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Yucatan's Eco-Wonders:  Great Cenotes

Magical Geo-Formations filled with Life and Beauty!

 

 Cenotes are surface connections to subterranean water bodies.  The term "cenote" is derived from the Yucatec Mayan word "dz'onot" which refers to any location where ground water is accessible; most "cenotes" or sink-holes are under ground in caves, many like the Sacred Cenote of Chichen Itza are open-air sink holes with great deep limestone wall reaching many feet in depth.  Most cave cenotes have clear fresh water with great visibility while open-air cenotes generally have large blue green algae build up, such algae is rich in nutrients and an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and proteins that nourish the body as food and as skin cells protection. Cenotes are vital for Yucatan's wildlife survival.

 

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Delight in the Magical Beauty of Yokdzonot Cenote

   Ever dream of paradise?  You can find it here, at Yokdzonot Cenote Eco-Park you will find a fresh water sinkhole and an enchanting place, where nature has created the most magical site to swim amidst the Maya Jungle near Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.

 

    A fifteen minute drive from Chichen Itza, on the free road to Merida, you will find the town of Yokdzonot.   Follow the signs directing traffic to this Cenote and Ecological Park, a place which eighteen local Mayan females proudly operate with more faith and hard work than money.

 

    Elvia and Mirna Mendez welcome tourists and locals alike at the entrance of the park; the admission fee is less than USD $ 8.00 per person; services includes optional rental of a life-jacket and visor. The fee helps the women protect, maintain and enhance the park’s garden and cenote; a few “palapas” house their little restaurant, kitchen, and public bathrooms.  The park has a eco-friendly waste management system including man-made (shall we say female-made) wetlands and grease traps to process their waste water.   Yokdzonot Ecological Cenote Park is a true jewel of community effort, a success story and the pride of all the family members of these females that stone by stone carry and built this ecological wonder.  The female group is grateful to have the Hacienda Chichen staff support and the Maya Foundation In Laakeech’s help.

    The project was born from these females desire to give their families a better future. Tired of waiting for the men of the town to organize themselves and plan a community tourist endeavor, these Maya woman took upon themselves the incredible task of building, planning, and designing and managing the community property that is truly becoming a lovely eco-park.  “It was very hard,” Marisela recalls, “no-one believed we could do it, the place was filled with garbage and waste, we took over a year to clean the land.  Then we brought each stone by hand to create the walking paths, we cut the wood to built the walking fence. We did these things with almost no money, no pay and with a lot of criticism from the other village people.”  The older member of the group, Dona M. Chac, speaks mostly in Maya, she smiles pleased with the achieved success.  “There still a lot of work left, the gardens need more wild orchids and native plants, we are still gathering many of them from the field and placing them here,” adds Elvia with pride, "We need help to bring tourists, so they know we are committed to work hard to preserve the natural beauty of the cenote and to provide the additional services to enjoy a relaxing visit."

    Mr. Jose Tamay, Hacienda Chichen staff and member of the Maya Foundation In Laakeech A.C. Board of Trustees, actively promotes the Yodzonot Cenote Eco-Park to all guests, while the foundation continues its marketing aid to this community project.  Mr. Villasenor (former Manager of the Hacienda Chichen a green-hotel in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico) helped the ladies create a wholesome tasty menu and taught their administrator how to budget a little business, keep quality and service on check, and learn to project cost-gain in an effort to help them succeed in their goals. 

 

    So far, these Mayan females are a proud example of what good will and hard work can bring to a village.  Your visit to the site will encourage them, help their families' economy, and bring a well deserved sense of success.  If you go, a donation to support their efforts will be highly appreciated; if you wish to help them now, please contact info@yucatanadventure.com.mx  and we can let you know what is currently needed.

 

    Other social sustainable ventures that we support are: The Maya Children's Nutrition Centers in various small Mayan rural towns in Yucatan, Mexico, and the public schools of Xcalacoop, near Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.  In 2010, the Maya Foundation In Laakeech with the kind support of the Hacienda Chichen and its staff is reconstructing a public child care center in Xcalacoop, you can help us help bring a safe, clean, and sanitary facility to the Mayan toddlers that teacher Blanca Cocom works with, read more about this story here.

 

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DID YOU KNOW:   Yucatan's cenotes were the main source of fresh water to the Mayans and had a great significance in their religious believes. Cenotes are sinkholes formed as natural acidic ground water seeping through the limestone bedrock’s cracks; thus, the softer rock beneath erodes creating a dome. Over hundred of years, cenotes normal water flow gets obstructed due to organic and mineral built-up; then the area becomes a dry shallow basin, which supports trees and other vegetations’ growth, these dried-stage of a cenote is known, in Yucatan, as a “Rejoyada” and houses a rich diversity of flora and fauna.  Yucatan's wildlife: mammals, birds and other reptiles, butterflies and other creatures find in cenotes and rejoyadas the perfect habitat.

    

        View our Yodzonot Cenote's video  and our new very informative article:  Yucatan Wildlife
 

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Yucatan cenotes Article exclusively written for Yucatan Adventure © May 2007      

 Updated June 2008, February 2009, April 2009       
 Last Updated: January, April 2010