Cenotes - Magical Pools of the Maya

The Yucatan Peninsula has hundreds of underground rivers running through it. When the earth caves in and creates exposed pools of fresh cool water, these are called cenotes. As you drive around the Yucatan, you will see signs with arrows (many spray painted on plywood) along the side of the highways announcing that there is a cenote over here. If you are hot and want to cool off for a bit, a cenote is one of the most relaxing ways to cool down. You can also scuba dive in centotes.

The cenote pictured here is one of the larger ones, and it is located on the way to the Chichen Itza Mayan ruins

Most cenotes cost a few dollars to access. Once you pay your fee, you are asked to take a quick shower to remove any suntan oils or other substances that could contaminate the fresh waters of the cenote. Then you can climb down toward the cooling waters for a dip (some have concrete steps, while other have a dirt path with a few ropes to help you on your journey).