Cenote Xcanahaltun

Cenote Xcanahaltun is an oft-overlooked cenote in the area northwest of Valladolid. Visitors here may find empty the picturesque emerald-blue waters inside a cave rich with formations and stalactites.

Reaching Cenote Xcanahaltun requires driving several kilometers down quiet one-lane roads, followed by the final kilometer up a gravel road. However, two-wheel-drive passenger cars should be fine as long as they’re not making the trip following very wet weather.

Once at the cenote, a small restaurant sits beside the short path to the spiral staircase that descends into the cave. Stairs lead the rest of the way down to the wooden platform at the edge of the colorful clear water. If the sunlight is streaming into the cave, the water takes on a wondrous hue, while cave formations line much of the surface inside. The best part is that this cenote receives few other visitors. There are no lifeguards on duty here. Cenote Xcanahaltun is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is MX$100 per person.