There are also more fully covered underground cave cenotes, which give off the vibe of something in an Indiana Jones movie. 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! 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. This is a great place to visit after the ruins to swim and cool off. 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. 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. Google Maps | +52 985 856 0721 | Entrance: 30 pesos or free with meal purchase | Hours: CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS AS OF FALL 2021. Mexicos Yucatan peninsula is famous for its cenotes, covered or partially open swimming holes fed by underground springs. If youre physically able, its definitely a unique experience! Click on a star to rate (you can leave feedback after clicking submit). Hat + Sunglasses Be sure to protect yourself from the sun! During our Ek Balam visit, both tickets were handled seamlessly with one purchase, so there was no need to think much about it! You can even imagine being back in time with the same corn fields planted by locals nearby. He has traveled to 65+ countries across six continents around the world and writes about emerging travel destinations at TravelLemming.com. Although you might be on a self guided trip and have time to visit the two during your time in the area. 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). Theres plenty of parking, an adjoining restaurant, Mayan performers, and decent facilities. Your email address will not be published. Were full-time travel bloggers who have been exploring the world since 2016, visiting 50+ countries across 5 continents along the way. Known as El Torre, or The Tower, this structure is one of the largest Mayan ruins to be found on the Yucatan peninsula. 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. The cenote itself is stunning. 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. What makes this cenote special is that it is enclosed, has beautiful stalagmite and stalactite structures and crystal clear water. Though you can swim in Cenote Suytun, just be aware this is really more of a photo spot than anything else. 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: 6 km | Entrance: 150 pesos, or 250 with buffet | Hours: 9 am 5 pm daily. 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. Purell Hand Sanitizer We carry this everywhere, and never been sorry to have it floating around in our day bag. Note that Cenote Xcanche does carry a separate entrance fee from the Ek Balam ruins. Taking a tour is the perfect solution: with a tour, your day is virtually guaranteed to run smoothly, people who know exactly where theyre going will be in charge of your transportation, and youll have a guide to show you the best of Ek Balam. I am going to have to visit here when I go to Ek Balam. ), How Choosing a Life of Travel Changed Everything, If youd like to consider driving to Ek Balam, we recommend searching for rental cars through. Xcaret discounts, sales coupons and ways to save money on your trip! The trail is semi shaded and can be a nice walk if it is not too hot. Valladolid is the largest town nearby and a colonial gem that makes for a good base to explore the area. Its a reasonably large open cenote that can make for a great way to cool off after a hot morning spent exploring the ruins. Wondering what to bring with you when heading out on a day trip to Ek Balam and Cenote Xcanche? The distance from the place where you pay to the cenote is 1.5 km ( almost a mile). The cenote itself is deep. If youre a budget traveler staying in Valladolid, though, they can be a great optionespecially since the collectivos that head to Ek Balam arent 15-passenger vans like in many areas, but compact cars. I recently visited with friends, and we really enjoyed it. There is a large platform for entering the cenote, so its one of the better options if youre visiting with kids. Heres what to know before you (literally) dive in. But, if you come in the late morning before the tour buses roll in, its probably the most beautiful cenotes to swim in. Since most people come to the cenote after visiting the ruins, they want to change clothes. If you are looking for a good restaurant, Restaurant Temozon is one of the best in town. Heres what you need to know! Plus, the stalactites that dangle from the cave roof are pretty dramatic! There are no shallow areas for young children. Since this cenote is large and very beautiful, infrastructure has been added that will allow larger groups to visit at one time. When scrambling up 30 meters of sometimes slippery steps to reach the top of El Torre, youll be glad you have them! Heres everything you need to know before visiting these beautiful locations in Mexico for yourself! Most open cenotes though have more opaque water since leaves and dust fall into them. Cenotes are regulated in Mexico and are generally very safe to swim in. If youre headed to Ek Balam, considering adding in a stop to Cenote Hubiku along the way. On the path to the entrance, you might be flagged down by other tour operators selling everything from ATV rides to ziplines. Sometimes referred to as the Ek Balam cenote, Cenote Xcanche is located literally within the Ek Balam ruins complex. Cenote Sac Aua is an open cenote with a small island in the middle. Powered by Mai Theme, What to do in Amsterdam in Winter 20 Fun Activities, Mayan people used the cenotes as water sources, If youre not a confident swimmer, you can. Your best bet is to join this cenote bike tour, one of the few running directly from Valladolid to the nearby cenotes. The buffet was quite expansive and surprisingly delicious. There are male and female changing areas with lockers, but you need to bring your own lock. Opening a business in Playa Del Carmen -is it for you? All in all, if youre with a group, Cenote Saamal is a great one to visit. I use and love World Nomads personally, but be sure to compare policies! Bathing Suit Dont miss a chance to go swimming in Cenote Xcanche! Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 6 km | Entrance: 80 pesos | Hours: 9 am 6 pm daily. It is only possible with a car since there is no public transportation options available nor taxi. Ek Balam ruins are one of the popular sites that people visit in the Yucatan Peninsula. 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! The main feature here is the (artificial) waterfall, which adds to the ambiance when youre swimming in the cenote. Its located in an underground cave but only requires a short flight of stairs to access. Its large, with several platforms for taking photos, jumping, or swinging on a rope swing. 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. Stairs have been built that lead you down to the water here at Cenote Fantasma. Shop rental cars for your day trip to Ek Balam today! Ek Balam is increasing in popularity, and more and more tours are starting to pop up. One is paid to the state, and one to a federal agency. Protect Your Trip to Mexico: Mexico is safer for travel than you might think, but its still a global health crisis after all. 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. After several attempts of mustering up the courage, my partner Clara finally gave it a go! There is also a zipline available for an extra fee. Several trees have even grown on the island, and you can take kayaks or swim around it. 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. You just have to time your visit for the early morning or late afternoon, when the tour buses arent at Cenote Ik Kil. Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 8 km | Entrance: 80 pesos for adult & 50 pesos for children | Hours: 9 am 5 pm daily. You can support us by purchasing via the affiliate links on this page, which may earn us commissions. Just see our clickable map below for more ideas. You can either take bikes or take the tricycle taxi if you dont want to pedal yourself. Learn how your comment data is processed. There is one rope swing where you can drop into the water. You visit as part of a tour that involves strapping on a helmet and navigating your way through the cave complex. There are two sets of stairs that descend into the cenote, one being much steeper than the other. I recommend timing your visit to Cenote Zaci for lunch at the nearby Restaurant Zaci. 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. We visited Ek Balam in the late afternoon and loved it! You can find literally thousands of cenotes in the peninsula, but many of the best are the cenote near Valladolid, Mexico. You can get a combined ticket to enter both cenotes, though annoyingly you have to separately rent a life jacket at each. This cenote mainly gets bus groups stopping by in the mornings on their way to Chichen Itza or Ek Balam Mayan ruins. Around the cenote you will find a large restaurant that offers buffet service, a touristy Mayan village and super touristy Tequila tasting. 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). Plus, Hacienda Chukum offers the most modern facilities of any cenote Ive visited near Valladolid. I travel there frequently and have visited dozens of cenotes. ), Is a Colosseum Night Tour Worth the Splurge? The experience is completely different than visiting a highly touristic site like Tulum or Chichen Itza, and it is absolutely magical! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. After you travel down the trail to the cenote you know you have arrived when you see this sign. 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. We do have a full guide to Chichen Itza so you can get the most out of your visit there. and were thrilled with the choice. Truly, visiting Ek Balam is absolutely worth the entrance fee. You can get to Valladolid by renting a car and driving, taking the ADO bus, or via tour. 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. If you dont want to visit the cenote here at Ek Balam there are some other options nearby. 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. Nate Hake is a digital nomad from Denver, Colorado who has been traveling the world full time since 2016. Today, only a small portion (about one square mile) of Ek Balam is excavated, including the impressive El Torre pyramid. It is about 12 feet (4 meters) off the water. 