Yucatan area is knows for cenotes - a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. Cenotes were also used by the ancient Mayans for sacrificial offerings. There are numerous cenotes you can visit in Tulum, one of the most popular ones is definitely the Grand Cenote, but it’s also loaded with tourists, so we took the advice of the tourist office representative who we met when visiting the Tulum Ruins and opted for Casa Tortuga Cenote.
Located on the highway Cancun - Tulum just 15 minutes from the town of Tulum, Casa Tortuga Cenote was opened just two years ago, in 2016. The tour of 3 Cenotes costs 350 pesos (15€) per person and that includes a life vest, snorkel equipment and a guide. You will begin the journey in the cave of the Wisho Cenote, where you can jump into the water and then swim through the underwater caves, where you can admire the beauty of the millenary stalagmites and stalactites that show geological process that shaped the cenotes thousands of years ago. Then we continued to Cenote Campana, which also has a cavern-this time with water-but in the form of a snail inside. We continue with a walk in the jungle, where you will see the flora and fauna characteristic of the region. After visiting another cool denote, where you enter from one place and walk out from a totally different entrance, we made our way to our final destination - the last cenote open Tortuga Cenote, where you can swim and jump from the 4 metre platform. Amazing experience and that was of course our favorite cenote of them all!
The cenotes are really amazing and beautiful and a must-see when in Tulum areas - their depth ranges from 1 to 8 meters and you will be amazed by their stunning jade green color and its crystal clear waters that allow you to see the bottom of the cenotes. You can also see some small fish and bit of flora as well as some bats in the caves! The Cenotes of Casa Tortuga are ideal for swimming, snorkeling and diving and if you’re hungry, make sure to try their amazing burritos after!
P.S. Make sure to go early and don't put any sunscreen on, since that will affect & ruin the clear waters of the cenotes.
More info: www.casatortugatulum.com
