Visiting the centoes in the Riviera Maya has been on my bucket list for some time now. When I began planning my winter trip to Mexico, I knew for certain I was going to make sure I checked this off the list.
Research
Would you believe it if I told you, the majority of what I do everyday is research? It’s true! There is so much to know. So many different destination management companies, tour operators, suppliers, etc. For me, it’s important my clients experience the best of the best, which means I do A LOT of research. I want my clients to have unique experiences, and love that I get to try it out first hand. Not only, does it help me to know what I’m selling (and if it’s worth it) but it’s a heck of a lot of fun too.
So, I began reaching out to other travel advisors to find out the following questions 1. Which cenotes should I visit 2. What companies have they used personally, and what was the experience like. Living Dreams Mexico came up a few times, and after checking out their website I could see why. Immediately, I filled out an intake form. I received a response extremely fast- less than 24 hours fast (which I was not expecting). I was so excited by what they proposed, I didn’t need to think twice, nor look into other options.
Experience
Yuri came to pick us up right at 8:00am. She was kind, energetic, and very knowledgable. The weather wasn’t the best- cool and mildly rainy, but her sunny disposition helped Lance and I perk up. She drove us about an hour away from our resort and headed for the jungle. She explained that once we were there we would have to rinse off in the outdoor showers. This is done to protect the cenote, both the water and the ecosystem. We put on life jackets and walked up to the first cenote of the day. It was a beautiful, open-air cenote with cool . We took turns riding the handheld zip line and falling into the water.
The second cenote, was partially cavernous. You could cliff jump in, but we opted to walk down the stairs. I’m not going to lie, I liked the first one better. This cenote, had this little fish that would nip at your toes, and I didn’t love that. It was definitely mystical. Oh yes, and there were bats swirling above us. It was an experience!
The third cenote is actually the largest open air cenote in the Riviera Maya. We were able to zip line across it and then we canoed our way back. In case you are wondering, I am not going to be voted into anyone’s canoe club anytime soon! The cenote was stunning- full of water lilies, and we saw several turtles poking their heads above the water.
The final cenote, was the most magical. The water was clear blue and you could see right through it. Because the water is so clear, it is ideal for snorkeling. We jumped off the cliffs and swam for a bit, before we dried off to begin our walk to the Mayan village.
After working up an appetite, from swimming and hiking, we were all too eager to head into the village for lunch. As we walked Yuri explained more about the Mayan culture and the cenotes. She was awesome. At each cenote, she would take our photos and videos for us to remember our experience. We arrived at the pavilion for lunch and were able to pick out handmade gifts- I picked out two bracelets (Lance let me pick for him). The lunch that was prepared for us was absolutely delicious! The women of the village made us an authentic meal of handmade tortillas, salsas and guacamole, chicken and pork and coffee with churros for dessert.
With full hearts and full bellies, Yuri drove us back to our resort. The experience exceeded all of my expectations. I feel 100% confident in recommending Living Dreams Mexico to my clients, and am looking forward to booking with them again for my next adventure in Mexico.
