June 2022. Although I have been in Mexico before, the last time was in 1994-1995. Twenty-seven years later, Oriol and I are doing a classic tour of the United Mexican States, featuring Mexico City (CDMX); Palenque in Chiapas; Villahermosa in Tabasco; Uxmal, Mérida, Chichen Itza, Ek’ Balam, Valladolid,  and a few cenotes (waterholes) in Yucatán and Tulum in Quintana Roo. We returned via Cancún to CDMX and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

In Yucatán, we visited sereval cenotes or waterholes. A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater. The regional term is specifically associated with the Yucatán Peninsula, where cenotes were commonly used for water supplies by the ancient Maya, and occasionally for sacrificial offerings. The term derives from a word used by the lowland Yucatec Maya”ts’onot” to refer to any location with accessible groundwater.

Similar rock-sided sinkholes, like cenotes, are common geological forms in low-altitude regions, particularly on islands, coastlines, and platforms with young post-Paleozoic limestone that have little soil development. The term cenote has also been used to describe similar karst features in other countries such as Cuba and Australia. 

There are several types of cenotes. From open to half open to closed. Each guide gave us different number of types and different totals. That’s okay. 

Mucuyche

After Uxmal Gabriel from Trevelezza drove us to Hacienda Mucuyche, to visit the Cenote Carlota and the Cenote Azul Maya. These two cenotes are very developed. With the hacienda linked to to the Péon family. 

It was very organised. First we visited the Hacienda ruins. Only a few attendees were interested. Then we got a brief safety briefing and we went into the cenote. It’s smart to wear water shoes and most cenotes make life vests mandatory. 

The water is cold at first, but you get used to it quickly.

The Azul Maya or Mayan Blue cenote is stunning. The stalactites and stalagmites  get this blue shades, hence the name. 

Tsukán

We did the Tsukán cenote after Chichen Itza. Tsukán is half open. It is very quite and has a wellness vibe.

We did a little Maya ceremony beforehand, wishing wellness and blessing. Not sure what the master of ceremonies said. But we played along. After the cenote we had an included lunch there.

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X’Canché

The last cenote we visited was X’Canché, next to Ek’ Balam. That was another vibe. Much more adventure and zipline. Less our thing. 

Mexico 2022

1. REVIEW | KLM Amsterdam Schiphol to Mexico City on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in economy.
2. MEXICO CITY | Zócalo.
3. MEXICO CITY | Templo Mayor.
4. REVIEW | Hotel Carlota in Mexico City.
5. MEXICO | Teotihuacan.
6. MEXICO CITY | National Museum of Anthropology or Museo Nacional de Antropología.
7. FORMULA 1 MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
8. MEXICO CITY | Museo Nacional de Historia at Castillo de Chapultepec.
9. MEXICO CITY | Frida Kahlo Museum.
10. MEXICO CITY | Coyoacán.
11. Mexico City 2022.
12. REVIEW | Mexico City – Villahermosa with Volaris.
13. MEXICO | Palenque.
14. REVIEW | Hotel Zyan Rooms in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.
15. MEXICO | Villahermosa in Tabasco.
16. REVIEW | Aeroméxico Villahermosa – Mexico City – Mérida on Boeing 737-8 MAX.
17. YUCATÁN | Uxmal.
18. REVIEW | Casa Chaká Boutique Ka’an Room in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
19. YUCATÁN | Mérida.
20. YUCATÁN | Chichen Itza.
21. YUCATÁN | Ek’ Balam.
22. REVIEW | Colonté Hotel Origen in Valladolid, Yucatán, Mexico.
23. Pride in Valladolid, Yucatán and queer encounters in Mexico.