If you’re visiting the Yucatan Peninsula then the chances are that you’re planning a day trip to the incredible Mayan ruin, the modern wonder of the world that is Chichén Itzá. There is also a good chance you’ll be looking for a cenote near Chichén Itzá so that you can have a refreshing swim after your time at the ruins complex.

In this article I’ll share my favourite cenotes near Chichen Itza, helping you to figure out which cenote is the best fit for you and your trip. 

Organized tours from Mérida, Cancun or Tulum generally have a planned stop at a cenote included in the day but if you’re going solo planning your perfect Yucatan itinerary then this article will help you to decide which is the best cenote to add to your time at the most famous Mayan ruin in the world. 

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I’ve been visiting cenotes and writing about them since I swam in my first cenote in 2016. Since then, my cenote obsessed family and I have visited dozens of cenotes across the Yucatán Peninsula and I’ve written about them for various publications around the world including my own guide book to the region, Yucatán with Kids.

What is a Cenote?

Before you decide if you want to visit a cenote near Chichen Itza, you should know what one is, right? 

📌 The word cenote (pronounced se-no-té) comes to us, via Spanish, from the Mayan word dzonot, meaning ‘sacred well’. 

📌 Geologically speaking, cenotes are natural sinkholes caused by collapsing limestone bedrock, exposing the groundwater below. The Yucatán Peninsula, particularly the state of Yucatán, is absolutely covered with cenotes and underground rivers linking the cenotes.

📌 Cenotes were used by ancient Mayans as sources of freshwater, and as such they built cities near them. They also considered the crystal-clear waters of cenotes to be sacred entrances to the underworld. Today, cenotes remain a water source since there are no freshwater rivers above ground in Yucatán.

📌 There are thought to be as many as 6,000 cenotes across the peninsula but barely half have been officially explored and documented. Every cenote is different so don’t assume that because you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. You’re never done.

Different Forms of Cenote

There are broadly four types of cenote

➡️ Open Cenote – these are the most ancient cenotes and often resemble lakes and ponds. They are generally near ground level.

➡️ Semi-Open Cenote – these cenotes may have already lost most of their cave roof or may still be caves but with openings in the roof through which beams of light illuminate the water below.

➡️ Deep Open Cenote –  where cave roofs have fallen in, leaving the cenote walls and water exposed.

➡️ Closed/Cavern Cenote – these are the youngest of all cenotes and they offer full cave experiences with deep blue or emerald green waters

➡️ Let’s talk safety in Yucatán for a second. Yucatán is Mexico’s safest state, making it a perfect spot for a vacation. If you’re interested in reading more about whether Yucatan is safe and how to look after yourself while in Yucatan, you know I’ve got you covered!

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Why Visit a Cenote Near Chichen Itza

Not only are cenotes incredibly beautiful places to visit but, of course, when it’s extremely hot and you’ve been exploring, a cenote’s cool water is the perfect place to relax for a while. Most cenotes offer refreshment services or restaurants, and some even have hotels or camping facilities on site or nearby.

You can swim, snorkel and dive in cenotes although not all cenotes are suitable for diving so you’ll need to find a specific diving expedition for that.

If you’re travelling with kids and wondering whether cenotes are safe for children, let me tell you that I have been taking my kids to cenotes since they were 2 and 4 yrs old. Some are definitely more child friendly than others but if your kids are happy to swim and wear life jackets then there’s no reason to not take them.

Visiting a cenote after exploring Maya ruin is one the best things you can do while in this region of Mexico: combining natural wonders with ancient wonders.

Cenotes Near Chichén Itzá

Of the thousands who visit Chichen Itza every day, only a small percentage of those choose to stay in Pisté over night. Visitors arrive every single day from all over the Yucatán Peninsula: from Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum in Quintana Roo, from nearby Valladolid, from Mérida and from cruise ships docked in Progreso in Yucatán.

Insider Knowledge: The majority of articles you read about cenotes near Chichen Itza are, in reality, suggesting cenotes near Valladolid. Only a few of the cenotes you’ll regularly see named as ‘near Chichen Itza’ are within a thirty minute drive of this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site. What I suggest, therefore, is that you pick a cenote that fits in with your travel day and your final destination.

My cenotes near Chichen Itza list (below), is split into three sections:

⭐️ Cenotes Truly Near Chichen Itza

⭐️ Cenotes Near Chichen Itza: Direction Valladolid (to visit if you’re staying in Valladolid or on the Riviera Maya)

⭐️ Cenotes Near Chichen Itza: Direction Mérida/Progreso (to visit if you’re staying in Mérida)

Opening hours for most cenotes are 9 am – 5 pm although some offer special evening opening hours.

