Exploring the Homún Cenotes: Your Complete Guide

Posted 29/03/2024 | 29th March 2024

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If you’re looking to discover some lesser-known cenotes near Merida, then Homún has you covered. It’s a small town just 55km outside of Merida, with 20+ incredible cenotes for visitors to enjoy.

🥽 The cenotes in Homún are amongst the best in the world. They range from the more commercialised Santa Barbara Cenotes to the lesser-known Cenote Caliskutz.

🚎 Getting to Homún from Merida couldn’t be easier—simply take the colectivo from Calle 67 x 50 y 52. This costs $36 MXN per person and takes around one hour.

🏍 Once in Homún, you can hire a moto-taxi to take you to all the best swimming spots.

Table of Contents

A Little About the Homún Cenotes

If you’ve made it to this article, I’m pretty sure you know what a cenote is. But, for the avoidance of doubt, cenotes are formed when the ceiling of an underground cave collapses, exposing the groundwater below.

So, it’s like a natural hole in the ground filled with water. Cenotes are often very clear and blue because the water comes from underground, which means they are usually clean, pure, and perfect for swimming!

The exact number of cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico is difficult to precisely determine because many are undiscovered or not fully documented. However, it’s estimated that there are over 6000 scattered across the peninsula.

Each cenote is unique, offering its own blend of beauty, history, and adventure.

There are around 20 cenotes in Homún, and they are much less crowded (and much more affordable!) than the ones around Playa del Carmen or Tulum.

Getting to Homún

Colectivo from Merida to Homun — The colectivo from Merida to Homun

Colectivo Station — The station is recognisable from this sign on the wall

Most people visiting the Homún cenotes will be doing so from Merida. This journey is very straightforward and inexpensive.

Head to Calle 67 x 50 y 52 and jump in a colectivo. These are small buses that shuttle around 15 passengers at a time around the city. They don’t have a set schedule and simply leave when the bus is full. However, this is an extremely popular route with many drivers, so don’t expect to be waiting too long.

As you get closer to Homún, I recommend keeping an eye on Google Maps, and you can ask the driver to stop anywhere near your desired location. If you’re heading to Santa Barbara cenotes, you should tell the driver beforehand and they will drive into the car park to drop you off.

Getting Around Homún

If you’re heading to Homún in a rental car, this obviously won’t be a problem.

However, if you’re arriving on the colectivo, you will need a way to travel between the various cenotes. The most popular (and easiest) way to do this is via moto-taxi.

You simply cannot miss these, as they are lined along the main street in Homún. These guys charge around $300 MXN to take you around a pre-arranged route of between three and five cenotes.

Two things to note about moto-taxis:

💰The fee for the taxi does not include entrance to the cenotes. Most cenotes in Homún cost between $50 MXN – $100 MXN per person to enter.

🗣 In my experience, most of the drivers do not speak English. Therefore, learning a little Spanish (or using Google Translate) will help you and the driver ensure you are on the same page.

Which Cenotes Should You Visit?

As mentioned above, there are 20+ cenotes at Homún, so it can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out where you would like to go. It is important to note that this area is relatively recently discovered, meaning new cenotes are still being found, and renovation work is often going on.

I recommend looking at photos of each of the cenotes and choosing one that fits your vibe. They all have very different atmospheres with varying levels of accessibility.

Some of the Homún Cenote highlights include:

The Four Cenotes of Santa Barbara (Cenote Cascabel, Cenote Chacksikin, Cenote Xooch’ and Cenote Pool Cocom)

Yaxbacaltun

San Ignacio

Yaxbacaltun

Chaksikin

Kankirixche

❗Top Tip: do not rely on Google Maps to get you around Homún. Many of the travel agents have named themselves to look like an actual cenote rather than an office (sneaky, right?!). I found Maps.me to be much more reliable.

Option One: For Those Who Don’t Want A Taxi

Yes, visiting Homún cenotes without taking a moto-taxi is more than possible.

I recommend visiting Santa Barbara Cenotes, Cenote Pool Uinic, and Cenote Tza Ujun Kat.

You can ask the colectivo driver to pull into Santa Barbara’s car park, or alternatively, get off on the main road and walk down to the entrance (this only takes ten minutes).

Spend the morning exploring the four incredible cenotes here and grab a spot of lunch. Then, you can walk to Cenote Pool Uinic (this takes just fifteen minutes), and Cenote Tza Ujun Kat is right next door.

When you’re ready to head home, wander back onto the main road and wait for the next colectivo.

Option Two: Foolproof Moto-Taxi

If you’re not into the organisation but want to enjoy the best of what Homún has to offer, take the colectivo into Homún and jump on a moto-taxi.

The drivers have pre-prepared routes, where you will typically see 3-5 cenotes. This is a great way to see the best of what this area offers without any organisational hassle.

If you’ve seen a particular cenote that you want to visit, tell your driver, and they can incorporate it into their route.

Just be sure to double-check the timings and price with your driver before setting off to avoid any confusion or disappointment!

Option Three: DIY Moto-Taxi

If you enjoy planning and organising, this is the option for you!

Although the guys running the moto-taxis have set routes they offer, they will also be more than happy to work with you to visit any of the ‘off the beaten track’ options you have on your list.

Of course, this will cost you a little bit extra in terms of transport fees, but it will be totally worth it to enable you to get the most from your visit to the Homún Cenotes.

Snorkelling and Scuba Diving at Homún Cenotes

I recommend taking goggles and a snorkel regardless of which cenotes you are heading to. There are lots of fish and even just admiring the incredible pools and rock formations makes it worth having your gear!

You can scuba dive at some cenotes in the Homún area, but it’s essential to check with local dive operators or tour companies for specific information on which cenotes offer scuba diving opportunities.

Not all cenotes are suitable for scuba diving, as some may have restricted access or be better suited for snorkeling and swimming. Additionally, scuba diving in cenotes often requires proper certification and guidance from experienced dive instructors due to the unique conditions found in these underwater caverns.

If you’re interested in scuba diving in Homún, it’s recommended to book a guided dive tour with a reputable dive center or instructor who can provide the necessary equipment, safety briefing, and guidance to ensure a safe and enjoyable diving experience.

Top Tips For Visiting the Homún Cenotes

😎 Bring sunscreen and bug repellant. You must shower before entering the cenotes, so you will need to reapply afterwards.

🥽 There are lots of fish in the cenotes, so take your goggles and/or snorkel to make the most. Some cenotes have the facilities to rent them there.

💸 Bring cash! Other than Santa Barbara, all cenotes are cash only. The smaller ones may also not have change so bring the exact amount where possible.

🩴Bring sandals for walking between and around the cenotes. Water shoes are also useful, as some of the swimming spots are difficult to access.

📸 Bring a GoPro and/or waterproof case for your phone. You can snap some incredible pics whilst in the water!