Playa del Carmen to Ek Balam and Cenote Yokdzonot: Day trip

Ek Balam was a thriving Mayan city dating back to the 1st millennium BC. Around the start of the Common Era, it was the regional capital and remained inhabited up until the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. Today, the site consists of around 45 buildings, with many dating from around the 8th to 11th centuries. Unlike other Mayan cities, the intricate decorations on the building were made from plaster, rather than carved into stone, allowing for the artisans to create some of the most intricate motifs found in the Yucatan. The facade of the ruler Ukit Kan Leʼk Tokʼs tomb, for example, is styled like the open maw of a jaguar. The tomb sits atop a pyramid that’s 150 meters long and 30 meters high- one of the largest Mayan structures in the Yucatan!

With a diameter of 40 meters, Cenote Yokdzonot is one of the largest in the Yucatan. Surrounded by lush jungle, the roots of ancient trees hang over the 18-meter-high walls of this “open” cenote, creating a waterfall of wood. Unlike many cenotes, the area around Yokdzonot hasn’t been built up. Rather, two women from the local community laid each stone in the walking path and cut the wooden railings by hand to preserve the site’s natural beauty. They only buildings here are the palapa-roofed bathrooms and a small restaurant cooking traditional local food. As usual with cenotes, don’t use sunblock or bug repellent before getting in the water!