This cave cenote near Tulum can be found down a long dirt road. The adventurous will surly love the drive in and out. This sink hole cenote is breathtaking and fresh. The drive down the long road shows some of the best examples of jungle plants and animals.
We drove in on a late stormy afternoon and were lucky to have spotted a few monkeys and small foxes ( I forget what they are called) and other small land animals. Once we arrived after what seemed like a very long drive, we spotted the sign for Cenote Caracol and immediately knew that the drive and wait was worth it.
With a large palapa perfect for dining and a huge BBQ grill, I at once started to think about all the great days that could be spent here. There is a beautiful dry cave but due to the timing ¨mosquito time¨ was upon us. For those that do not know… ¨mosquito time¨ is about a 90 minute section of the day- usually around dusk when the mosquitos are crazy. Although in the jungle it is common they are around all day… ¨mosquito time¨ is down right horrible. So you usually have to plan it a bit.
The rush to get in the cenote was even more because we do not use any repellent when we swim in cenotes. They are far too delicate to tamper with. Even eco repellants are best to avoid. Although they are better then the alternative, eco repellent is still filled with unnatural things and preserving the cenotes is a top priority.
And it is not hard to see once you climb down the rabbit hole staircase and into one of the most beautiful sites on Earth. This type of cenote has only small fish and almost no plant life as it is shielded from the sun and photosynthesis.
But what makes this cenote so amazing is that along the edges of the water you can see the vast cave systems that clearly continue on into further discoveries.
This for us was a snorkeling swimming trip so we did not have tanks or underwater lights with us. But this is a great cenote for cavern diving. Even swimming around and looking at how the underworld kept going was enough to make it a magical day.
The cenotes of Tulum are the most amazing part of living in this area and this cenote was a clear indication why. The water is as clear as you could hope and is as fresh and clean as could possibly be found on Earth. There is an island in the center of the cenote that is made of limestone, stalagmites and ¨cenote sand¨ This is one of the most magical parts of these types of centoes.
My daughter tells me to wait in the center of the island while she dives for a surprise for me. She emerges from the water with 2 handfulls of ¨cenote sand¨ Cenote sand is actually crystallized minerals that have become so dense and heavy that they have sunk to the cenote floor. Rubbing your body and face with these magical crystals is an experience that no one should miss. Especially if you are already in the breathtaking sort of surroundings that you would have to be in.
To get to this cenote, drive North of Highway 307 . Make a left just after the Labnaha sign and palapa. Drive down the long dirt road for several km.
Place Categories: Cenotes and Waterways, Scuba Diving - Snorkeling - Fishing, and What TO DO.
