Kankirixche Cenote is One of the Largest Cenotes Out There

The road to the Kankirixche Cenote

30 miles from Merida, Yucatan’s capital city, Kankirixche cenote is not the easiest to get to. The signage is all right (that wasn’t always true), but a narrow, one-lane dirt road in the middle of the wilderness separates the highway from the cenote’s entrance. Just be patient and careful. It should take you around 10 minutes—you’ll be at your destination before you know it.

Facilities at Kankirixche Cenote

Kankirixche has the basic cenote facilities: bathrooms and showers. Remember to wash off any sunblock or bug spray under the shower before entering the cenote, as chemicals can damage its fragile ecosystem. You can also rent a lifejacket here.

The restaurant serves regional dishes, but it’s only open on weekends or during the low season. Alternatively, if you don’t want to take a packed lunch with you, there are other restaurants around the area, only 10 minutes away.

Inside the Kankirixche Cenote

The cenote itself is quite impressive. A cave almost 300 feet in diameter, it’s one of the largest out there. As it’s semi-open, the dome is full of stalactites and some of them are long enough to reach the water. Similarly, stalagmites growing from the bottom are so tall that you can stand on a couple. Though it’s semi-open, the entrance is so wide that the cenote is naturally lit throughout most of the day.

Its depth varies quite a bit; from 16 to 160 feet deep. This lets visitors choose the depth with which they are comfortable and just hang around—or float around—enjoying the view of the dome high above them.

Dive in Kankirixche

Because of its size and variable depth, this cenote is famous among divers, and you often see groups diving here. So, if you have the know-how and equipment, looking at this place from the bottom-up is a whole other experience.