Cenote and Hacienda Loop:
Cenotes are a must see. Preferably ones that have not been too refined but are still accessible, and where there are no tour buses. If you could
combine that with a countryside drive, a few small villages with big old churches towering over them, and a couple of haciendas to admire as you
drive by, it could well be the perfect day trip.
We start off from Flycatcher Inn Boutqiue Hotel Inn in Santa Elena to Ticul, and on to Chapab. The road has been repaved, and although quite
narrow, is in good shape. Stop in Mama for a look at the church and the Noria behind it; the domed cap building where they drew water. Check
the carvings over both side and main doors. They are particularly appealing designs that I think would look well in embroidered pieces.
From Mama, you will go to Tekit, home of many small shops producing clothing from unbleached muslin. Stop and buy a couple of these cool
pretty blouses or shirts and continue straight through town towards Ochil. Here the road is badly potholed for a short stretch, narrow and sinuous,
so drive with caution. Past Ochil you will head for Chunkanan and Cuzama/Homun, not far.
As you approach Chunkanan, you will see and cross the old narrow gauge rail tracks, formerly used to transport henequen on the large haciendas
nearby. Reaching the village itself, you will see the remains of one such hacienda, and along the road you will see the first of the horse drawn
small rail platform cars that will take you into the cenotes. The men charge 200 pesos per car, and it will hold about 4 adults. Choose one that has
a place for your feet and legs and preferably one with seat cushions, as the ride is rather rough. Changing areas and bathrooms are available at
the first cenote, Bolonchoojol, and there is a broad wooden staircase making the decent quite easy. Below it is cool and the water is incredibly
clear and blue. There are fish that look like catfish, and an easy entrance into the water. A new wood platform has been built and you can jump in
from there. Yes, the water is cold! The cavern curves around somewhat and becomes deeper but there is no hidden current, and it is lovely to
swim out in and observe closely the stalagmites and stalactites. Float around and listen to the drops of water falling into the pool. If you are lucky,
there will be motmot birds sitting quietly in the many grooves and pockets of the cave walls.
From here you can proceed further to two more cenotes on the same route, but access is difficult and only for the more adventuresome and agile.
We headed north to nearby Homun, and a surprise. Years ago we visited this tiny village and its cenote, right in the middle of the square, and I
thought "what a shame." It was filled with bottles and cans and plastic. Now, to my delight, it has been completely cleaned up with a guarded entry
gate charging a small admission, and it is lovely and clear again. The villagers have finally realized what a treasure they have and taken pride in it.
The stairway down is relatively easy and there is a large stone platform to walk around on, to view and enter the circle of water that almost
surrounds it like a moat. Rising out of the center and extending out through the hole in the cavern roof above is a large old dead tree. From how
long ago, I wonder?
The water is deceptive here. It is much deeper than it looks. I watched a couple sitting on an exposed rock jutting up from the bottom, out some
way in the water. The girl repeatedly pushed off, trying to reach bottom, and never did quite do it, although it looked like she could have easily
stood up there.
Walking around, there are some beautiful formations of rock to be seen and the water is incredibly clear with a mostly sandy bottom. Facing back
towards the stairway inside, walk way over to the right corner and out on the rocks. There you can see small chambers that are formed by the
rocks and walls back aroundthe opposite side of the cavern. There are some amazing stalactites and stalagmites here too. One
especially, but I won't tell you about that one. You will see it for yourself.
We headed back via Acanceh, passing the hacienda of Nokchacan, passing by the huge old Gothic style church soaring over tiny Ek Nakan. How
in the world did it happen to be built there? Another story for sure. Keep going on to Dzitina and on to Acanceh. In front of the small pyramid in
the middle of town, pause to look at the huge stucco masks way up high under the protective canopies on one side, and turn left onto Calle 20, and
on to Hacienda Tekit and then Tecoh, a very orderly and tidy town. Here we turned off to the right at the sign for Hacienda Sotuta de Peón,
passing through Kamuchil on the way. Just keep going, and soon you will arrive at the hacienda, as the road passes right through part of it, with
the main building on the left and the machinery and processing buildings on the right. Tours can be arranged with advance reservation only.
