Pueblo Fantasma Cenote : A Cenote in a Ghost Town

We know. Though beautiful, cenotes have a lot of scary potential, and one called “Pueblo Fantasma” Cenote (“ghost town”) is not very reassuring. Don’t worry, though. We promise you’ll be so mesmerized by this place that you won’t think about apparitions—or the bats that live among the stalactites.

Where does the name Pueblo Fantasma come from?

Mayans believed gods dwelled in cenotes. How could they not? These caves and grottos are very good at amplifying the smallest sound. And, when this place was abandoned, visitors reported noises from within, too.

The facilities

A ghost town, this is not. It’s a tourist center with your normal cenote facilities, such as bathrooms, showers and changing rooms. You can also rent lifejackets and eat at the restaurant or get a small souvenir. Do you like tequila? Want to learn where it comes from? Visit the museum.

Inside the Pueblo Fantasma Cenote

Come on in. Watch your head: the doorway is a bit low.

This is a closed cenote. That means, its roof is not open to the outside world, except, in this case, for a small orifice that used to be a well. Don’t worry about the darkness, though, as it is very well lit.

You’ll soon discover who was making all that racket that made people think there were spirits down here. Swallows and bats live among the stalactites that decorate the entire roof. And they aren’t the only tenants. The fish aren’t shy to examine those strange creatures swimming around their home up close.

The water is comfortably deep: 32 ft. Take a dive from the raised platform to the surface or, if you brought a diver’s mask, enjoy the view under it.

Finally, if you can ignore the name of this place, stay the night in one of the overnight cottages.