The Yucatán Peninsula is bursting with Maya ruins, jungle, beautiful beaches, and cenotes. Cenotes are natural pits, or sinkholes, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. With the exception of a handful of cenotes in neighboring Belize and down-under in Australia, cenotes are a unique feature of the peninsula and we have literally thousands of them for you to explore!There are two main types of cenote, cave and open-air. Often they are filled with crystal clear turquoise waters, sometimes they have their own little ecosystems with unusual plants and fish. If you're particularly lucky you may even spot a turtle!Some cenotes connect to larger bodies of water or large underground cave systems. Recently it was discovered that two cenotes near Tulum were actually connected by what is now considered the largest underwater cave system in the world.Many cenotes are easy to access with on site facilities and even restaurants. These sites can draw large crowds of day trippers and tourists. However with so many to explore, it doesn't take much effort to find a tranquil cenote, off the path of the tour buses and crowds. Most of the time if you ask a local from the region they have their own favorite nearby cenote that may not be as crowded.Not only are cenotes beautiful spots for swimming, snorkeling, and diving they also have huge significance to Maya history. The Maya settled villages around cenotes because they were a water source in dry times. And many were incorporated into religious rituals; in fact, the name cenote means 'sacred well'.Living in Carrillo provides the Na'atik staff with ample opportunity to go off exploring this turquoise underworld and we wanted to share some of our favorites spots from around the peninsula.

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The best way to experience the Mexican lifestyle is in person, with a Na’atik Immersion experience. Not only do you live with a local Mexican-Maya family, sharing home-cooked meals and free time, but also receive expert instruction in your chosen language at our school. Best of all, every immersion experience helps fund our subsidized and free local education program, helping local students to access opportunities and make their own futures.