Cenote Suytun: Everything You Need to Know

While it wasn’t my favourite cenote in the Yucatan, I still really loved Cenote Suytun. Its a bit further off the path for day trippers headed to Chichen Itza, but is still a very popular place to cool off in this region of Mexico, seeing thousands of guests a year. The great thing about the Yucatan’s cenotes are that they are all so unique and varied. I visited Suytun after having already spent a few hours at Cenote Ik-Kil and was surprised at just how different this waterhole’s surroundings were. For a completely different cenote experience, you should consider heading to Cenote Suytun. When you realise its extremely close to the popular town of Valladolid, it will become a no-brainer. This chance to swim in a beautiful cave is an essential stop on any Yucatan itinerary.

• Trying to decide where to base yourself on a trip around Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsular? Check out my recommended destination guide HERE.

Cenote Suytun – The Basics

• Where? Carreterra Ticuch (Ticuch Highway), Km 8, Valladolid.
• When? Cenote Suytun is open daily from 9.00am to 5.00pm (last entrance from around 4.00pm).
• How much? General admission to Cenote Suytun costs $200 MXN for adults, and $150 MXN for children aged 5 to 11 years old. Further packages are available including food at the buffet restaurant.
• How to get there: Cenote Suytun is only an 8 kilometre drive east of Valladolid. If you’re not driving or coming on a tour, you can take a collectivo shared van or taxi from the town.
• Website: https://cenotessuytun.com/

What is a Cenote Again?

I’ve covered this in another post, but a cenote is a sinkhole filled with water and aquatic life. They are quite common throughout the Yucatan. With over 6,000 cenotes on the limestone rich peninsular, this region of Mexico is actually where you’ll find the largest concentration of cenotes on the planet!

Cenotes form when limestone caves collapse on themselves, resulting in a rush of groundwater from below the surface filling the hole left in their wake. The ancient Mayan people considered cenotes to be sacred sites. They often served as water sources, places of worship and even sacrifice locations, and in some cases, all of the above. Various relics and other artefacts have been found in cenotes throughout the Yucatan.

There are three types of cenotes. The popular Cenote Ik-Kil is an example of an “open cenote”. Open cenotes are completely exposed to the elements and form when caves have entirely collapsed in on themselves. At the other end of the spectrum are “underground cenotes”. As the name suggests, these are found completely inside existing caves. Cenote Suytun is an example of a “semi-open cenote”. It is inside a cave, but as you’ll see, there is an opening in its ceiling that provides light and air from the outside world.

• You can read more about Cenote Ik-Kil HERE.

The Main Cenote Suytun

The Mayan word “Suytun” means “stone center”. When you see Cenote Suytun, its name makes perfect sense. Housed inside a stalagtite filled cavern, the cenote is best known for the stone platform that juts out into its centre. Its a manmade addition to the cenote that has directly resulted in its newfound popularity to tourists. Cenote Suytun has always been notable though. Its actually part of the world’s two longest underwater cave networks – Sac Actun and Ox Bel Ha – both of which were thought to have sustained the ancient cultures of the Yucatan region for over 130,000 years.

The main Suytun Cenote is circular in shape and accessible via a stair filled tunnel at the end of a rocky path. Its only five metres deep at its deepest point. You can swim in the cenote like many others in the region, but many guests come here for the photo opportunities above all else. The hole in the cavern roof allows beams of sunlight to shine into the cenote in the early afternoon, aligning perfectly with the platform in the middle. Naturally, many people come to see it, so it can get very busy at that time of day. Even if you’re not visiting at peak time, you’ll still be overwhelmed by the beauty of the rock formations in the cave.

The cenote is filled with life. You’ll be swimming with various black fish in its waters (though they aren’t as visible as you’ll find them in the brighter waters of Cenote Ik-Kil). Bats are even known to make their home in the cenote’s cave.

Did You Say Main Cenote?

You might have heard of Cenote Suytun, but you probably didn’t realise there is more than one cenote at Suytun. There are actually 4 cenotes on the Rancho Ganadero (farm property) that houses the complex, and guests can access two of them – including the main swimming cenote I’ve described above.

The other cenote open to guests is called Cenote Ka’ape. Its another semi-open cenote, but you can’t swim in this one. You’ll descend a set of stairs through a tunnel to get there, and you’ll view the cenote from an elevated platform. In addition to the water (which gets wider in an underwater chamber of the cenote), the cenote walls are covered in vines and foliage, and there’s even a tree inside! The cenote also contains a hard carved sculpture of the Mayan god Kukulkan.

