For lovers of adventure: discover Cancun cenotes

The cenotes and lagoons of the Riviera Maya have consolidated themselves as the first option for national and foreign swimmers who come to enjoy Tulum since the natural beauty of the beaches has been overshadowed by the sargasso.

Since the beginning of the year, the sargassum began to arrive at the beaches, even earlier than expected, which was in March. Since then, visitors began to opt for other places where they could swim and spend a day with family and friends without the nuisance of the macroalgae.

The affluence in the coastal strip has been detrimental while the boom in tourist activities has been concentrated mainly in the cenotes and lagoons. As a result of this natural problem (sargassum), there has been a beneficial change for his sector because due to the conditions of the beaches the most immediate alternative for tourists is the cenotes.

There is more diversity of activities in the cenotes because in addition to snorkeling and diving there are also zip lines, ATV trips, descent, and ascent to caverns.

The great affluence of these bodies of water can be noticed in other places, located towards Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Cobá, and in the Riviera Maya, so it is one of the few segments that has benefited as a consequence of the excessive arrival of sargassum since other sectors have reported losses.

Discover Cancun cenotes

Puerto Morelos is located just 25 minutes from the Cancun International Airport, a starting point for the Route of the Cenotes and other adventures in the jungle. In a rustic environment, Puerto Morelos offers a wide gastronomic variety and an offer of accommodation from boutique hotels to large hotels of international chains.

Puerto Morelos is an ideal place to snorkel and dive, thanks to the great Mayan Reef that is located only 500 meters (0.3 mi) from its quiet beaches. The recommended places for diving are Cuevones, La Pared, La Bocana, El Túnel, Los Jardines and the submerged. submarine ship of the Mexican Army.

At the end of May the "The Annual International Fishing Tournament" takes place. In the main square music festivals are held and in April the "Festival of International Theater Facing the Sea" and other popular celebrations.
Among its attractions is the Botanical Garden with an area of 65 hectares where you can see more than 300 species of plants from the region.

There are also Mayan foundations, and recreation in a chicle camp and it is an ideal place to observe colorful birds, spider monkeys, and iguanas. Crocodiles and colorful orchids can be seen in the zoo Crococún. And the Xoximilco theme park where you can relax in its colorful trajineras.

The trajinera is a type of flat bottom boat made with planks and waterproofed with a petroleum gum that in Mexico is called chapopote.

Puerto Morelos and route of the cenotes

For lovers of adventure, Puerto Morelos offers a unique adventure: Cenotes Tour, a trip to the Mayan underworld. The jungle is traveled in all-terrain vehicles exploring the different cenotes. It is enjoyable fun for the whole family with activities such as snorkeling, zip lines, diving, and swimming.

Cenote Las Mojarras

Las Mojarras Cenote diameter is 65 meters (213 feet) and 14 meters (46 feet) deep. There is a double zip line and a double tower to jump into the water. It has bathrooms, hammocks, a picnic area, and a camping area.

Cenote Siete Bocas

This cenote offers a unique landscape with formations of rocks that date from millions of years. You can swim inside a cavern in the middle of stalactites. In this area, there were numerous natural gum fields surrounded by jungle.

Cenote Boca del Puma

Cenote Boca del Puma is surrounded by an ecological reserve. There is a park that offers activities such as zip-lining, rides in all-terrain vehicles, swimming in the cenote, and a chicle camp. Hours: every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Cenote Verde Lucero

You need to walk from the parking lot and go down some stone steps and another wooden one to reach the spectacular turquoise open-air cenote. It has a maximum depth of 20 meters (66 feet). You can swim and observe the turtles that live here. It opens every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Cenote Chilam Balam

You can travel in an all-terrain vehicle and enjoy the natural environment. In the cenote, you can dive, snorkel and swim.

Cenote Kin-Ha

It is an underground cenote of totally crystalline waters. It has a diameter of 40 meters (131 feet) and a depth of 50 meters (164 feet), which makes it one of the favorites of cave diving lovers. There are three zip lines.

Cenote La Noria

Cenote La Noria is part of the group of cenotes called "Tres Reyes" (Three Kings). It is 18 meters (59 feet) deep and 47 meters (154 feet) wide, which makes it a good place to dive, although you can also swim. It is one of the favorite places for bicycle tours.

Cenote Zapote

This lagoon-type cenote measures approximately 36 meters (118 feet) in diameter and is completely open. The water is green, fresh, and crystal clear with a lot of small fish. You can enter the cenote by a staircase, although if you prefer a more fun way you can use a "Tyrolean Maya" 1.80 meters (5.9 feet) high.

Explainer

The Mayans extracted the gum from the sap of the chicozapote tree, very abundant in its environment. They mounted the chicleros camps when they entered the jungle to collect this sap. They climbed the trees, made incisions in the bark, and let the sap flow to some containers placed at the base.

In the camp, the men rested after the hard day, and the extract also congealed. After a drying process, the result was very useful chewing gum for the hygiene of the teeth and the mouth, which also served to better withstand hunger; the ancestor of current chewing gum.