Cenote Suytun beckons lovers of nature and social media alike
During a recent trip to Valladolid on a particularly hot and humid weekend, I was struck with the desire to cool off in one of the region’s many cenotes.
The area immediately surrounding Valladolid is chock-full of cenotes. But as I had a wedding to attend in the evening and did not want to venture too far afield, I opted for Suytun, just six miles away from my hotel.
I felt that the name rang a bell, but did not realize that I had actually visited the cenote about 20 years ago right until I descended into its depths.
Much has changed at Suytun since I had last been there, but the cenote itself was virtually unchanged — except for one major difference.
The folks administering the cenote built a sort of platform for visitors to line up and take photos directly beneath the mouth of the cenote, where light enters the underground chamber.
In a sense, this was a truly genius idea, as it has made the cenote a great destination for those looking for the perfect shot for their Instagram.
“I had never heard of Yucatán before but I saw photos of cenotes one day on Reddit. I was blown away and knew I must visit,” said a Japanese tourist, Ren Yoshida
On the other hand, this approach creates a feeling of a staged attraction, which kind of robs it of some of its charm.
Nonetheless, the cenotes are spectacular, and swimming in its waters was extremely pleasant, despite the long line of tourists lining up to get their photos taken.
Like several underground cenotes, the effect of the light hitting the water can be quite spectacular and a real pleasure to swim through.
Once in the water, you will find yourself in the company of whiskered black fish called bagres, which are actually a species of catfish.
Aside from Suytun, the entrance fee to access the grounds also gains you access to another cenote called Káapeh.
Unlike the crowded Suytun, Káapeh was completely empty of people, other than one lone lifeguard.
But what Káapeh lacks in tourists it makes up for in birds that glide above the large mouth of the cenote and occasionally swoop down for a bite to eat or a drink of water.
If you go
The easiest way to get to Suytun from Valladolid is by taxi, which should run you between 50 and 100 pesos.
When at the center, I realized that several of the tourists that had not arrived by bus had actually made their way via bicycle. On my way back to Valladolid I noticed that there was a bicycle path the entire way, which now that I think about it may have been an even better option (if it had not been so hot).
Entrance to Suytun is 150 pesos per person, which admittedly is a bit steep for a cenote, but still well worth it.
Visitors to the cenote are obliged to shower before entering and refrain from wearing any sunblock or insect repellent, as well as to wear a lifevest.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
