Swim In A Cenote

The adventure

You go down steps cut into the rock, the air getting cooler and damper with every one, and then the cenote opens up: a round pool of water so clear it looks like glass, with tree roots dangling from the opening above and shafts of sunlight hitting the surface.

The water is cool after the Yucatán heat and startlingly deep. Fish drift beneath you, the light changes colour as you swim from sun into shade, and in the cave cenotes stalactites hang just above your head. There are thousands of them across the peninsula, part of one of the largest underwater cave systems in the world, and for the Maya they were sacred wells and entrances to Xibalba, the underworld. Floating on your back looking up at the circle of sky, you can see why.

Why it’s epic

Thousands of cenotes across the Yucatán, connected by vast flooded cave systems.
Open-air pools, half-caves and full caves to swim in.
Sacred wells of the Maya, including the Sacred Cenote at Chichén Itzá.

What it is

Cenotes are natural sinkholes where the limestone has collapsed into the Yucatán's underground rivers, leaving pools of clear, cool fresh water. The Maya saw them as gateways to the underworld.

How to do it

Many are near Tulum, Valladolid and Chichén Itzá. Some are open pools, others caves reached by stairs; most charge a small entry fee.

Top tip

Go first thing before the tour buses arrive, and skip sunscreen before swimming, as many cenotes ban it to protect the water.

Need to know

Many cenotes require a shower first and ban sunscreen and insect repellent.
Life jackets are often compulsory for weaker swimmers.
Cave diving in cenotes needs specialist training; snorkelling doesn't.

Plan this trip

Rough cost: Under £750 per person, including flights from the UK
Time needed: A few hours
Best time to go: November to April
Fly into: CUN airport

Entry fees are low; tours that combine several cost more.

Do it yourself

My experience

Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.