Tulum Ruins and Cenotes

Now fully relaxed and recharged we rented a car to head inland to explore some of the culture and Natural wonders of the Yucatán peninsula.

Our first stop was the Cenote Azul, Who's ready for a Geology lesson? Cenotes are natural pits or sink holes which are common on the peninsula as the limestone bedrock is prone to collapsing. As the sinkhole exposes the ground water to create a small pool or lagoon. Most often they are connected to huge underwater cave systems that connects to the water table underground. There are 3 main types found on the peninsula, open, closed and semi closed. They were used by the Maya peoples for drinking water and the occasional sacrificial offering. Today they are a favoured spot for the locals to hang out and cool down in during the hot summer months. The Cenote Azul was big and open with a decent sized cliff to jump from into the largest pool which was at least 20 meters deep and lots of little shallower pools to relax in.

Sufficiently cooled we headed to the Tullum Archeological site which was built around 800A.D. to be a seaport fortress. With steep ocean cliffs providing protection from the East, and a large limestone wall enclosing the rest of the city which at one point housed a population of 1,600 people, and acted as an important trading center for the Mayan world.

We headed further inland to the quaint town of Valladolid where we would be spending the night. The town has all the charms of a Mexican town with the comfort of tourism. We enjoyed walking around the main square, bustling with life and people trying to cool down in the shade. Next to the square there is the nice church which had a service on as it is Sunday. We wandered around the colourful streets in the evening before finding a little vegetarian restaurant, very cute and tasty.Read more