As the road continues, you will pass acre after acre of henequen, all belonging to the hacienda, which is still in production today. Soon you come
to Uayalcah and turn south (left) to Mucuyche, tiny Yunku, Sacalum, and on to Ticul. The road is brand new, restoring the old trail all the way up to
Merida. You could also continue on to Temozon from Uayalcah and see the stunningly (and expensive!) restored hacienda there, go on through
Abala and out to Highway 261 and South to Uxmal, but it would be a much longer route.
If you come through Sacalum and on to Ticul, you will enter Ticul on what becomes Calle 26. Continue until you reach the center of town and the
stop light. Turn right onto Calle 25 and continue to 34th, turn left and you are on the road to Santa Elena.
As we drove this route, the scenery changed continually from large ranches and rolling swells in the land to flat, dry and stark up around
Cuzama/Homun. And yet in this most bleak of terrain are hidden these lovely cenote worlds of water.
Cenotes: hundreds dot this area, just below the surface, and yet not a drop is visible above.
Apparently the gods felt something special was needed here, in this inhospitable stretch of the Peninsula, and what a magnificent gift it was.
Cenotes. Clear and crystalline hidden pools of the gods of the Mayan world. How special we can share it, if only for a short time.
Doesn't stop me from digging in my back 40 though. Maybe I'll find one!
Kristine,
Flycatcher Inn Boutique Hotel, Santa Elena,
10 minutes southeast of Uxmal in Yucatan, Mexico
Cenotes are a must see. Preferably ones that have not been too refined but are still accessible, and where there are no tour buses. If you could
combine that with a countryside drive, a few small villages with big old churches towering over them, and a couple of haciendas to admire as you
drive by, it could well be the perfect day trip.
We start off from Flycatcher Inn Boutqiue Hotel Inn in Santa Elena to Ticul, and on to Chapab. The road has been repaved, and although quite
narrow, is in good shape. Stop in Mama for a look at the church and the Noria behind it; the domed cap building where they drew water. Check
the carvings over both side and main doors. They are particularly appealing designs that I think would look well in embroidered pieces.
From Mama, you will go to Tekit, home of many small shops producing clothing from unbleached muslin. Stop and buy a couple of these cool
pretty blouses or shirts and continue straight through town towards Ochil. Here the road is badly potholed for a short stretch, narrow and sinuous,
so drive with caution. Past Ochil you will head for Chunkanan and Cuzama/Homun, not far.
As you approach Chunkanan, you will see and cross the old narrow gauge rail tracks, formerly used to transport henequen on the large haciendas
nearby. Reaching the village itself, you will see the remains of one such hacienda, and along the road you will see the first of the horse drawn
small rail platform cars that will take you into the cenotes. The men charge 200 pesos per car, and it will hold about 4 adults. Choose one that has
a place for your feet and legs and preferably one with seat cushions, as the ride is rather rough. Changing areas and bathrooms are available at
the first cenote, Bolonchoojol, and there is a broad wooden staircase making the decent quite easy. Below it is cool and the water is incredibly
clear and blue. There are fish that look like catfish, and an easy entrance into the water. A new wood platform has been built and you can jump in
from there. Yes, the water is cold! The cavern curves around somewhat and becomes deeper but there is no hidden current, and it is lovely to
swim out in and observe closely the stalagmites and stalactites. Float around and listen to the drops of water falling into the pool. If you are lucky,
there will be motmot birds sitting quietly in the many grooves and pockets of the cave walls.
From here you can proceed further to two more cenotes on the same route, but access is difficult and only for the more adventuresome and agile.