Click Here to Read About What Should You Take With You When Visiting a Cenote

Cenotes ‘Truly Near’ Chichén Itzá

Cenote Ik Kil 

_{Used with permission from Sophie}

The majority of tours to Chichén Itzá stop at Cenote Ik Kil and if you do visit, you’ll see why. Its proximity to Chichen Itza actually has many thinking it is the Chichen Itza cenote but of course, it’s one of many incredible cenote options.

This open cenote with gorgeous blue-green water is surrounded by vines, hanging tree roots and ferns. If you’re lucky you may even spot a turtle or two. Go early to avoid huge crowds. The ancient Maya sacrificed humans to the god Chaac here because they believed this was his home.  

🚗  5 minutes (3km) from Chichen Itza

Type of Cenote: Deep open-air cenote with hanging vines. Two jumping platforms. Approx 60 m (200ft) across and around 50 m (160ft) deep. 

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 📤 🌮 🅿️ 🛟

Cenote Ik Kil Tour Options

➡️ Tour from Cancun: Chichén Itzá, Ik Kil, cooking demonstration and free time to explore Valladolid

➡️ Tour from Valladolid: Visit Chichén Itzá and Ik Kil on this tour from nearby Valladolid

➡️ Private Sunrise Tour from Rivera Maya: with this early start you’ll see the sunrise over Chichen Itza and then be one of the first into cenote Ik Kil!

Cenote Yokdzonot 

When I first visited Yokdzonot in 2016 it was a quiet alternative to the more famous Ik Kil. Since then it has grown in popularity and is busier than in 2016. No longer just a cenote, today Yokdzonot is a true “Maya Wellness Center and Eco Adventure”

Yokdzonot remains one of my favourite cenotes near Chichen Itza partly for its beauty and partly because it is the lovechild of a rural women’s cooperative. The women organised themselves to transform the abandoned cenote into a sustainable and communally owned source of employment that would replace their dependence on agricultural labour. It took them two years to clean the cenote and create the gardens and trails you see today. There are seventeen women from the local community in the cooperative Zaaz Koolen Haá (clear water in Maya). Quote me when I say this is one of the best cenotes near Chichén Itzá.

🚗 25 minutes (21km) from Chichén Itzá

Type of Cenote: Deep open cenote. 40m across and 35-40m deep. Access via wooden steps or jumping from platform. Can camp here, zipline, rapel, rent bikes, and follow the trainto find the second secret cenote.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 🌮 🛟

🐾 While your dog can’t swim in the cenote here, s/he is welcome on site.

Cenote Yokdzonot Tour Options

➡️ From Tulum: Chichén Itzá, Yokdzonot and Valladolid (includes lunch)

➡️ From Mérida: Chichén Itzá, Yokdzonot and a cooking class with locals in the village of Yokdzonot

Cenote Kax Ek 

Right out in the jungle, hidden far away is what is reputed to be the biggest open cenote in Yucatán. My kids and husband loved playing on a raft in the middle of the cenote and had a great time on the Tarzan swing while I paddled around the edges like a wimp. 

Since this is one of the few remaining cenotes that really hasn’t been modified for tourist enjoyment, if you love an adventure and adore having a wild cenote all to yourself, this could well be your dream spot. 

🚗 Google Maps will tell you that this cenote is thirty minutes from Chichén Itzá but that’s thirty minutes to where the road ends and the jungle track begins. It’s worth it though, hence its inclusion on the list of cenotes near Chichén Itzá. Note that the last 4km will be driven at around 10km an hour as you navigate rocky and potentially muddy ground.

Type of Cenote: Open Cenote (looks like an enormous lake). Said to be the biggest on the peninsula. Around 25m deep. There are two wooden rafts and a swing here.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 🛟 🅿️

Note – this cenote is more expensive than many in the area at 300 pesos for foreigners (200 pesos for locals)

Cenotes Near Chichen Itza: Direction Valladolid

If you’re staying in Valladolid or on the Riviera Maya, then visiting one of the many cenotes around Valladolid makes perfect sense. The list below includes both the most popular and my personal favourites (some of which are not well known). 

If you prefer to wait until you’re back on the Riviera Maya then you have many great cenote options there too such as Cenote Calavera, Cenote Carwash, and Gran Cenote (and soooooo many more) and while they’re all beautiful, they’re generally much more expensive to visit than cenotes in Yucatan. 

Cenote Zaci 

Cenote Zaci is located right in the centre of Valladolid and is very popular with locals and visitors. The cenote itself is half-covered, which is great for people who get claustrophobic in the full cave cenotes. After some refurbishments in 2022 the cenote is open to the public again with a new restaurant and an artists’ pavilion. Limited to a 2-hr swim here.

