Cenote Saamal — Attraction in Yucatán

There are so many cenotes to pick from so we trusted our tour guide and weren’t disappointed. The restaurant for lunch first has a decent offering with western and Mexican dishes. Don’t expect gourmet but was a perfectly good lunch. The cenote itself is stunning and worth the cold shower (you must shower before) and cold waters when you get in. Some things to recommend: I would recommend you get there early and be first in for lunch then one of the first into the cenote. You’ll stand more chance of getting the best pictures. If you need the toilet go after you leave the restaurant as there aren’t any toilets in the shower area. It’s only a 1 min walk back but a pain after you’ve showered and just in swimwear! The locker rooms are split between men and women, whilst the showers are outdoors and communal (wearing your swim kit). Lockers are provided and they have a range of life jacket sizes, all looking to be well maintained. When you arrive to the locker room there’s lots of staff on hand to help but they’re not forthcoming with what to do (they must say the same thing day after day!) so don’t be afraid to ask where the showers are after the changing room and ask for a locker key. The cenote steps are wooden but we’ll maintained. When you get to the bottom level there are several sets of steps to lower yourself into the water, so don’t worry about having to jump. There’s also steps to get out. There is space to leave towels and flip flops on the lower level so feel free to bring down with you. I can’t swim but still went in and held the side railing whilst floating in the water, so if you’re like me then don’t worry it’s still a fun and safe trip! Enjoy the tequila tasting afterwards. The shop staff took pride in talking through their aged and flavoured tequilas so give it a try! We bought a coffee one. They allow you to try many of them so be sure to tip afterwards for their time. Most of all… enjoy! It’s a...

It's also known as Cenote at Selva Maya. We went to this Cenote as a package tour with Chichen Itza. They have a cute shop at the entrance but we didn’t visit it. We only had about an hour so we made a beeline to the dressing rooms. They have separate dressing rooms, lockers with keys & lifevests (pay-to-rent). The locker looked small but was big enough to hold a backpack, 3 pairs of shoes (one pair is a Mens US 15 size) and clothing. You must shower before entering the Cenote to protect the Cenote from contamination. It's just a quick rinse. The toilet is back towards the front near the shops not near the showers. So use the toilets on your way to the dressing rooms! We made that mistake and had to walk back! We wore swim shoes and I highly recommend to bring some. The path down to the Cenote had some slippery spots and we were thankful we had our water shoes on. Also, they helped us get in and out of the wooden slippery stairs that go into the Cenote. The Cenote is absolutely amazing. It was cool and refreshing. We saw tons of little fish swim by. The man-made waterfall wasn't on and that's because it was raining but it didn't make or break the moment. We are from Seattle area, so the rain didn't bother us. It was an amazing experience and would do it again! *Sorry for the video/picture quality. It was in a clear waterproof case and doesn't do justice...

Pretty cool that this site is now recognized as a wonder of the world, and a great addition to the bucket list of things to see in your lifetime. There is alot of mathematical patterns and symbolism throughout the buildings and structures that lead to a lot of common themes seen in today's world. Cool that through observation and no modern technology that the Mayan could figure out cycles and positioning the way that they did. The site is very large, make sure you have a your guide that can lead you around and demonstrate some cool acoustic tricks of the structures, especially the main plateaued building. There are vendors 'everywhere'. Be prepared to be engaged even walking within 10 feet of a stall, let alone walking up to one to just peruse the trinkets. Initial pricing is more than you think, but they are ready to haggle down. Be ready to walk away. And start early though, don't miss your charter bus tour because you're still deciding about the price. The items are pretty repeated throughout all the vendor tables, so you have lots of options. I grouped my purchases together with one vendor to get more things for a better overall lowered price. They are motivated. Best of luck! It's hot, reapply sunscreen twice...