Ultimate Guide to Cenote Secreto Maya
Looking to visit Cenote Secreto Maya near Valladolid, Mexico? This hidden sinkhole is one of my favourites, and you’ll soon see why!
With its long hanging vines, clear turquoise waters, and Mayan cultural touch, Cenote Secreto Maya offers something truly special! At 54m-deep, this open cenote is over 65 million years old and is home to several caves. Unlike the more famous cenotes in Yucatan, it offers a more peaceful and secluded experience, where you can escape from the crowds whilst still witnessing something unbelievable! And don’t worry, there’s something here for you thrill-seekers as well!
I experienced Secreto Maya for myself earlier this year (2025), and in this blog post I will share everything I learnt so you can focus on simply enjoying yourself!
Cenote Secreto Maya Information
🌿 Cenote Features: Deep blue water, vines, multiple jumping platforms.
💧 Cenote Type: Open, hole cenote
💵 Entrance Fee: $250MXN per person. Pay onsite with cash or card.
🌊 Included With Entry Fee: Access to Cenote Secreto Maya, jumping platforms, life jackets, changing rooms, bathrooms, and grounds.
🍔 Other Amenities: Onsite restaurant and bar, hammock area, swimming pool, temazcal, hotel and spa
🐶 Pets: Pet friendly
⏰ Opening Hours: 10am-5pm, open daily [Night access available if you stay at the hotel]
🗺 Address: Carretera Yalcobá – Xtut, Yalcobá, Yucatán. México
📞 Contact: +52 5585567754 Instagram: @cenotesecretomaya
What to expect at Cenote Secreto Maya
The name Secreto Maya is very fitting as it’s not a cenote that attracts the masses. You’ll soon get that impression when you turn off the main road onto the gravel track leading to the entrance. There’s plenty of space to park here if you need, though I can’t imagine too many coaches pulling up (we were the only ones there)!
We were greeted at a small hut beside the car park (you can’t miss it), where we paid the 250MXN entrance fee. The staff were super friendly and welcoming. You will be given a wristband and the option to use a life jacket (they’re not mandatory).
The wristband gives you access to the grounds of the park, so you can wander around if you want – you might find some hammocks in the forest! It’s a short walk through the jungle to the cenote itself. On the way you will wander past changing rooms, toilets and other facilities including the temazcal (see below).
After a 5-minute walk, you will reach an unassuming clearing with a restaurant-bar on your right, and the entrance to the cenote on the left.
From the top, you can peer down and see the sheer scale of this cenote! At just over 20m, it’s a long way down to the water. It’s so high, that several cliff jumping events have been held here!
Access to the cenote is via the short spiral staircase – you can’t miss it! This leads down to a wooden stairwell hugging the rim of the cenote, which if you’ve visited Ik-Kil, you’ll find very similar. There are a few rocks here where you can leave any belongings such as phones or towels, but it’s nothing secure, but overall there’s not much space as it’s a walkway.
Unlike more popular cenotes like Suytun or Zaci, Secreto Maya remains peaceful and less touristy most of the day. I arrived at around 1pm and it was largely deserted until we left after 3pm.
2 hours at Cenote Secreto Maya is enough time to spend here if you’re doing other activities throughout the day. You can easily spend longer if you want to have lunch or use all of their facilities. If you’ve opted for the Mayan ceremony, you will need longer.
What to do at Secreto Maya Cenote
Swim: Take a swim in this refreshing pool. You can also grab any of the inflatables left by the rocks at the side. There were some rings for a small fee. Or you can simply wear a life jacket, float and admire the cenote. You can walk down the steps all the way to the bottom if you don’t want to jump in.
Rope Swing: A highlight of the cenote is the Tarzan-style rope swing, where you can launch yourself into the deep blue water. It stands at around 7m so there’s usually a lifeguard oversees things and hooks the rope back.
Jumping Platforms: You can jump into the water from any of the jumping platforms on the wooden deck. They vary in height between 3m and 7m.
20m Platform: This platform is so high up, I didn’t even realise people could jump from it until the lifeguard suggested it (how ironic). At approximately 20 meters (maybe more), the jumping platform from the top of the rim and is not for the faint of heart!
