Sotuta - lunch and a swim
This was an amazing event and I give you fair warning, I have lots to share about it.
Sotuta is a very small community in the middle of no where. Alejandro, our guide, grew up in this community and is close friends with a special family who found a cenote in their backyard. They graciously allow Alejandro’s tours to share this very unique treasure, once or twice a week and they add an extra bonus, they make an authentic lunch while you swim. Cenotes are common in Mexico, but to have the opportunity to enjoy it all to ourselves is very rare and we may not ever have this opportunity again.
Mexican law states, if you find access to a cenote on your property, and it is determined to have no archeological impacts, it belongs to you. This is very significant as it dramatically increases the property value and provides access to water for the communty. The family had a small well pump drawing water, when they found a small access into a cenote under their property. They eventually enlarged the access area and built stairs to allow guests to come swim and enjoy their find.
When we arrived at this destinstion, we pulled up to a door in a large concrete wall where Alejandro instructed everyone to gather their swimming gear and head out. We hesitantly walked through this small door to find a large area with a palapa covered patio (shown above), a cement building for sleeping, bathrooms, and a large gardening area. The family greeted us warmly, showed us where to change our clothes and pointed to the entrance of the cenote. It was no bigger than 5x5 feet in the middle of the patio (seen in the picture above with the crisscrossed bamboo fence with a pink bag hanging on it). Life vests were not required but were available for guests who wanted them.
The steep descending staircase into the cenote.
We ventured into the hole and found this amazing site. The water was cool, cystal blue and you could see the bottom with the naked eye. We quickly changed into our swimming gear and jumped in. What appears to be pillars in the background are actually stalactite’s that are so old and so big, they connect with the rocks below.
The stalactite’s were huge and just stunning. Every cenote has a water source from a cave below and it was easy to see the cave entrance. Strings of lights provided illumination and several ropes in the water allowed you to just hang on and float. It was absolutely beautiful!
Lunch was simple and delicious, chicken lime soup, tostados, and homemade hibiscus water. We were all grateful.
Next stop, the jello city of Izamal.
