Cenote Xux-Ha Valladolid: Info and Prices
If you are visiting Valladolid you cannot miss a stop at Cenote Xux-Ha, one of the most beautiful and almost best-kept-secret among all the cenotes near Valladolid.
Being located in the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula where the highest concentration of cenotes is, Valladolid is surrounded by many incredible cenotes and new ones keep being discovered and habilitated to be opened to the public.
It’s so difficult to keep up with all of them, but we are working on it.
Living in this precious land, it’s easy to just go and explore. And you should do it too if you are visiting the area.
In this post, we will tell you all about the spectacular Cenote Xux-ha, one of our favorite cenotes in Yucatan.
What are the cenotes?
A cenote is a freshwater sinkhole formed by the collapsing of limestone soil, the type of stone that the Yucatan Peninsula is mainly made of. The cenotes allow us access to the water table. These holes are produced naturally by the collapse of the roof.
Sacred to the Mayan civilization they are now some of the main tourist attractions in the Yucatan Peninsula. Read more about the Mexico cenotes.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CENOTE XUX-HA
Cenote Xux-ha is a spectacular cave cenote with crystal clear blue water below a huge limestone dome.
There is a set of man-made limestone and wooden stairs that fits very well with the natural environment and make your climbing down the cenote very easy and smooth.
Once you arrive at the first platform on top of the stairs you will have a spectacular 180° view of the entire cenote. It’s breathtaking especially if nobody is in.
You will then need to go down about 25 mt to get to the wooden platform at the bottom.
Besides the artificial light, there is a natural hole on top of the dome from where the light comes in creating a mystical and suggestive atmosphere.
You can leave your stuff on some benches on the platform and either jump in the water or use some convenient wooden stairs.
Two cords stretching between the platform and the opposite wall are there for you to hold on to if you get tired of swimming.
We visited this cenote together during the 3-day expedition we did together around Valladolid when we visited many other cenotes.
Worry not, we will tell you all about them soon. So stick around! 😁
When we arrived at Cenote Xux-ha only two ladies were there chilling in the water in complete awe of this beauty, just like us.
We love to see these cenotes with no people in them because it allows us to establish a deeper connection with mother nature in total silence.
Besides we can take pictures without bothering anyone!😜
HOW TO GET TO CENOTE XUX-HA
How to get to Cenote Xux-Ha by Car
The best way to get to Cenote Xux-ha is by car, because after that you are free to explore more and check out other cenotes in the area, and believe us, there are so many!!
From Valladolid take the main road direction Chemax or Cancun, BUT not the highway, take the “LIBRE” which is the statal road.
That will take you right in front of the cenote entrance at about 20 minutes from Valladolid. Here below you can see it clearly on the map
➣ When renting a car in Mexico we recommend Discover Cars because on their website you can compare different companies and their prices and you can choose between their car insurance or the ones offered by the car rental directly, or both.
How to get to Cenote Xux-Ha by local bus
Getting to the Cenote Xux-ha by bus is also possible. In fact, you will need to get on a “Colectivo” minivan for local transportation, between Calle 41 and 38 in Valladolid, near Parque Central.
Look for those that head in direction of Chemax and tell the driver to drop you off at the Cenote Xux-ha sign.
From there you will need to walk about 200 mt to get to the cenote entrance and ticket office.
How to get to Cenote Xux-Ha by taxi
From Valladolid, any taxi will take you to the cenote. We are not sure about the cost but make sure you agree on the fare beforehand. Or you can also contact Manuel +5219851122143, a reliable taxi driver and certified guide.
He doesn’t speak English but he’s really cool and we are sure you will get along with gesture language and smiles!😀
THINGS TO DO IN CENOTE XUX-HA
✅ Snorkel
✅ Relax in the soothing waters
✅ Swim
✅ jump from the jumping platforms
FUN FACT – Cenote XUX-ha comes from two words HA means in Mayan language water, in fact, you will notice that many cenote names include “HA”
XUX (pronounced shush) means honeycomb in the Mayan language. In fact, there were a lot of bees buzzing around the place.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Cenote Xux-Ha Facilities
Despite being a less popular place and very simple, it’s equipped with all the facilities you need including:
✔️ Toilets
✔️ Showers (remember always to shower before swimming in the cenote)
✔️ Lockers (25 MXN)
✔️ A little shop selling sodas and junk food
✔️ Life Jacket rental (25 MXN)
Cenote Xux-Ha entrance fee
150 MXN per person
Cenote Xux-Ha Opening Hours
Open every day from 8 am to 5 pm
HOW TO VISIT CENOTE XUX-HA AND RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT
🔴 Don’t wear any type of sunscreen
🔴 Don’t bring any kind of speakers for music
🔴 You are not allowed to bring any alcohol
🔴 Don’t be loud
🔴 Pets are NOT allowed
🔴 Don’t smoke
🔴 Don’t take away anything that doesn’t belong to you
🔴 Don’t trash
🔴 Don’t urinate in the cenote
🔴 Help keep the cenote clean
🔴 Don’t hold on to tree roots
🔴 Don’t scratch the walls of the cenote
🔴 Don’t drink or eat in the cenote (only water is allowed)
WHAT TO BRING TO CENOTE XUX-HA
✔️ Swimsuit and a change for when you leave
✔️ Beach towel
✔️ Go Pro Hero 10 for stunning underwater pictures
✔️ A plastic waterproof phone bag
✔️ Water
✔️ Cash
✔️ Mosquito repellent (to wear after you swim only)
✔️ You can use any type of shoes even flip flops
THE BEST OF CENOTE XUX-HA
We love the fact that it’s administered by locals as it allows them to earn a living and preserve their natural resources at the same time.
It’s also less frequented so this is something that we loved as well.
The way they build the stairs to get to the cenote is in total harmony with the natural environment, which is nice.
THE WORST OF CENOTE XUX-HA
We really cannot think of anything that we didn’t like about this cenote.
TIPS TO PHOTOGRAPH CENOTE XUX-HA
A wide angle makes it easier for you to photograph the dimension of the place. You can use the wooden platform as a reference to capture the perspective of the place in the photo.
It is also good to put a human reference in the photo to show the dimension of the cenote.
The cenote is illuminated with natural light, the games of light that are formed are beautiful.
The contrast of lights is very high in this cenote, it is a good place to shoot in HDR.
Category – jumping/family
Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5
WHAT YOU CAN VISIT NEARBY
There are so many cenotes and archeological sites in the area. Here below you can check out our Valladolid Cenotes map which we will be updating frequently.
And below are a few of the most beautiful cenotes nearby.
Cenote Zaci – 15 KM
Valladolid – 15 km
Cenote Chukum – 7 km
Cenote Suytun – 7.5 km.
Xuux Peek (Eco-hotel with two cenotes) – 12 km
Valladolid Cenotes Map
