The five cenotes within reach of Chichen Itza
Within a 60 minute drive of the Chichen Itza ruins are five cenotes worth a stop. Each has a different feel.
1. Cenote Ik Kil
Distance: 3 km south of Chichen Itza. Entry: about $10. Vine draped open cenote, 40 meters wide, hanging roots and waterfalls. The most photographed Yucatan cenote and the default stop for most Chichen Itza tours from Cancun and Playa.
Book Chichen Itza + Ik Kil Tour →
2. Cenote Suytun
Distance: 45 minutes east near Valladolid. Entry: about $7. The famous photo cenote with the central platform and sunbeam. See our Cenote Suytun guide for hours and tips.
3. Cenote Saamal
Distance: 45 minutes east near Valladolid. Entry: usually included with a hacienda lunch package. Open cenote with vines and a buffet restaurant on site. Many Chichen Itza tours bundle Saamal as the lunch stop.
4. Cenote Yokdzonot
Distance: 30 minutes west of Chichen Itza. Entry: about $5. Community owned and operated cenote in a small village, less crowded than Ik Kil. Restaurant serves authentic Yucatecan food. Best off the tourist path option.
5. Cenote Hubiku
Distance: 45 minutes east near Temozon. Entry: about $10 with buffet add on. Modern visitor center, large open cenote with steep walls and a ceiba tree. Often bundled with Ek Balam ruins instead of Chichen Itza.
How to plan the day
- From Cancun: 6am pickup, Chichen Itza by 9am, ruins until noon, Cenote Ik Kil + lunch by 1pm, Valladolid stop by 3pm, back to Cancun by 7pm
- From Playa del Carmen: same itinerary, add 1 hour each way
- From Tulum: 6am pickup, Chichen Itza by 9am, ruins, Cenote Suytun, Valladolid, back by 6pm
- Self drive: stay one night in Valladolid, hit Chichen Itza early, cenote in the afternoon, Ek Balam next day
What to bring
- Swimsuit and towel for the cenote
- Cash for cenote entry, locker and life jacket rental
- Hat and sunscreen for Chichen Itza, biodegradable sunscreen for the cenote
- Comfortable walking shoes for the ruins, water shoes for the cenote
- Camera with zoom, you cannot climb El Castillo so a long lens helps
Ready for Chichen Itza and a cenote?
Book a full day tour from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum. Includes transport, guide, ruins entry, cenote swim and lunch.
Preguntas frecuentes
Cenote Ik Kil is the closest, just 3 km south of the Chichen Itza archaeological site. Most full day tours from Cancun and Playa stop here for lunch and a swim. Entry is around $10 to $15. The vine draped open cenote with hanging roots and waterfalls is one of the most photographed in Yucatan.
Yes. Chichen Itza is dry, hot and crowded by 11am. Adding a cenote swim 45 minutes after the ruins lets you cool off, see another side of Yucatan culture and break up a long day. Almost all guided day tours from Cancun, Playa and Tulum already include one cenote in the price.
Most full day Chichen Itza tours include a buffet lunch at a hacienda or restaurant near Cenote Ik Kil or Saamal, plus the cenote entrance fee. Check the tour details, some budget day tours skip lunch and ask you to pay separately at the buffet.
