An obscure cenote is suddenly the talk of Tixkokob

A “new” cenote about 24 miles east of Mérida has excited a small rural community.

The watery cave is on the side of the Tixkokob-Nolo highway, just outside Tixkokob, population 10,000.

While far from making any official list of tourist destinations, social media was buzzing about its economic potential. It first gained attention nine years ago, but suddenly it’s become a hot spot for locals.

A local sports field and the chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe are being visited more every day, now that the cenote is attracting the curious, residents said on Facebook.

The town is known to outsiders for Pueblo Pibil, a restaurant with traditional dishes of Yucatán.

Resident Carlos Cime told local media that the cenote could help the town recover from the economic impact of the pandemic.

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