We headed north to nearby Homun, and a surprise. Years ago we visited this tiny village and its cenote, right in the middle of the square, and I
thought "what a shame." It was filled with bottles and cans and plastic. Now, to my delight, it has been completely cleaned up with a guarded entry
gate charging a small admission, and it is lovely and clear again. The villagers have finally realized what a treasure they have and taken pride in it.
The stairway down is relatively easy and there is a large stone platform to walk around on, to view and enter the circle of water that almost
surrounds it like a moat. Rising out of the center and extending out through the hole in the cavern roof above is a large old dead tree. From how
long ago, I wonder?
The water is deceptive here. It is much deeper than it looks. I watched a couple sitting on an exposed rock jutting up from the bottom, out some
way in the water. The girl repeatedly pushed off, trying to reach bottom, and never did quite do it, although it looked like she could have easily
stood up there.
Walking around, there are some beautiful formations of rock to be seen and the water is incredibly clear with a mostly sandy bottom. Facing back
towards the stairway inside, walk way over to the right corner and out on the rocks. There you can see small chambers that are formed by the
rocks and walls back aroundthe opposite side of the cavern. There are some amazing stalactites and stalagmites here too. One
especially, but I won't tell you about that one. You will see it for yourself.
We headed back via Acanceh, passing the hacienda of Nokchacan, passing by the huge old Gothic style church soaring over tiny Ek Nakan. How
in the world did it happen to be built there? Another story for sure. Keep going on to Dzitina and on to Acanceh. In front of the small pyramid in
the middle of town, pause to look at the huge stucco masks way up high under the protective canopies on one side, and turn left onto Calle 20, and
on to Hacienda Tekit and then Tecoh, a very orderly and tidy town. Here we turned off to the right at the sign for Hacienda Sotuta de Peón,
passing through Kamuchil on the way. Just keep going, and soon you will arrive at the hacienda, as the road passes right through part of it, with
the main building on the left and the machinery and processing buildings on the right. Tours can be arranged with advance reservation only.
As the road continues, you will pass acre after acre of henequen, all belonging to the hacienda, which is still in production today. Soon you come
to Uayalcah and turn south (left) to Mucuyche, tiny Yunku, Sacalum, and on to Ticul. The road is brand new, restoring the old trail all the way up to
Merida. You could also continue on to Temozon from Uayalcah and see the stunningly (and expensive!) restored hacienda there, go on through
Abala and out to Highway 261 and South to Uxmal, but it would be a much longer route.
If you come through Sacalum and on to Ticul, you will enter Ticul on what becomes Calle 26. Continue until you reach the center of town and the
stop light. Turn right onto Calle 25 and continue to 34th, turn left and you are on the road to Santa Elena.
As we drove this route, the scenery changed continually from large ranches and rolling swells in the land to flat, dry and stark up around
Cuzama/Homun. And yet in this most bleak of terrain are hidden these lovely cenote worlds of water.
Cenotes: hundreds dot this area, just below the surface, and yet not a drop is visible above.
Apparently the gods felt something special was needed here, in this inhospitable stretch of the Peninsula, and what a magnificent gift it was.
Cenotes. Clear and crystalline hidden pools of the gods of the Mayan world. How special we can share it, if only for a short time.
Doesn't stop me from digging in my back 40 though. Maybe I'll find one!
Kristine,
Flycatcher Inn Boutique Hotel, Santa Elena,
10 minutes southeast of Uxmal in Yucatan, Mexico
 |
| Swim In Yucatan's Spectacular and Intriguing Cenotes 65 Million years ago, an asteroid or comet struck Earth in an apocalyptic collision, wiping out almost 3/4 of all living species on the planet, including dinosaurs. The resulting impact crater on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is ringed with cenotes: underground caves and caverns now filled with azure pools of cool fresh water. Come swim with us... |
Courtesy Lee Meinicke Courtesy Irene Kontje
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| The Flycatcher Inn |
| A Yucatan B&B Bed & Breakfast Boutique Hotel Inn Accommodation |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
