Yokdzonot Cenote, Natural sinkhole in Yaxcabá, Mexico
Yokdzonot Cenote is a sinkhole in Yaxcabá formed by collapsed limestone, with walls dropping steeply to clear turquoise water below. Hanging vines and native plants grow throughout the year along the rocky edges, framing the natural pool.
The sinkhole formed through gradual erosion of limestone bedrock over thousands of years, creating the underground water systems found throughout the peninsula. This geological process shaped how people in the region have always accessed fresh water.
Local women from Yaxcabá established a cooperative to manage this natural water source as a community-run destination. They offer visitors a direct connection to how people in the region have relied on cenotes as vital water sources for generations.
Life jackets are provided to all visitors at the entrance, and facilities like showers and restrooms are available on-site. Traditional food is served there, making it easy to spend several hours exploring the area.
Small fish species live in the water, adapted to the underground river system connecting this site to caves below the surface. These creatures reveal how the cenote links to a much larger hidden network of flooded passages beneath the peninsula.
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