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. ), 25 Wonderful Destinations for Winter in Europe (Sun, Snow, or Christmas! There are areas that are dry and fairly easy to keep your eye on. The showers are located right next door to the cenote, so its very easy to pop in before going swimming. Thank you! Boasting vivid water, tree roots that snake down the deep, stone walls, rickety wooden staircases, a wooden swing bridge, and iguanas that like to scitter along the walls, it is truly something special. This cenote opened to the public in mid 2017. Once a thriving Mayan city, construction began on Ek Balam as early as 300 BCE, and the city was potentially occupied as late as 16th century CE. You wont have to go far to find the most popular Valladolid cenotes. What separates this from other cenotes near Valladolid is the island in the middle of Cenote SAC-AUA, which was formed when the cave roof collapsed upon the cenote below. We typically focus on travel in the USA and Europe (especially in our beloved Italy), but feature destinations across the world! Cenote Saamal is located in Hacienda Selva Maya, which features solid facilities with lockers and outdoor showers. Temozon is known for its smoked meats and handmade furniture. Note: As of my last visit in fall 2021, Cenote Zaci was temporarily closed for renovations. 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. While honestly not the most beautiful of the cenotes near Valladolid, you cant argue with the convenient location. Posted in Cenotes, Mayan Ruins // 1 Comment. It was at its height from roughly 770 to 840 CE, and was the home of around 20,000 people. Never fear, because Im a Valladolid travel expert. Before you go, be sure to check out my mega guide to Valladolid Mexico its filled with tons of useful information! Its worth visiting Cenote Ik Kil because it is probably the most beautiful of the open cenotes near Valladolid. Ek Balam is located roughly 30 minutes by car from Valladolid, around 2 hours from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Merida. 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. For 250 pesos, we got admission, a buffet, lockers, plus life jackets (which are mandatory). 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!) 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. The Dzitnup complex is located close to Hacienda Selva Maya, and so a lot of tourists come through these popular cenotes. Just be aware that taxi drivers have a tendency to bail (happened to me several times). 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. 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. Driving through town, you will notice many places selling both. Here on Our Escape Clause, we are dedicated to helping travelers plan their adventures. 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. Its an easy, mostly shady walk down a straight gravel road, and we chose to walk in both directions. 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. ), 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! Plus, perhaps because of the (relatively) high entrance cost and distance from Valladolid, we even had the cenote all to ourselves! 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! (+ Tips! ), How to Actually Enjoy Summer in Venice (13 Important Tips! I hope it helps you to find a relaxing cenote to swim in, and I hope you love Valladolid as much as I do. 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. We also have a guide to great restaurants in town. If it were closer to Valladolid, this cenote might just top this list. Gourmet taste and local prices at Calamar de la 10 Restaurant, May 2, 2022 in Everything Beyond Playa //, Daytrips, tours, activities and excursions, Contact email information for EverythingPlayaDelCarmen.com website, Things that are new or changed in Playa Del Carmen July 2022, Do you miss the old Playa? If you do visit, you will find bathrooms, changing area with outdoor showers, a small restaurant and hammock area. But Ive been several times, and it always has a fun party vibe. 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. Valladolid is a charming colonial town just about 30 minutes south of Ek Balam. 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. The entrance fee is cash-only and there isnt an ATM onsite, so be sure to come prepared! 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. Want to avoid dealing with logistics but still see the best of Ek Balam and Cenote Xcanche? 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. Theyre located less than a 3-minute walk from the cenote. Youll also have the option of visiting a nearby cave that was recently opened and features various sacred Mayan artifacts nestled amongst the stalactites. There are changing rooms, optional life jackets available for an additional 30 peso rental, and a platform where daring adventures can jump into the water below. At times, Cenote Saamal can attract just a few too many tourists for my taste. You still are able to visit this cenote yourself if you like. Be sure to protect yourself from the sun! This can be a good place before or after a visit to Ek Balam. Cenote Fantasma (or Cenote Ghost as it would be in English) is a relatively newly opened to the public cenote. Getting Mexico travel insurance is just the sensible thing to do. To enter Ek Balam, youll need to pay 413 pesos (around $22 USD)/person. 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. But, if you dont mind the drive, its well worth a visit! 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. Cenote Samula is one of two underground cenotes near Valladolid that together make up the Dzitnup cenote complex, along with Cenote Xkeken. Cenote Xcanche is a deep cenote. The walks to and from Ek Balam and Cenote Xcanche are fairly shaded, but the ruins themselves are primarily in direct sunlight. This tour covers your transportation from Cancun, tickets to Ek Balam and a cenote (though not Xcanche), and a guided tour, and is a good option. Thank you for reading our article about the cenote at Ek Balam. Tips for Visiting Cenotes from Valladolid. 