This extra cenote is easily missed (I didn’t see it on my trip to the complex). The entrance is to the right of the path from the main ticket booth if you’re facing the route to the main cenote. If you can’t find it, ask the staff – they’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

How to Get to Cenote Suytun

Cenote Suytun is really easy to get to if you’re coming from the nearby town of Valladolid. As its only about 8 kilometres east of town, you can drive to the Suytun complex in less than 15 minutes. There’s plenty of free parking available at the site, so you won’t have any problems finding a spot (even at peak times). If you don’t have a car, there’s still plenty of options. While there’s no public bus that runs to the cenote from Valladolid, collectivo shared vans go out there and will cost you less than one US dollar. Alternatively, taking a taxi from town will cost around $100 MXN. Uber is cheaper than getting a taxi, but keep in mind that you might have trouble getting cell phone signal at Suytun for your return trip.

You’ll have to do a bit more planning if you’re coming from further abroad. While you theoretically could take a taxi from destinations such as Cancun or Playa del Carmen, it will be expensive – these beachside hotspots are a good 2 hour drive from Cenote Suytun. The ADO bus network is a much more affordable option that is worth looking into. There’s also a number of day tours that run to various cenotes from Cancun, many of which include Chichen Itza. Most will combine a trip to the ruins with Ik-Kil if there’s only one cenote stop, but there’s some operators that also take you to Suytun (such as this one). If you are coming from the east coast, remember that Quintana Roo is an hour ahead of Yucatan state, so factor your arrival time in accordingly.

• Chichen Itza is a Wonder of the World that is definitely worth your time when visiting the Yucatan. Read more about it HERE.

What to Know When You Go

Your admission to Cenote Suytun includes entrance to both cenotes, as well as life jacket rental. The cenote is nowhere near as deep as some of the other cenotes in the region, but you still need to wear a life jacket at all times in the water. You’ll also need to shower off before entering the cenote to protect the waters from harmful sunscreen and skin oils. Note that unlike at Cenote Ik-Kil, locker rental is not part of your admission. You’ll need to pay another $35 MXN if you plan on renting one (bring pesos – credit cards are not accepted here).

When you see the path leading to Cenote Suytun, you’ll be thankful if you’ve got a pair of flip flops or water shoes. Its a decent hike across a gravel filled trail to get to the entrance. I left my regular shoes in the locker, and the walk down this path was agonising to my feet! When you finally reach the entrance, you’ll pass into a tunnel and descend about 30 stairs until you emerge onto a rocky platform (those water shoes will also come in handy getting into the water).

Because of the depth, you cannot jump or dive into the water at this cenote (its actually one of the shallower cenotes in the Yucatan). Being inside a cave, you’ll find the water quite cool and refreshing, though the cold hits you when you first wade in! While the cenote gets busy, there’s plenty of room in the water, so crowds won’t be a huge issue if you’re only planning on swimming. Photos in the middle of the cenote though? That’s another story.

If you want to get a photo on the platform, you’ll see a queue snaking around to the rocky outcrop. The busiest times coincide with the sunlight in the early afternoon, where you could be in for a long wait. Your best chance of avoiding this is to arrive right on opening (but you’ll miss the beams of sun, so its your choice).

Other Facilities at Cenote Suytun

I had lunch at the on-site Restaurante Mercedes. Its buffet style and serves various Yucatan dishes such as cochinita pibil (slow roasted pork) and papadzules (egg enchiladas). I definitely ate better food in Mexico, but its adequate. If you want to eat at the buffet, you can pay a total price of $315 MXN for adults and $270 MXN for children (5 to 11 years old), which also includes your admission to the entire Suytun complex. The buffet is open from midday until about 4.00pm.

The Cenote Suytun complex also contains basic change rooms and restroom facilities, as well as a gift shop. At various times of the day you can also find traditional Mayan costume wearing performers throughout the grounds. For those wanting to stay longer, the Suytun Cabins provide accommodation, with cenote access included with your booking. I didn’t see the cabins so can’t comment on the quality of the on-site accommodation.

If this guide makes you want to spend an hour or two of your Yucatan trip at Cenote Suytun, you definitely won’t be disappointed. While its not the first cenote I’d recommend to people visiting the region, if you plan on doing a few, Suytun has to be on your list. Whats your favourite cenote in Mexico?