The wonderful cenote Ik Kil in Mexico will never fail to stun you. We arrived around 10:30 in the morning and the parking lot was still almost empty. Yes, we were one of the few who arrived before tour buses came in droves. No, we didn’t join one of those tours because we’re too fabulous to be in crowded buses. 😀 😀 😀 (Scroll down below if you wanna know how we got there.) 

What is a cenote? 

Cenotes are unique to Mexico, especially in the Yucatan State. They are natural wells surrounded by rocks. Most often they serve as the mouth of an underground river or a cave. They’re also good for snorkeling and diving.

Related article: Cenote Azul in Riviera Maya

Travel Tips: 

Most bus tours to Chichen Itza do not include this in their itinerary. Only few do this. Even the tour agents in our hotel don’t combine this with Chichen Itza Pyramid Tour. However, most Cenote Ik Kil Tour is combined with some other unknown Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula.

If you’re renting a car or on your own, be sure to get here between 9:00 to 10:00 in the morning. This should be your first itinerary of the day if you want to avoid the crowd. The famed Chichen Itza Pyramid is just 5 minutes drive from here.

Photos: The Wonderful Cenote Ik Kil in Mexico

Since cenotes are wells, your first glance of Cenote Ik-Kil is from above, of course.

As you can see, the well is partly covered in green vegetation.

Skinny vines dangle from the trees all the way down to the water below.

It’s 85 feet from the ground surface to the water level.

You can reach the swimming platform through a slippery carved staircase.

As you go down, you’ll find two natural windows for you to stop and admire this amazing wonder of nature.

And when you’re down there, this is the breathtaking view you’d see.

Before you dive in, sit quietly and delight in the contrast of light and darkness.

The sun’s rays that penetrate the well look like a sign that someone is coming down from heaven. Or maybe, a miracle? Or probably, a spaceship! 😀

It’s a truly wonderful place to be – especially sans the noisy crowd.

The cenote is 130 ft. deep.

That’s why there are ropes on the well to hold on to, just in case…

Remember. If you’re planning to swim, it is advised that you take a shower first before going down. There are showers on the right side of the staircase entrance.

For safety reasons. If you don’t know how to swim or not confident in your swimming skills, get a life jacket. You can get one just before you go down the staircase.

Things to bring. Do bring a snorkel or a pair of goggles. Camera? Yes, you can – if you have a friend who’s willing to be your photographer. 😀

Lockers available. There are no lockers on the swimming platform but there’s one where you’ll get your life vests.

Changing Rooms. They are opposite the shower area. You can also rent a towel but better bring your own from the hotel.

Other facilities: There’s a restaurant here and a small lodging house should you decide to stay for a night.

How we went to Cenote Ik Kil

We hired our first Uber driver in Cancun. We negotiated the price for a day of sightseeing, telling him the sights we wanted to see. In our survival Spanish and his limited English, we understood each other. He was a pretty cool driver and we had no complains about him. He came on time, waited for us patiently, played good music in his car, took us photos and brought us back to our hotel safely at almost 9 in the evening.

For our day’s itinerary of sightseeing, read my next blog post.

Note About This Trip:

This is my third time on the eastern part of Mexico. The first time I was here, I stayed at an all-inclusive Grand Sirenis Beach Resort Riviera Maya in Tulum. The second time was at Barcelo Maya. And in this trip, we stayed at Barcelo Costa in Cancun.

Of course, if you’re not into all-inclusive vacations but cheaper options, you can always book hostels to suit your tight budget. But, I had to warn you that Cancun is a vacationer’s paradise, not a backpacker’s dream destinations. The city, however, is a good base for your cultural sightseeing, like the Chitchen Itza and Tulum Ruinas. Cancun is also accessible to Playa del Carmen and Cozumel.