🚗 50 minutes. (43km)

Type of Cenote: Half cave/half open. Approx 45m across and 40m deep. There is a jumping platform.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 🛟 🌮 🛍 (NO lockers – take as little with you possible as you have to leave your belongings on the side of the cenote)

Cenote Suytun 

Cenote Suytun has become something of an Instagram legend thanks to its circular platform that is bathed in sunlight at certain times of the day. The all-important beam of light enters via a small opening in the cave roof and floods a man-made concrete platform with light.

Thanks to this, Suytun can be extremely crowded, to the point that there are long lines of people waiting for their turn on the platform.

This may not be the best cenote near Chichén Itzá if you’re looking to get away from the crowds and have a peaceful swim because the water can be cloudy and therefore not especially good for swimming. Also, you’ll ruin everyone’s photos if you’re in the water while they’re taking their perfect Insta-shot! (Those perfect shots, by the way, are taken in summer around midday)

Secret Second Cenote: There is a second cenote on site that is included in your entrance fee. This cenote is an open cenote that is full of catfish (not for swimming).

🚗 1hr from Chichen Itza (55km)

Type of Cenote: Cave cenote that is officially classed as “semi-open” thanks to the opening in the cave ceiling that lets light in. The cenote itself is large but the water is only 5m deep.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 📤 🛟 🌮 🅿️

Cenote Suytun Tour Options

➡️ From Riviera Maya: Explore 3 cenotes: Cenote Oxman, Cenote Suytun and Cenote Xux Ha before breakfast in the gorgeous colonial town of Valladolid.

➡️ From Cancun: Guided tour of Chichén Itzá, Cenote Ik Kil, Cenote Suytun and Valladolid

➡️ From Mérida: Visit Chichén Itzá, Cenote Suytun and explore Valladolid

Cenote Saamal 

This spectacular cenote is located in the grounds of Hacienda Selva Maya. It is slightly smaller than Ik-Kil but is still entirely open to the sky. It has good, sturdy steps down and a delightful artificial waterfall. There is a large buffet restaurant on-site as well as a gift shop.

Tour groups do come to this cenote but when we visited first thing we had the entire place to ourselves until around 11.30am.

🚗 35 minutes from Chichen Itza (35km)

Type of Cenote: Deep open cenote with an artificial waterfall. Water is approx 50m deep. There are lifeguards on duty. There are three zipline towers here that can be enjoyed with the cenote. It’s also possible to stroll or cycle around the grounds.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 📤 🛟 🌮 🛍 🅿️

The buffet and cenote deal is a very good value here

Cenote Saamal Tour Options

➡️ From Riviera Maya: Full day, Chichén Itzá, Cenote and walking tour of Valladolid

San Lorenzo Oxman Cenote

Cenote Oxman is located on the grounds of Hacienda San Lorenzo so in actual fact, when you visit this cenote it’s more like getting to spend a day at a hacienda. 

The hacienda has a restaurant, a cenote-water filled swimming pool and tables around the pool where you can relax and have a snack.

🚗 40 minutes from Chichen Itza (40km)

Type of Cenote: Deep – Open cenote with a depth of 45 m.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 🛟 🌮 🅿️ swimming pool

Cenote Oxman Tour Options

➡️ From Riviera Maya: Visit Chichén Itzá, Cenote Oxman, and Valladolid. Includes buffet lunch at Hacienda San Lorenzo

➡️ From Mérida: Valladolid and two cenotes (Oxman and Suytun) and lunch

Zazil Tunich 

Zazil Tunich bills itself as being “more than a cenote”. Here you are offered an “experience” rather than a a simple swim. I’ve visited dozens of cenotes across the peninsula and this cenote, as you can see in the photo above, is really spectacular.

The cenote itself is beautiful but it’s the combination of the ambiance that has been created, the stories you’re told as you tour guide takes you around underground viewing platforms and then the opportunity to swim in the most enormous cave that really works its magic. 

In this cenote you’ll get to see the biggest stalactite in all of Yucatán on your guided tour into Xilalba, the Inframundo Maya (Mayan Underworld), learn about Mayan mythology and swim in the beautifully lit cave cenote.

Unfortunately for me, when we went, my younger child managed to trip UP the steps and smash her head hard enough to need stitches (her fault entirely) so our time here was cut rather short. 

Despite the higher price (300 pesos per adult), I highly recommend this cenote experience if you have time and can get there. 

🚗 1hr20 from Chichen Itza (78km)

Type of Cenote: Closed, cave cenote. The cave is enormous but the water is not as deep as most cenotes. It’s still a wonderful place to swim. While there is no regular restaurant on site, it’s possible to book an exclusive cenote-side dining experience

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 🛟 📤 🅿️

Zazil Tunich Tour Options

➡️ Zazil Tunich tour and swim plus traditional Maya meal

Cenotes Palomitas and Agua Dulce

These two cenotes are located just 200m apart so they are often visited together. They are much quieter than the cenotes closer to Chichen Itza and if you’re lucky you may well have this site all to yourself.

