{"id":17639,"date":"2011-10-13T07:00:09","date_gmt":"2011-10-13T12:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=17639"},"modified":"2018-03-12T11:28:45","modified_gmt":"2018-03-12T16:28:45","slug":"sinking-in-cenotes-of-the-riviera-maya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2011\/10\/sinking-in-cenotes-of-the-riviera-maya\/","title":{"rendered":"Sinking in: Cenotes of the Riviera Maya"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Big splashes in Riviera Maya: Snorkelers explore Cenote Azul, the original blue lagoon. Credit: GOC53.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Amy Drew Thompson<\/em><\/p>\n

In the 80’s classic “Purple Rain,” a puckish Prince asked Appollonia to purify herself in the wintry waters of Lake Minnetonka. No offense, Minnesotans, but why jump into a freshwater Slurpee when the cenotes of the Yucatan \u2013 along with those sumptuous Riviera Maya hotels<\/a>\u2014beckon, ready to invigorate weary spirits with the refreshing waters of the ancients?<\/p>\n

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After couple days’ decompression — pulse appropriately slowed by decadent buffets at the family-friendly Barcel\u00f3 Riviera Maya<\/a> or relaxing via spa, sunbathing and mercifully child-free silence in one of El Dorado Royale\u2019s<\/a> romantic oceanfront casita suites — you\u2019ll likely be ready for some adventure on what locals call the “cenote route.”<\/p>\n

Running roughly 20 miles along the main road near Puerto Morales you’ll find countless azure pools where you can snorkel, scuba, commune with nature, and get your general sense of Eden on. All you’ll need is a backpack and bio-friendly sunscreen. Depending on your degree of inertia, you can visit one or several in a single day.<\/p>\n

Cenotes Cristallino and Azul, in ridiculous-close proximity to the aforementioned Barcel\u00f3 Maya, make an easy twofer; both are large, deep and popular with the locals (skip Sunday to avoid peak crowds). More off the path is Tankah. This quaint blip lies on the edge of the famed Tulum; its cenote is calm, rife with colorful marine life and sits, quite literally, just steps from a Caribbeanbeach.<\/p>\n

Got divers? Travelers whose skill levels (and enthusiasm for underwater cave exploration) vary: stare into the depths of Dos Ojos. About a mile south of the Xel-Ha ecological theme park, here swimmers and snorkelers can marvel at the intricate limestone formations overhead while scuba enthusiasts explore life below the surface on two separate dives (one of which allows participants to surface and observe a beautiful\u2014and inhabited\u2014bat cave).<\/p>\n

After a day of snorkeling, jungle zip lines and the many other activities available on the Cenote Route, you will\u2014almost certainly\u2014 be ready to participate in Mexico\u2019s other sacred aquatic rite of passage: the swim-up bar.<\/p>\n

Related resources<\/strong><\/p>\n