A cenote (from the Yucatec Mayan dzonot or ts'onot, simply meaning "well") is a deep, wide sinkhole of karst origin — typically round and filled with water. It forms when limestone bedrock collapses and exposes the groundwater beneath.
The water in cenotes is remarkably clear, since it's essentially rainwater that has slowly filtered through layers of earth, leaving it with very few suspended particles. 💦 It's no coincidence that for the ancient Maya, cenotes were the only source of fresh drinking water.
Our guide told us that there are more than 9,000 of them scattered across Mexico. 🙆♂️ I won't have enough lifetimes to visit them all, but that's fine — you have to start somewhere. 🤭
