THEJOYOFWATER
takesyouto thebest
placesto enjoyourmost
preciousresource
(outnow;£15.99).Cenotes were a major part of ancient Maya life, for both practical and
spiritual reasons. With few rivers and lakes in the Yucatán region, these
natural wells created by the collapse of limestone bedrock, exposing
subterranean bodies of water underneath, were a primary source of
water. The Mayas believed that cenotes were a portal through which
they could speak with the gods, and made sacrificial o erings at them.
Swimming in these crystal-clear turquoise pools today, it’s easy to
understand why they were held in awe by the Mayas. Named for the
eye-like appearance of two neighbouring cenotes from above, Dos Ojos is
widely considered to be the most beautiful cenote in the Tulum area. The
entrance ticket allows you to swim in the main cenote and part of the second,
but you’ll need to book a snorkelling tour to visit the rest of the site.
DOS OJOS
CENOTE
Take a refreshing dip – or maybe a cave
dive – in a natural waterhole that connected
ancient Mayas to another realm
Country M e x i c o ) Region Yu c a t á n Pe n i n s u l a ) Type Natural pool
) Cost £14 ) A c t i v i t i e s Scuba diving ) F a m i l y f r i e n d l y? Ye s
Is the water cold?
At 25°C, the water
in Dos Ojos isn’t
much cooler than
the Caribbean Sea.
What’s the best
time to visit?
Aim to get here
before 9am to
avoid the crowds.
The cenote is open
from 8am to 5pm.
Is there any water
life in the cenote?
The water is so clear
at Dos Ojos that
you can spot tiny
freshwater fish even
without using a
snorkel. There are
also two speciesof
freshwater shrimp
at the cenote.Arethereany
facilitiesat the
cenote?
Thecenoteis well
developedfor
tourismbut
fortunatelythe
infrastructure
doesn’tdetract
fromits natural
beauty.Youcan
rentsnorkelsand
bookwitha tour
companyin Tulum
forscubadiving.
Haven’tI seen
thisplaceonTV?
DosOjoshas
beenfeatured
in filmsand
documentaries,
includingtheBBC
seriesPlanetEarth.SPLASHING ABOUT