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. Collectivos, or shared taxis, are far cheaper than booking a private taxi, but the trade-off is that they only leave when theyre full. But dont let Ik Kils popularity deter you from visiting! For more about visiting Cenote Hubiku, see our article here. His travel advice and musings have been featured in high-profile publications like NBC News, Lonely Planet, Mic, and many more. It is a much more tranquil place, then the Ek Balam cenote. Also note that during the rainy summer season, the water levels can sometimes result in Cenote Suytuns platform being submerged and thus inaccessible. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. All rights reserved. The restaurant is on the north end of Temozon and has a large palapa roof. ), 15 Incredible Books About Iceland (To Read Before Visiting! Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 29 km | Entrance: 190 pesos for entrance to cenote, cave, and kayak | Hours: 8 am 5 pm daily. Some tours include Chichen Itza and Ek Balam in one day. There is a wooden walkway around the cenote with a few places to set things down. ), 17 Best Things to Do in Isla Mujeres, Mexicos Laid-Back Island Paradise, How to Take a Traghetto (Cheapest Gondola in Venice! If you are traveling by yourself, you can pay 70 pesos for the entrance and walk to the cenote. Road bike rentals and pedicabs are easy to come by, though. Book your guided day trip toEk Balam today! There were only about 15-20 other people at the site with us, and there were plenty of moments we were completely alone with the ruins. Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 5.4 km| Entrance: 80 pesos for adult & 50 pesos for children | Hours: 9 am 6 pm daily. The cenote itself is large and mostly enclosed. Eventually, Ek Balam receded into the jungle, and large pockets of its story remain unknown. There are so many incredible and affordable hotels in Valladolid to choose from, most of them locally owned. Fast forward all the way to the 1980s, and excavations began in the city. While the above are my top 11 recommendations, there are so many amazing cenotes in Valladolid to consider. Its not only one of the top restaurants in Valladolid, but your cenote entrance ticket will come free with the purchase of a meal. Here are my 11 favorite cenotes to visit in the Valladolid area: Disclosure: Travel Lemming is an independent reader-supported blog. 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! Open Cenote Near Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins, Google Maps | Distance from Valladolid: 38 km | Entrance: 80 pesos | Hours: 8 am 5 pm daily. 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. What to Know About Visiting the Ek Balam Ruins, All About Cenote Xcanche (AKA the Ek Balam Cenote), What to Pack for Ek Balam + Cenote Xcanche, 101 Best Short Travel Quotes (+ Caption Ideas! 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. Cenote Zaci is a large open cenote that is partially open to the sky. 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. Or how can we improve it to help you travel better? Dont miss a chance to go swimming in Cenote Xcanche! ). Its very easy to access and not far at all from the parking lot! This cenote is a little off in the distance from the ruins and in a wooded area. If you want to sample some local specialties, Carnes Concepcion is one of the best places. 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. 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). 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. 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 is a little further from Valladolid (about a 40 minute drive). Cenote SAC-AUA is one of the more unique cenotes to add to your Yucatan itinerary. There are just a couple of openings in the ceiling, where the light shines through to illuminate the clear water inside. Be sure to stop on your way up to check some of the incredibly ornate carvings still located on the structure! Its one of the easiest cenotes to access, as the stairs down to the surface are well paved. It is also one of the top four most visited Mayan ruins from the Riviera Maya. Just aim for something comfortable to wear, not flashy, and medium-sizedwe used aNorthface Jester backpackfor years and loved it as well. This place is on the south end of town as you enter, it will be on your left. Here they are: This cenote is popular with many tours to Ek Balam because it is just off the road and is set up for a lot of tourist per day. 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. What I love about Cenote Oxman is that its located in a hacienda featuring a nice pool, bar, and several little cabana huts. Theres also a small restaurant next to Cenote Xcanchebut more on that below. There is an easy-to-use, expansive parking lot onsite that you can use for access to both the ruins and the cenote. Owing to its location smack in the middle of the Yucatan peninsula, Valladolid is pretty easy to access from Merida or the Riviera Maya. There are other options that include bike rental or the tricycle taxis. Weve driven all over the Yucatan peninsula and find the driving extremely easydefinitely easier than driving most places in Europeand tons of fun. Most of the cenotes offer free parking, the roads near Valladolid are wide and well paved, and using a car will give you the freedom to time your trip to avoid the crowds.
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