Just outside Valladolid, two of the Yucatán’s loveliest cavern cenotes sit side by side at the village of Dzitnup: Cenote X’keken (often just called Cenote Dzitnup) and Cenote Samula. A single ticket gets you into both, they are a five-minute walk apart, and between them they pack in everything people love about an underground cenote — domed chambers of stone, shafts of daylight falling onto turquoise water, hanging roots and the cool hush of the cave. They make one of the easiest and most rewarding cenote stops anywhere near Valladolid.
| What it is | Two neighbouring cavern cenotes — X’keken (Dzitnup) and Samula — visited together on one combined ticket |
| Where | By Dzitnup village, about 7 km south-west of Valladolid, Yucatán (a 12–15 minute drive) |
| Do | Swim in clear turquoise water beneath stalactites and hanging tree roots; both are enclosed caverns |
| Hours | Daily, roughly 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Entry | A combined ticket for both is around 250–280 pesos for adults (life jackets, which are mandatory, included) |
| Best time | Right at the 8 a.m. opening to enjoy the caverns before the crowds arrive |
What and where: the two Dzitnup cenotes
The Dzitnup cenotes lie a short drive south-west of Valladolid, off Highway 180 toward Ebtún. Unlike the open swimming holes nearer the coast, both X’keken and Samula are enclosed cavern cenotes: you walk down a stone staircase out of the heat into a cool, domed chamber where the only natural light comes through a hole in the rock above. The water in each is a vivid turquoise, the ceilings drip with stalactites, and the two are close enough that you can comfortably see both in a single visit on the same ticket. It is an easy add-on to the photogenic Cenote Suytun and the community-run Sac-Aua on a day of cenote-hopping around Valladolid.
Cenote X’keken (Dzitnup)
X’keken — the name means “pig” in Maya, after the animal a local farmer is said to have followed to the hidden entrance — is the more enclosed and atmospheric of the pair. Down the stairs you emerge into a large, low-domed cavern bristling with stalactites, where a single beam of sunlight drops through an opening in the roof and sets the turquoise pool glowing. Swallows wheel near the ceiling, the air is cool and damp, and the water is clear and inviting; a life jacket is required and included, and there is a shallow ledge to ease in from. It is the kind of place that feels genuinely otherworldly the moment you reach the bottom of the steps.
Cenote Samula and its hanging roots
A few steps away, Cenote Samula is a brighter, rounder cavern with its own circular opening in the ceiling. For years its signature was a single colossal tree root that dropped from the surface all the way down to the water like a living rope; sadly that famous root was destroyed by a lightning strike a few years ago. Even so, Samula has lost none of its magic — the roots of the trees on the surface above still spill down through the opening toward the pool, framed by the shaft of light, and the swim beneath them in the clear blue water is just as beautiful. Between the two cenotes you get both moods: the dim, dramatic cave of X’keken and the luminous, root-laced chamber of Samula.
Getting there, the combo ticket, fees and hours
From Valladolid it is a quick twelve-to-fifteen-minute trip: drive out on Highway 180 and turn off at Dzitnup, take a taxi, hop on a colectivo (around 60 pesos, picked up near Calle 44), or even cycle — it is roughly half an hour by bike. There is parking at the site. The two cenotes share an entrance complex and are normally sold on a combined ticket of around 250–280 pesos for adults, which includes the mandatory life jackets; lockers and showers may cost a few pesos more. They open at about 8 a.m. and close around 5 p.m., and as with every cenote near Valladolid the trick is to arrive right at opening — the caverns are at their most serene before the tour groups roll in mid-morning. Pair the visit with a wider tour of the region’s water, from the light beam of Ik Kil by Chichén Itzá to the seven colours of Bacalar.
Frequently asked questions about the Dzitnup cenotes
What are the Dzitnup cenotes?
Two neighbouring cavern cenotes near Valladolid — Cenote X’keken (Dzitnup) and Cenote Samula — usually visited together on one combined ticket.
Where are they?
By Dzitnup village, about 7 km south-west of Valladolid in Yucatán, a 12–15 minute drive from the town.
What is the difference between X’keken and Samula?
X’keken is a darker, more enclosed cavern with stalactites and a single beam of light; Samula is brighter and rounder, with tree roots hanging through its ceiling opening toward the water.
Is the famous tree root still in Cenote Samula?
The single giant root that made Samula famous was destroyed by a lightning strike a few years ago. Smaller roots from the surrounding trees still hang down through the opening, and the cenote remains beautiful.
How much do the Dzitnup cenotes cost?
A combined ticket for both X’keken and Samula is around 250–280 pesos for adults, with the mandatory life jackets included.
What are the opening hours?
Both are open daily, roughly from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
How do you get there from Valladolid?
It is a 12–15 minute drive on Highway 180 with a turn at Dzitnup. You can take a taxi, a colectivo (around 60 pesos) or cycle in about 30 minutes.
Can you swim in the Dzitnup cenotes?
Yes — both have clear turquoise water for swimming, and a life jacket (included in the ticket) is mandatory.
This cenote is part of our complete guide to the cenotes of Mexico — what cenotes are, where to find the best ones, and how to visit them.
