Cenote Xunaan Ha
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Cenote Xunaan- Ha or "Goddess of water" receives its name from a popular Mayan love leyend.
The story tells us of a mortal Mayan warrior who falls deeply in love with a goddess who lived in a water cave. The warrior aware of his mortality approached the mightiest of Mayan gods to request eternity with his beloved.
The Mayan god turned the warrior into a jaguar (balam) to guard all the jungle creatures and be with his beloved only on nights with a full moon. It is said a jaguar comes on those nights to drink from the cenote to once again join his beloved goddess.
Cenote Xunaan-Ha "Goddess of Water" is located in the colourful village of Chemuyil. It is the fourth longest water cave system in the Riviera Maya and is of course, accessible to experienced and fully equipped divers.
The water cave is comparable in size to an olympic size pool. The opening of the cave is completely outdoors or open to the sky (unlike many other cenotes where you have to go underground to access them), which also makes the water slightly warmer from sun rays and an incredible spot to snorkel and admire the abundant flora and fauna that exists underwater.
It is worth noting this cenote is very deep and does not have much standing space or decline platform. It is very much a huge water hole. If you or other people you are swimming with are not confident or fit to float or swim, please grab a life jacket from the main office/ entrance so you can safely enjoy the crystal clear water.
Cenote Xunaan-Ha is a little bit off the beaten path and a local gem. This makes it the perfect spot for a meditative swim, a leisurely snorkel or an almost private like space to jump from the two very high platforms. The section under the jumping platforms is cordoned off for safety of those swimming underneath.
There is also a zipline which is used by a local tour company between 12pm and 1pm.
If there is no tourists jumping from the platform, this cenote is very calm and quiet.
Although the rest area is a little walk from the water, there are still small spaces around the cenote where you can sit and just gaze at the multi-toned water.
Once in the cenote, you will find the water is slightly salty as it is a huge underground system of water caves which do mix with seawater. The temperature here also comes in hot, warm and cold currents - it is a great experience to slowly swim around the cave and feel the soft currents changing in temperature.
It is highly recommended to bring snorkel gear as there is so much to see underneath. You will appreciate a huge variety of water plants and grasses, rock formations and several entrances to much deeper underground tunnels, a variety of small colourful fish and dark purple and brown catfish.
The varying depth, plants and lime stone underneath create the biggest array of blues, yellows, greens and purples in the water. It is a magical experience to the eye, a calming effect on the mind and a very earthing activity for the body.
Cenote Xunaan-Ha is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm, entry costs aproximately $5USD, $100 MXN or $8AUD.
This cenote offers a number of facilities for guests including a parking lot, bike parking area, toilets, life jackets for hire and a picnic resting area.
It is recommended to not wear sunblock or insect repellent prior to entering the cenote as this can alter the flora and fauna. Please respect this environment by not leaving any form of rubbish behind and following the safety guidelines.
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79584 - 2023-06-11 05:17:50