Cenote Tinum, Yucatán Municipality of Tinum Eastern Yucatán
A cavern cenote hung with curtains of stalactites on the road west of Pisté, run as a Maya cultural park with a healing-tree ritual and a cooking workshop.
From Valladolid: 50 min by car (57 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Tours to Cenote Tsukán
Day trips and guided outings from Izamal often include Cenote Tsukán; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Tours from Chichen Itza
Guided Tour to Chichén Itzá and Cenote and Valladolid with Lunch
★ 4.5 (239) · From US$20
How to get to Cenote Tsukán
- From Valladolid: about 50 min by road (~57 km)
- Nearest airport: Mérida (MID), 1 h 10 min by car to Izamal
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Tours from Chichen Itza, near Cenote Tsukán
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About Cenote Tsukán
Cenote Tsukán is a cavern cenote on the Yokdzonot–Pisté highway (km 108), a short drive west of Pisté and Chichén Itzá, in the municipality of Tinum. It takes its name from Tsukán, the serpent of Maya tradition said to guard caves, cenotes and the cycle of water, and the site tells the story of the small settlements that sheltered the families who built Chichén Itzá: the operators say more than 140 houses once drew their water from this cenote.
A path through gardens of native plants leads to the cave mouth, and from wooden decks with rope railings you look into a wide, partly open cavern where long curtains and spears of stalactites hang over deep blue water. Swimming is the main event, and life jackets are included.
Around the cenote the site is run as a small Maya cultural park. Visits start with a welcome ritual at a pich (guanacaste) tree, the "healing tree", and include a traditional Maya house shown as a small museum, a milpa garden where you can plant maize, and a workshop where you grind your own recado (red, black or white spice paste). A restaurant serves Yucatecan food, and there are lockers and basic services. It received a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice award in 2022.
How to get to Cenote Tsukán
Drive from Valladolid: 50 min, 57 km
Cenote Tsukán is at km 108 of the Yokdzonot–Pisté highway (Federal Highway 180), a few minutes' drive west of Pisté and Chichén Itzá. From Mérida, follow Highway 180 east toward Pisté; from Valladolid, drive west past Chichén Itzá and Pisté. Tickets can be bought online in advance to skip the ticket line.
Directions to Cenote Tsukán on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Cenote Tsukán
- Valladolid · 57 km by road, 50 min
- Tizimín · 97 km by road, 1 h 30 min
- Mérida · 128 km by road, 1 h 45 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Cenote Tsukán: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- Daily 9:30–17:30. Tsukán (official site) · checked Oct 2026
- Entry
- Entry to the cenote and sanctuary from about 260 pesos through resellers, life jacket included; packages with a buffet lunch cost more, and lockers are 35 pesos extra. Official tickets are sold at tsukan.com.mx/tickets. Civitatis · checked Oct 2026
- Time needed
- Allow up to about 2 hours for the entry-only visit. Musement · checked Oct 2026
- Rules
- Life jackets are provided and used for swimming; no pets; not wheelchair accessible. Civitatis · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Cenote Tsukán: what to see and do
Swim under the curtains of stalactites in the cavern.
Take part in the welcome ritual at the pich 'healing tree'.
Visit the Maya house museum and plant maize in the milpa garden.
Make your own recado in the Flavours of Yucatán workshop.
Combine it with Chichén Itzá, a short drive east.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Cenote Tsukán
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cenote Tsukán.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Izamal often include Cenote Tsukán; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at MID (Mérida): about 1 h 10 min by road to Izamal, then 44 km more to Cenote Tsukán, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mérida (MID), about 1 h 10 min by road from Izamal, the base for Cenote Tsukán.
Travel insurance
If you plan on swimming or snorkeling at Cenote Tsukán, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Izamal: download a map of the way to Cenote Tsukán before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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Photos
When to go to Cenote Tsukán warm
Cenote Tsukán shares the climate of Izamal, 44 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.
Underground water keeps much the same temperature all year, so Cenote Tsukán is good in any month and coolest to visit in the hottest ones (April, May, and June).
See the month-by-month climate of Izamal
Weather in Cenote Tsukán now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Izamal
Izamal is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cenote Tsukán, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Valladolid · Yucatán · 48 km away
- Espita · Yucatán · 50 km away
- Motul · Yucatán · 77 km away
Closest to Cenote Tsukán
-
Cenote Yokdzonot · Cenote · 7 km away
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Pisté · Town · 8 km away
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Chichén Itzá · Archaeological site · 10 km away
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Cenote Ik Kil · Cenote · 13 km away
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Grutas de Balankanché · Cave · 14 km away
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Ticimul · Village · 17 km away
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Yaxuná · Village · 19 km away
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Zona Arqueológica de Yaxuná · Archaeological site · 19 km away
Near Cenote Tsukán
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Lists with Cenote Tsukán
Cenotes in Yucatán · 28 Cenotes near Izamal · 8 Cenotes near Valladolid · 19Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.