Cenote Saamal

Cenote Saamal is an open, sky-lit cenote in the grounds of Hacienda Selva Maya, about 4 km west of Valladolid's centre on the old highway toward Mérida, beside the city's ring road and a few minutes from the Dzitnup cenotes. The hacienda is promoted by the Mesón del Marqués hotel on Valladolid's main square, which lists it on its website, and Saamal is the cenote people mean when tours say they stop at "Hacienda Selva Maya": it is the swim-and-lunch stop on a good number of Chichén Itzá day trips from Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

The cenote is open to the sky, ringed by tropical vegetation, and its water is clear and turquoise, with small fish you can see as you swim. Travel writers describe it as a semi-open cenote that is fully equipped for visitors, with safe access down to the water, and day-trippers often mention how clear the water is. Life jackets are compulsory and can be rented for a small fee at the entrance. Because Saamal is the lunch-and-swim stop on so many Chichén Itzá tours, you will often share it with tour groups.

Hacienda Selva Maya stands next to the remains of an old cattle hacienda, and its restored colonial-style buildings now house a restaurant that serves a regional buffet every day from 12:00 to 17:00. Around the cenote the hacienda offers zip lines over the property, walking trails and bicycles, and it also rents its grounds for weddings and other events. You can reach it from Valladolid on the paved cycle path along the highway: walking takes under an hour.