Traveling to Cancun or the Riviera Maya soon? Beat the heat with a cooling dip in the crystal-clear waters of a jungle cenote this summer. The limestone landscape of the Yucatan Peninsula is peppered with caves and natural wells or sinkholes called cenotes, which are gateways to a hidden world, a labyrinth of underground rivers. The ancient Maya venerated them as sacred places and they still have an aura of mystery. Join us on a journey to some of the most beautiful caves and cenotes in the Riviera Maya.<\/p>\n
What is a cenote?<\/strong> The word \u201ccenote\u201d is derived from the Maya word d\u2019zonot or ts\u2019ono\u2019ot which means \u201cflooded cave,\u201d \u201cabyss\u201d or \u201cdepths.\u201d They are formed over thousands of years as rainwater reacts with the porous limestone to form carbonic acid, which dissolves, erodes and weakens the rock. Over time, the fissures are enlarged and tunnels and caves are formed. Erosion is twofold, from rainwater on the surface and the underground rivers flowing through the rock. Eventually the rock becomes so unstable that huge slabs carve off and cave roofs collapse, leading to the creation of sinkholes.<\/p>\n Cenotes can be deep lakes or shallow pools and they may suddenly appear as a result of subsidence and a rock fall in a cave. There are several different types of sinkholes: open cenotes are those in which the ancient cave roof has collapsed completely. Partially open cenotes still have a section of the cave roof, there are still others that have a small opening in the roof through which sunlight and the roots of jungle trees filter in and there are cenotes in caves along the course of underground rivers.<\/p>\n The number of these enigmatic natural wells scattered through the peninsula is unknown, in the state of Yucatan alone there may be as many as 8,000, some of which are the source of legends.<\/p>\n The Maya believed that cenotes were sacred places – they were associated with the rain god, Chaac, and were the gateway to Xibalba, the Underworld, the domain of the gods. Even today, some communities believe that the aluxes or spirits that are the guardians of the cornfields dwell in caves and cenotes and others tell of mythical creatures such as golden crocodiles or huge serpents.<\/p>\n Visiting cenotes in the Riviera Maya and Yucatan is an unforgettable experience. Their cool crystal-clear waters are inviting and a welcome surprise after the steamy midday heat. As you swim or snorkel, look down into the depths and marvel at Mother Nature. You\u2019ll see pillars and sculpted columns that look like the turrets and spires of a submerged city and in the distance the black holes of caves and tunnels leading into the unknown.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a guide to some of the most beautiful cenotes in the Riviera Maya<\/p>\n Dos Ojos Cenote Park<\/strong> Dos Ojos is the site of two of the longest underground rivers in the world and some of the Riviera Maya\u2019s most beautiful cenotes or sinkholes. With a guide you\u2019ll go snorkeling in several cenotes or sinkholes, try zip lining and enjoy a day in the jungle.<\/p>\n Dos Ojos Park is also home to the Museum of Prehistory, which casts light on the amazing discoveries of fossils and the bones of the earliest humans to settle the Yucatan Peninsula made by archaeologists and cave divers during ongoing explorations of area cenotes.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe Yucatan Peninsula is a vast limestone shelf with no surface rivers. Rainwater seeps through fissures and fault lines in the rock and accumulates in aquifers and underground rivers, which are the only source of fresh water in the area.<\/p>\n
\nA visit to the Dos Ojos Cenote Park gives you the chance to explore the mysterious underworld of the Yucatan, the intricate labyrinth of caves and underground rivers deep in the limestone rock.<\/p>\n