Rappel into Secreto Maya (NOW CLOSED): From the same 20m jumping platform at the rim, you can also rappel down into the cenote. Personally it didn’t look as cool as the rappel at Chukum-Ha cenote, but it’s still pretty epic! You have to book this activity in advance so the staff are prepared.
Enjoy the food: To chill out from the adrenaline of the jump, we sat down at the restaurant. It was moderately priced but was actually very tasty! There’s also the option to enjoy a Mayan-style meal cooked over an open fire. Expect handmade tortillas, slow-roasted meats, and fresh local ingredients.
Traditional Mayan Temazcal / Welcome Ceremony
Before heading into the cenote, visitors can choose take part in a Mayan purification ritual, performed by a local shaman. This is separate to the entrance fee and requires advanced booking and costs $6000MXN in total, which can be split between up to 12 people.
The temazcal ceremony takes approximately one hour and is meant to cleanse your energy and show respect for the sacred cenote and the surrounding nature. During this time, the heat, steam and sweat alongside rituals, salts and teas will help detoxify you ahead of a refreshing dip.
Overnight at Secreto Maya
If you want to experience Cenote Secreto Maya in a whole different light (quite literally), you can stay overnight at the on-site accommodation here.
With that, you have access to the cenote after all the regular visitors go home. This means you can swim in the early evening or even have the surreal experience of swimming under the stars. Not many cenotes are open or accessible after dark, so this is a great opportunity.
There are various suites and villas available, all of which look pretty luxurious. You can check the prices and book here.
How to get to Cenote Secreto Maya
Cenote Secreto Maya is located in the Yucatán Peninsula, about 40-50 minutes from Valladolid (though I’m sure I got there quicker). Most routes will take you directly east from the city before heading northeast along some beautiful lush (and quiet) highways. Here are your best options for getting there:
🛵 Scooter: Rent a scooter for the day and explore the area’s best cenotes! This is probably the best way to do it if you want the freedom to visit several cenotes without paying for a rental car. It might be slightly slower than a car, but the views are lovely!
🚙 Rental Car: You can also drive a rental car if you’re in a bigger group, or if you’re not comfortable driving a moped. The cenote is well-signposted, and there’s parking available on-site.
🚐 Tour: Several tour companies in Valladolid offer cenote-hopping trips that include Secreto Maya along with other cenotes like Suytun or Xkeken. I met some backpackers here who booked a Chichen Itza tour, which also included stops at this cenote as well as Cenote Chukum.
🚕 Taxi: Local taxi drivers will happily take you to any of the cenotes near Valladolid, including Secreto Maya. Just be sure to ask for the cost in advance, and ask them to wait for you (or agree to a return time) and give you a roundtrip ride. Sharing a taxi with friends will help you save money!
Travel Tips for Cenote Secreto Maya
🚙 Arrive early to avoid crowds: This goes for pretty much all the cenotes surrounding Valladolid, but arriving early is almost always best! Secreto Maya is probably one of the cenotes you can afford to arrive at later and still avoid other people.
🛟 No life jacket needed: Unlike many other Valladolid cenotes, life jackets are not essential. You can make the decision when you arrive as they’re handed out at the entrance. If you do get one, don’t wear it on rope swings or high jumps into the water.
🚿 Use facilities before swimming: The showers and toilets are a bit of a walk from the cenote, so make sure to use them beforehand to avoid the long walk back!
💦 Be prepared for cold water: The crystal clear water in these cenotes is colder than you’d expect! It’s not unbearable but just be prepared for a refreshing dip! Since the cenote catches the sun for part of the day, this can actually be really nice!
🧗♀️ Practice before jumping: If you want to do the highest jump, you will need to sign a waiver of consent. Do some practice jumps at the lower heights before trying the ~20m jump. Make sure to keep your arms by your side, your legs closed, and stay straight otherwise the impact could hurt!
🪨 Respect the Environment: Avoid touching and climbing on the vines and don’t leave any trash behind.
🧴 Avoid sunscreen: You shouldn’t need sun cream given the amount of shade in the forest. If you do use sun cream earlier in the day, choose a biodegradable one to protect the environment.
What to Bring to Cenote Secreto Maya
- Swimming costume: It is such a special experience to swim in this breathtaking cenote, be sure to bring your swimwear. Pack goggles for diving underwater if you want, but don’t expect to see much!
