Zocalo is probably the easiest to find, and almost always has a few drivers around). We chose to have lunch onsite when visiting Cenote Xcanche, in large part because all of the swimming left us starving. Note that Cenote Xcanche does carry a separate entrance fee from the Ek Balam ruins. You visit as part of a tour that involves strapping on a helmet and navigating your way through the cave complex. You still are able to visit this cenote yourself if you like. The downside, of course, is that youll be running on someone elses schedule and usually spend a bit more out of pocketbut if youd rather kick back and relax than negotiate with taxi drivers or drive yourself, its the perfect solution. Even if youre not sure if you want to swim, we recommend bringing itafter sweating through your Ek Balam tour, you might be glad you have it. Cenote Saamal is located in Hacienda Selva Maya, which features solid facilities with lockers and outdoor showers. Book your guided day trip toEk Balam today! Ready to visit Ek Balam? Despite being a fit further away from the popular Riviera Maya destinations of Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen than Chichen Itza or Coba, Ek Balam is still very simple to access. There is a large platform for entering the cenote, so its one of the better options if youre visiting with kids. There are just a couple of openings in the ceiling, where the light shines through to illuminate the clear water inside. (+ Tips! We visited Ek Balam in the late afternoon and loved it! I use and love World Nomads personally, but be sure to compare policies! The cenote itself is stunning. How to find it and rekindle your small town love, No more Covid-19 test for most arrivals in the United States, Masks are now voluntary in the state of Quintana Roo. You wont have to go far to find the most popular Valladolid cenotes. If you dont want to visit the cenote here at Ek Balam there are some other options nearby. The only question is: which Valladolid cenotes are the best? Overall, Cenote Oxman is a great choice if you also want the benefit of the swimming pool, the large hammocks, and the decent drinks from the bar. If that does happen, though, most cenotes have staff that will call you a taxi you just might have to wait a bit. You can get a combined ticket to enter both cenotes, though annoyingly you have to separately rent a life jacket at each. Its a reasonably large open cenote that can make for a great way to cool off after a hot morning spent exploring the ruins. Here are my 11 favorite cenotes to visit in the Valladolid area: Disclosure: Travel Lemming is an independent reader-supported blog. We personally drove to Mexico from Valladolid (though heres a very important tip if you choose this route: rent your car before arriving in Valladolid!) Some tours include Chichen Itza and Ek Balam in one day. Because Valladolid is located in the center of the peninsula, with a slightly higher elevation than the coastal towns of Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, the cenotes in and near Valladolid tend to have more dramatic drops to the water level. Cenotes are regulated in Mexico and are generally very safe to swim in. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Plenty of Water We recommend a reusable water bottle paired with a SteriPento cut down on plastic use when you can, but if youre running low, bottled water is also sold onsite. The typical way to handle your belongings at Xcanche appeared to be just finding a dry place along the edge of the cenote and shoving your items to the side therenot unlike many other cenotes weve visited! Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 6 km | Entrance: 80 pesos | Hours: 9 am 6 pm daily. ), 13 Minimalist Traveling Tips for Living Out of a Backpack, 10 Things We've Learned About Love As A Full-Time Travel Couple, 25 Reasons You Should Try Backpacking Mexico Next, How to Visit Becan, A Delightfully Offbeat Mayan City, How To Visit the Pink Lakes of Las Coloradas, Mexico, The Ultimate Mexico & Central America Packing List, 8 Majestic Waterfalls in Mexico (That You Should Definitely Visit! and were thrilled with the choice. Sometimes referred to as the Ek Balam cenote, Cenote Xcanche is located literally within the Ek Balam ruins complex. If youre headed to Ek Balam, considering adding in a stop to Cenote Hubiku along the way. Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 5.4 km| Entrance: 80 pesos for adult & 50 pesos for children | Hours: 9 am 6 pm daily. If youre physically able, its definitely a unique experience! Parking is free, technically speaking, and there are even signs saying so, but there will be people around who will watch your car and expect a small tip in return.
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