Cenote Palomitas is named for the stalactite and stalagmite formations in the cave that resemble popcorn (palomitas in Spanish). This cenote has two jumping platforms as well as a viewing platform for people who don’t want to swim in the gorgeous blue water of this cenote. 

Cenote Agua Dulce is more beautiful than Palomitas but the water is shallower. This cenote has three entrances: 1) regular steps, 2) a spiral staircase through a small hole in the cave roof that leads to a floating platform in the middle of the cenote, 3) the opportunity to rappel down via another hole in the roof.

🚗 1hr20 from Chichen Itza (75km)

Type of Cenote: Both are closed cenotes although Agua Dulce is technically classed as semi-open due to the openings in the cave ceiling. Palomitas is 45m deep and Agua Dulce is 15m deep. Both cenotes have kayaks for rent if you fancy kayaking in a cenote.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 📤 🛟 🌮 🅿️

Cenote Sac-Aua

Sac-Aua is another of my favourite cenote experiences on the peninsula, partly because it’s so beautiful and partly for the incredible cave on site. I actually didn’t get to swim when we visited here as I’d just got a new tattoo but everyone else did. I just watched sadly from the top of the wooden staircase. This cenote is the only one on the peninsula with a natural island in the middle of it yet very few tourists ever visit this beautiful cenote.

Sac-Aua cenote is named for the tree whose enormous roots hang down the 30m from the top of the cenote into the water below. 

🚗 1hr10 from Chichen Itza (75km)

Type of Cenote: Open cenote with an island in the middle. Water is around 15m deep at the edges but much shallower where it hits the island. It’s possible to hire kayaks and paddle around this delightful cenote.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 🛟 📤 🌮 🅿️

Cenotes Near Chichen Itza: Direction Mérida

If you’re visiting Chichén Itzá on a day trip from Mérida, and don’t want to visit one of the two closest cenotes, why not consider stopping at a cenote on the way back to the city rather than heading towards a cenote that’s on the other side of Valladolid?

❓ Are you wondering whether to visit Mérida or Valladolid on your trip around Yucatán?

Homun Cenote Circle

Homun is a small town about 45km from Mérida that is home to the Anillo de Cenotes (Cenote Ring). There are probably hundreds of cenotes around here but only fifteen or so are open to the public. 

My personal favourite is Canunchen because my family loves the rope swing here. Many others love Tza Jun Kat, one of the first discovered cenotes in Homun. Cenote Santa Cruz is a small cenote but the restaurant, zipline and friendliness of the owners make it worth a stop. It’s also perfect if you’re visiting with children as this is one of my child friendly recommended cenotes.

🚗 1hr30 from Chichen Itza on the way back to Mérida

Type of Cenotes: Mostly closed cenotes but Yaxchabaltun is an open cenote. Some cenotes have rope swings or jumping plaforms. The true joy of a trip to Homun’s cenote circle is driving around and simply stopping whenever you see a sign for a cenote.

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 🛟 🅿️ All the cenotes here will have the most basic services. Others will also have small restaurant or snack shops.

Homun Cenote Circle Tour Options

➡️ From Mérida: Private tour of five of the Homun cenote

Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara cenote complex is located in the town of Homun but is not in the Homun Cenote Circle. While the cenote circle is home to wild and rustic cenotes, the four cenotes at Santa Barbara offer a more upscale experience .

If you only have time for one cenote stop near Mérida, this could be a great option. The three cenotes are all very close together and are reached on a horse drawn cart (or by bike).  All their cenotes have lifeguards on duty.

Cenote Cascabel – closed cenote with depth of 10m

Cenote Chacsikín – semi open cenote with depth of 16 m

Cenote Xoch’ – open cenote with depth of 40 m

Cenote Pool Cocom – fully open cenote. Water is 15m deep

🚗 1hr30 from Chichen Itza on the way back to Mérida

Facilities: 🚾 🚿 📤 🛟 🌮 🛍 🅿️

BIG NEWS IN LATE 2023: THE NEWLY OPENED CENOTE POOL COCOM HAS AN ELEVATOR FOR PEOPLE WITH REDUCED MOBILITY. THIS IS THE ONLY CENOTE ON THE ENTIRE PENINSULA TO OFFER THIS SERVICE.

Santa Barbara Tour Options

➡️ From Mérida: Private tour to Cenotes Santa Barbara and Hacienda Mucuyuche (tour and two more cenotes)

A Final Thought on the Best Cenotes near Chichén Itzá

So there you have it, a list of my favourite cenotes near Chichén Itzá. I hope you find one to your liking (you will. They’re all amazing).

➡️ Check out the other Maya ruins in Yucatán

➡️ Read about cenotes near Mérida and some of the best cenote tours on offer

➡️ Some ruins (Dzibilchaltun and Xcambo) can even be followed with a trip to the beach!