Kantun Chi Caves

Useful Information

Location:	Highway 307, Cancun-Tulum, Km. 266.5. Accross the higway from the Barcelo Maya Hotel.
Open:	Winter daily 9-17. Summer daily 9-18. [2008]
Fee:	Cenote Tour: Adults USD 23, Children (0-12) USD 13. Grotto Tour: Adults USD 38, Children (8-12) USD 30, Children (0-7) not allowed in cave. [2008]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System Coloured Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Kantun-Chi Eco Park, Highway 307, Cancun-Tulum, Km. 266.5, Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Kantun-Chi Eco Park, 20th Avenue, between 4th Street and 6th Street North, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico, at Hotel Hul-Kú, Tel: +52-984-873-0021, Fax: +52-984-873-0021. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Kantun-Chi Eco Park is a private park with four mostly half dome cenotes called Kantun Chi (hence the name), Zaskaleen, Uchil Ha, and Zazil Ha. Zaskaleen is also written Sas ka leen Ha, which means transparent water in Mayan. The cenote is shaped like a crescent moon. Uchil Ha translates ancient water and is the collapse of an almost circular chamber, with water around the walls and a central cone of debris resulting from the collapse. This geometry is not uncommon for such collapses, but here in Yucatan where most cenotes are simply circular shafts with a lake at the bottom, it is deemed extraordinary. Zacil Ha is also Mayan and translates clear water. A hole in the ceiling allows a sun ray to enter the chamber early in the afternoon.

The park offers a snorkelling tour and a swimming tour in the cenotes, the so-called Grutaventura tour. This is the reason why this tour is classified a show cave and not a karst spring. The original cave system, now waterfilled, may be visited between two natural entrances, cenotes. The whole cavern is lighted by coloured light, which makes the tour somewhat kitschy. On the other side it is a great opportunity to see a cave on a self guided tour while swimming in warm water. There are numerous speleothems, especially stalactites and stalagmites which can be seen above and below water level.