- Dry Clothes: Not essential, but handy if you want to dry off before moving on.
- Travel towel: I love my fast-drying, sand-resistant travel towel. I bring it everywhere!
- GoPro or waterproof phone case: I use my waterproof phone case, but wish I had an action camera for the rope swing and big jumps.
- Travel insurance: While it is not a physical item to pack, please don’t forget to purchase travel insurance just in case something happens! I lost my watch here (doh!), but got some money back on insurance! You’re welcome to it if you find it!
- Dry bag: You can leave your belongings on the rocks beside the standing platform, so having a dry bag to keep valuables together and out of sight (and away from drips) is helpful!
NOTE: Avoid using sunscreen or insect repellent before swimming in any cenote.
Things to Do Near Cenote Secreto Maya
Cenote Secreto Maya might feel isolated in the jungle, but there’s a few other things to do nearby (predominantly more cenote exploring)!
💦 Cenote Suytun: On the way to Secreto Maya from Valladolid, Cenote Suytun is an epic cenote! It’s best visited early in the morning to avoid crowds, so why not visit here before making your way to Secreto Maya!
🛟 Cenote Chukum-Ha: Another one of my favourite Valladolid cenotes is Cenote Chukum. It’s a closed cenote with a thrilling zip wire and a ‘better’ rappelling experience!
🥾 Ek Balam: Often overshadowed by the famous Chichen Itza ruins nearby, Ek Balam archaeological site is an important ancient Mayan city with temples you can still climb (unlike Chichen Itza)! Also situated north of Valladolid, it is around 40 minutes drive from Secreto Maya, so ideal if you’ve rented a vehicle for the day.
💧 Other Cenotes: There are several other cenotes scattered around the area. Search Google Maps and maps.me to find some more secret cenotes!
Check out my complete Valladolid itinerary for more ideas for your stay.
Cenote FAQs
What is a cenote?
Cenotes are natural sinkholes filled with water. They are formed as limestone bedrock collapses over time, which exposes groundwater. There are over six thousand cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula.
There are three types of cenotes:
- Open cenotes: These cenotes look like small lakes or ponds because there are no rock formations covering them. Secreto Maya is an open cenote.
- Semi-open cenotes: These cenotes are partly covered, sometimes with a small hole letting in light from above.
- Underground cenotes: These cenotes are underground caves that cannot be seen from land.
Are life jackets required at the Cenote Secreto Maya?
Life jackets are not required when visiting Cenote Secreto Maya, however they are handed out at the entrance. Life jacket rentals are included in your admission fee, so you can pick one up if you want!
Are life jackets required at all cenotes in Valladolid?
No. Life jackets are required at most, but not all cenotes in Valladolid.
How much is Secreto Maya?
Standard entry to Cenote Secreto Maya is $250 MXN.
Google Maps and their website seem to suggest that there are various different options. But having spoken with the staff now, it’s clear that the Day Pass is the only option, unless you are staying on-site at the hotel.
| Secret Package (i.e. Standard Entry ) | Mayan Adventure (*NO LONGER AVAILABLE*) | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Price | $250 | $400 |
| Child Price | $250 | $400 |
| Cenote | Yes | Yes |
| Rope Swing + Jumping Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Life jackets, Parking | Yes | Yes |
| Transport | No | Yes |
| Rappelling + Cave Tour | No | Yes |
| Welcome Experience | No | Yes |
| Temazcal | No | No |
When is the best time to visit Secreto Maya?
Mexico’s dry season (November to April) usually has the best visibility and fewer crowds. Try to avoid visiting after heavy rainfall as this can make the water less clear.
Is Cenote Secreto Maya suitable for children?
Yes, this cenote is suitable for children. It’s a lovely swim, plus the rope swing and jumping platforms make it even more entertaining!
Just ensure that they are comfortable in the water and are supervised. Perhaps avoid the highest jumping platform unless they are completely comfortable and confident.
Before you go
Thank you for reading my guide to Cenote Secreto Maya near Valladolid. If guides, itineraries and travel content like this interest you, head over to my Homepage to find out more.
If you are new to Matt’s Next Steps, check out my About page to find out a bit more about who I am, my travel adventures, and why I wanted to become a travel writer.
Please comment below and let me know your thoughts and experiences, or if there is anything else you want information on.
Happy travelling!