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Valladolid & the East

Valladolid Cenote Tours

A Valladolid cenotes tour puts several of the Yucatán's most photographed sinkholes within a short ride of one of the peninsula's loveliest colonial towns. It suits couples, families and first-time visitors who want to swim in a cenote in the morning, then eat and wander in Valladolid in the afternoon.

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Valladolid cenote tour options

Most visitors do Valladolid cenotes as part of a day from Cancún, Playa del Carmen or Mérida, though staying a night in town gives you a far calmer experience. Typical tours pair two or three cenotes with lunch, and some include Chichén Itzá or Ek Balam.

Private tours with a driver are well suited to those who want to reach Suytun when the light is right, or reach Dzitnup early.

Best cenotes in Valladolid

Cenote Zací sits in the middle of town and is a large semi-open pool in a cave. A few kilometres west, Dzitnup holds two cenotes in one site: Xkekén with its hanging stalactites and Samulá with a tree root reaching the water. Suytun has a platform in the middle of a lit cave, while Oxman, on a hacienda, has vines and a swim spot.

The mix of types means you can match the day to who is with you.

  • Zací: in town, semi-open
  • Xkekén and Samulá: neighbouring cave cenotes at Dzitnup
  • Suytun: platform in a lit cave
  • Oxman: hacienda setting

Sample Valladolid cenote itinerary

A balanced day that allows time in town.

  • 08:00 Pickup from Valladolid or Mérida
  • 09:00 First cenote (Dzitnup, quieter early)
  • 10:45 Cenote Zací or Oxman
  • 12:30 Lunch in Valladolid
  • 14:00 Suytun for the light
  • 16:00 Walk Calzada de los Frailes, visit San Servacio church
  • 17:30 Return

Valladolid cenote tour prices

Costs vary mostly by how many cenotes you want and whether Chichén Itzá is combined. Treat these as typical ranges, not quotes.

FormatTypical price
Shared small-group tour from ValladolidUSD 40-80 per person
Tour from MéridaUSD 65-120 per person
Private driver for the dayUSD 150-280 per vehicle
Entry fees if not includedAbout MXN 100-250 per cenote (2026)

Getting to the Valladolid cenotes

Valladolid is about 2 h from Mérida on the toll highway and about 2 h 30 min from Cancún. Buses are frequent, but cenotes are scattered around town, so a pre-arranged driver saves time.

Pickup from Valladolid hotels can be arranged on any itinerary.

What to bring

Pack a swimsuit, towel and cash. Some cenotes have lockers for a small fee, and ones with stairs benefit from water shoes.

Showering before you swim is typical, so leave sunscreen and repellent for after.

  • Swimsuit, towel and water shoes
  • Cash in pesos
  • Hat and water
  • Light layer for caves
  • Waterproof phone case

Valladolid cenote tour FAQs

Valladolid & the East · from US$55Cenote X'Canché ToursA Cenote X'Canché tour pairs a swim with the Maya ruins of Ek Balam, since the cenote sits a short ride from the archaeological site north of Valladolid.Valladolid & the East · from US$60Chichén Itzá Cenote ToursA Chichén Itzá cenotes tour lets you pair the famous Maya city with a swim in a sinkhole, an obvious combination because this region's ancient settlement depended on cenotes for water.Valladolid & the East · from US$70Valladolid & Ek Balam TourA Valladolid and Ek Balam tour gives you a colonial town and a smaller Mayan site in one day, with a short drive between them.Valladolid & the EastCenote Kikil ToursA Cenote Kikil tour heads north of Valladolid towards Tizimín country, where cattle ranches and small villages replace the tourist trail.Valladolid & the EastYaxcabá Cenote ToursA Yaxcabá cenotes tour heads into the interior of the Yucatán, south of Chichén Itzá, where small villages, Maya-language communities and little-visited cenotes make for an unhurried day.Valladolid & the East · from US$60Chichén Itzá Tours & Day TripsChichén Itzá tours take you to the best-known Maya city in the Yucatán Peninsula, where the stepped pyramid of Kukulcán anchors a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders.Valladolid & the East · from US$65Ek Balam Tours & Day TripsEk Balam tours visit a Maya city 30 km north of Valladolid whose towering Acropolis can often be climbed and whose stucco carvings are among the best preserved in the region.Valladolid & the East · from US$65Cenote Ik Kil ToursA Cenote Ik Kil tour is the classic way to cool off after Chichén Itzá, with a swim in an open sinkhole where vines hang from the rim and small waterfalls trickle down the walls.Valladolid & the East · from US$45Cenote Suytun ToursA Cenote Suytun tour is built around one image: a stone platform in the middle of a cavern, lit by a column of sunlight from a hole above.

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