We visited Valladolid and Cenote Zaci many years ago, and decided to revisit the cenote with our children. Cenote Zaci is located right in the town of Valladolid, and it is nice to be able to walk right to it. If you aren’t familiar with cenotes, they are water-filled sinkholes, and are usually beautiful places to swim!
We stayed on Hotel el Meson del Marques located on the central square in Valladolid. Therefore, it was easy to get to the cenote by foot, versus driving and trying to find a parking spot. We walked about four blocks to the cenote, about 10 minutes.

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There isn’t a ton of parking here, and the lot was crowded, so we were glad we walked instead of driving our rental car.

When we were there in July 2021, there was a lot of construction going on, but it did not seem to affect the operations of the cenote.


There is a ticket booth at the top of the cenote. The entrance fee is pretty cheap. I believe it was $30 MXN ($1.50 USD).


Once you have paid, there are paths and stairs to go down to the water.



The view from above.

Another view from about halfway down the stairs.

The view from the back of the cenote, where you can jump from a high platform.

This is a large, open-air cenote, with plenty of spots to wade or jump in.
There were a lot of people swimming.

Most people are at the bottom of the cenote swimming.



There are several spots to jump in from different heights.

Here are the kids checking out the higher jumping platform.

And this is my daughter taking the plunge!
@anationofmoms Jumping into Cenote Zaci, Valladolid, Mexico. ##cenote ##cenotes ##cenotezaci ##valladolid ##cenotezacivalladolid ##cenotesmexico ##mexicocenote
♬ Adventure – André Branney
When we visited in the afternoon, there were many people there.
There is a restaurant right next to the cenote, which is a convenient place to eat.

Overall, we had a nice time visiting the cenote. The kids had a blast jumping in from up high, and it was nice that it was located right in town.
Pros: easy to get to, cheap, lots of spots to jump in, no life jacket required, large, restaurant on the property, right in town if you want to see other sights
Cons: can be busy
What to bring:
~ Skip the sunscreen and go with alternate sun protection. Much of the cenote is in the shade, and
~ goggles if desired
~ shoes appropriate for wet surfaces (stone platforms and stairs were wet)
Check out my Tips for Visiting Cenotes
Check out my other Mexico blog posts
If I ever get to Mexico that seems like a great place to find. I love that swimming pond and the hikes must be amazing.
So pretty! I just love seeing waterfalls. This looks like an amazing spot.
I need to check this place out. It looks so fun and relaxing.
This looks fantastic! I like that it has an open area so that it doesn’t feel too claustrophobic.
I also like the crystal clear waters in the natural pool. Plus, the waterfalls add a nice effect to the sinkhole.
I’ve been seeing a lot of beautiful cenote late in blog posts. But sadly we don’t have any near in our area.. Huhu.
Oh, what a cool place!! Of love places like this. This looks like some sinkhole springs we have in Florida.
This looks amazing! I want to jump in those waters right now and swim around.
I’ve discovered so many new places from your post! Mexico is a must visit destination for sure!
This is such a beautiful place, I hope I’ll get the chance to visit it one day! I miss traveling so much!
This is beautiful place. I will try to visit this place some time. I miss travelling now may after this over.
That is so gorgeous. I love the waterfalls. You always share the most beautiful places!
You find the prettiest places! I hope we can take a trip to Mexico soon.
A swimming hole with a waterfall! That’s so dreamy. What an amazing vacation idea for Mexico.
Oh wow, this looks gorgeous! What an amazing place to visit. I would love to take my boys here one day.
What great family fun!! Such a lovely holiday.
I would love to visit Mexico. The bright colours and culture and scenery really appeal to me. This looks like a great holiday to rememeber.
The entrance fee is really reasonable. Looks like a gorgeous place to go visit. The higher jumping platform looks a bit scary x
This looks beautiful! We own a Mexican Restaurant in Lake Worth, Florida, and love visiting Mexico to get new inspiration for our food. Thank you for the share we will have to visit here next trip.
What a beautiful place to visit! I’ve never been but it looks like a great place to explore.
Wow this is such a great place. Honestly i have never seen a cenote in my life.. It must be an awesome experience. Although the idea of swimming into a sinkhole sounds creepy, it seems like an adventure not to be missed
Thank you for sharing this
This looks like such a fun place, both an unusual spot to swim but also very pretty. I don’t know if I’d have the nerve to jump in from that height though x
This reminds me of our cenote trip when we were in the Yucatan. I’d love to re-visit again; cenote Zaci looks beautiful!
What a stunning place to visit! I can see why it can get so busy but it looks like a wonderful place to experience.
Sounds like you and your family really enjoyed your vacation…yay! We’ve visited several locations in Mexico over the years–most frequent was to Huatulco.
Seeing people close to nature when they travel leaves a smile on my face!
Wow! I want to visit Cenote Zaci, Valladolid, Mexico. It looks amazing! I hope I can see it soon.Maybe after the pandemic?
One of my favorite things on the planet is swimming in a cenote! This one looks incredible. That surrounding landscape is just amazing!!
What a hidden oasis! This place looks beautiful.
My last trip to Mexico was right before the start of the pandemic and lockdowns. This spot looks enticing. What part of the country is it in??
Cenotes are so magical. I try to visit new cenotes every time I go to Mexico!
Wow. The place looks heavenly and the price of admission is unbelievably inexpensive.
We once did a cenote scuba diving and had a blast. I can see why you would go back again to Cenote Zaci after one visit. It looks like a great spot for kids. With lots of good jumping spots.
We were in Valladolid what seems to be a hundred years ago – and simply loved it. We bought some local sandals and my daughter got a traditional attire – a true one, not some touristy crap. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to jump into the cenotes in Yucatan. But I want to go back, anyway, and your post inspired me a lot 😉