Visit Hacienda Mucuyche, the Best Cenote Near Merida
- Maria DiCicco
- 33 minutes ago
- 7 min read
If you are looking for a cenote tour near Merida, stop looking. You found it.
Within an easy day trip of Merida, experience the tranquil and beautiful adventures at Hacienda Mucuyche and bring home stories to your friends that are beyond their imagination! Below I share the details on how to get there yourself, or on a tour if you prefer.
You'll get a glimpse of what to expect at Hacienda Mucuyche, including tour information and what to bring to a cenote. Let's dive in!
Note: Always Pack Tissues represents many tried and tested travel sites as what is called an 'affiliate' partner. That means if you click on my ads I may get a commission from a resulting sale. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For information on how this may impact your privacy rights, please consult my privacy policy.
Short on Time?Discover the magical mysticism of the Hacienda Mucuyche cenotes and grounds tour. Immerse yourself in three sacred cenotes for swimming, enjoy an authentic local lunch, and step into the past. This is the Best Cenote in Merida Tour to Book Things to Do Nearby: Visit the Puuc Route including Uxmal Mayan pyramid complex, and Chocostory. What to Bring to the Cenote: Don't forget water shoes, a 360 waterproof camera, and your own travel beach towel. |
The History of Cenotes in Merida
Cenotes have long been considered secret havens for families and adventurers looking to do more on their Mexican Vacation than hang out at the pool, but they are so much more than that!
Did you know that cenotes in Merida date back to when the asteroid came and destroyed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago?
Dotting the landscape of the Yucatan, the "Ring of Cenotes" is a stunning representation of the devastating impacts of the Earth's last major extinction event.
These deep sinkholes in the Earth are a fascinating remnant of the damage done to the nearby Chicxulub crater right there in the Yucatan near Meridas beach towns. Don't believe me? Check out the many informative and fun dino-themed attractions in Merida's best beach towns.
Much later, with the dawn of man and the Mayan culture, cenotes were a pinnacle part of daily life.
For centuries, the mystical and often sacred sinkholes have been used for Mayan ceremonies.
The ancient rituals featured purification, and often included bloodletting ceremonies to ferry the dead on to the next life. The cenotes were 'Portals to Xibalba', and extremely sacred.
Of course my tour guide tells me of the many who bled out in the Hacienda Mucuyche's final sacred Cenote as I was swimming in it, so the story took on a different effect!
I marveled at the blue water, the low ceiling and the incredibly magical surrounds as I swam gently through the cool Cenote water. My daughter, only 5 at the time and still not able to swim, carried along beside me without fear, with the same wonder and awe in her face.
Hacienda Mucuyche can be a life changing experience - much more than a tourist attraction. I dare you to read on and visit for yourself to learn why.
What to Expect at Hacienda Mucuyche When You Arrive
The Hacienda Tour
Arriving by car, the parking lot is fairly empty in the morning - find the shadiest spot to park!
Payment is made upon entry, but there are also tours that you can arrange in advance.
While you wait for your tour group to gather, you'll be likely in your bathingsuit and coverup - wear good walking shoes that double as water shoes! You won't regret this decision.
Buy them now before you forget:
On the tour, you'll learn the history of the now run-down looking (but seriously beautiful) hacienda, how it rose into glory and fell into decline, and you'll see the old equipment used there.
Walking around, you'll learn about the daily tasks on the hacienda, see the church, and understand the lives lived. The hacienda was once a town within itself, boasting a community, a school, a church and employed everyone who also lived on site. It was quite the thing.
Next, visitors will suit up for the cenote tour.
The Cenote Tour
All visitors are equipped with life jackets and there are facilities to change your clothes or get refreshments. Be sure to use the bathroom before you venture out!
We opted to rent a locker for the day - which was easy to do near the changing areas, bring cash! (Especially for tipping guides later on).
Do I Need to Be a Good Swimmer?
Yes and no. My daughter could not swim at all, and she did fine. They require you to have your life vest on at all times, which for me was riding up uncomfortably the whole time. I ended up spending a lot of time just floating on my back, looking at the cave ceilings. This is an easy way to go about it!
All cenotes are optional, and you can walk between them, however between the first and second cenote there will be a bit of a wade or swim that is quite long for those who may need help swimming. Just take your time and don't skip it - it's worth it!
What Will I see at the Cenotes?
