The Alternate Reality of Xunaan Ha Cenote

We’re in the middle of Tulum and Playa del Carmen, just off Highway 307, on its Chetumal-Cancun stretch. Just south of Akumal, a town famous for its many, many cenotes, is the small village of Chemuyil. Getting to the Xunaan Ha Cenote from there is just a matter of following the signage.

To make your day complete, Chemuyil has a couple of places to eat. From Akumal, you can also make your way to the peaceful and lonely Chemuyil Beach, where you can experience the halocline: the point at which the fresh cenote waters meet the saltwater of the ocean.

The facilities at Xunaan Ha Cenote

If you drive to Xunaan Ha, know there’s a parking lot where you can leave your car. Other than that, here you’ll find the usual cenote facilities, like bathrooms and a stall where you can rent a lifejacket.

To get to the cenote, you’ll have to cross a dirt path on foot, made from sand and small pebbles, so bring a pair of comfortable shoes. Surrounded by a thick jungle, this mesmerizing path suddenly opens to reveal the pool in the middle of the jungle.

Inside the Xunaan Ha Cenote

You have a couple of options to get into Xunaan Ha: either climb down the stair access and ease yourself into the cool cenote waters or take the plunge—literally—from the wooden platform. You won’t be surprised to know most people take the second option.

Once in it, you’ll feel lost, but in a good way. It’s like nothing exists outside the thick jungle around the pool. The greenery doesn’t stop at the surface, either. It continues all the way to the bottom of the pool, so make sure you bring your mask and snorkel.

The water reaches a depth of 29 feet in places, so this is a great place to dive. Divers like to explore its caves, as Xunaan Ha is one of the many cenotes in the Xunaan Ha underwater system, thought to be over 30 miles long.