The cenote tour takes you to several swimming holes where you'll discover anything from bats, birds, fish, and other flora and fauna. It's a magical setting - like stepping into a Lara Croft movie in the jungle.
Take lots of photos! I recommend an Insta360 camera like this one. We brought ours and it was great in and out of the swimming holes.
Optionally, there are photographers at all the right moments so you can pose and bring home photo souvenirs.
You'll swim until you feel like you're satisfied and had enough, and then they take you to the final sacred cave. WORTH IT. That's all I'll say!
Other Activities at Hacienda Mucuyche
After your cenote and hacienda tours you are free to do what you'd like. There is a gift shop, a pool area with a bar and restaurant, and a formal sit down restaurant too.
We thoroughly enjoyed learning about the local Mayan dishes, shown below. They were outrageously good.
I also recommend going on the hand cart ride, which is a jovial way to experience the old rails that they would use for daily hacienda activities.
In short, you can easily stay half a day or more here!
What to Bring and Wear for Your Cenote Visit
It's important to protect yourself from the elements, first and foremost. I've put together a whole packing list for Mexico (especially with kids) here, but here's some top contenders to consider bringing with your for your day trip to Hacienda Mucuyche.
Keep in mind there were lockers available!
Bathingsuit and coverup
Your own towel. They do not provide towels. I recommend these easy to pack microfiber travel beach towels. I found them to be lightweight, take up zero space in my luggage, and they dry easily. A great buy!
Water bag (dry bag like this) to bring your belongings into the cave pools with you (or to leave in the lockers). This is totally optional.
Wide-brimmed sun hat or a hat that can get wet! You'll need this for the hacienda part of the tour.
Sunblock - many cenotes strictly prohibit sunblock, but sometimes you can get by with mineral-based, biodegradable, and reef-safe sunscreen. There's a huge selection of options, but this Blue Lizard brand is purchased more than others (10K+ buys a month on Amazon).
UV and UPF proof shirts (better if you can swim in them, like these kids sunguards)
Bug spray, bug bands, bug wipes, or they are even making cute waterproof DEET-free animal print stickers that ward off bugs (these are the ones I bought for my family). Be sure to remove any residue from the bug repellent by showering before getting into the cenotes. This is a requirement before the tours anyway.
What is There To Do Near Hacienda Mucuyche?
Visit the Ruta Puuc
If you are taking a tour, your tour may include a visit to the Uxmal complex on the Puuc Route, or potentially the fun and kitschy Chocostory park.
If you are driving on your own, I highly recommend a visit to the Puuc Route sites, which you can read more about here.
Stay in a Hacienda
If you were looking to spend the night in a Hacienda (which you 100% should do, even with kids in tow), learn more about the nearby Hacienda hotels here.
We stayed in the gorgeous Hacienda San Antonio Millet, had a beautiful breakfast, then drove over to the cenotes in the morning. It's a luxurious and fun way to really experience Merida at its best. It also provides a great perspective in advance of the 'then and now' of Hacienda life.
For an Even Wilder Adventure, Check Out the Cuzama Cenotes
It starts with a horse cart. Imagine clippety clopping your way through jungle on a horse cart on rails through the dreadful Merida heat. Then, happen upon not one, not two, but three magical landings to cool off in what is known as the "Cenotes Cuzama".
The full day trip adventure to Cuzama Cenotes starts with an adventure and ends with an adventure.
Expect to travel by horse cart for about 25 minutes before reaching your first cenote. Everyone will pile out, jump into the water and get about 30 minutes to swim.
This is repeated for the second and third cenotes with shorter distances in between.
Some cenotes are accessed by steep ladders, some have platforms to stand on when you get to the bottom, and some do not. It all depends where you go.
It's an exciting day out - but not for the faint of heart!
Don't feel like fussing with the driving? Just hire a guide for the day, it may be easier, and lunch is typically included (along with an air-conditioned vehicle and driver).
Which Cenote Near Merida is Best for Families?
In my opinion, the Hacienda Mucuyche tour is perfect. You'll have opportunities for numerous activities, you can eat a nice sit down meal or casual lunch on site, you can go swimming in a regular swimming pool, and of course visit the magical cenotes beforehand. I also found that the tour of the historic Hacienda itself was quite fascinating, and the family will really enjoy it.
Go EARLY before the heat gets too stifling - the first tour if you can. You'll be done just in time for lunch at their lovely restaurant.
Traveling to Merida with Kids? Be sure to brush up on my list of 15 Things to Do in Merida with Kids.
