Summary
Following our enriching day of exploring the attractions in Merida, Mexico, we dedicated the next day to uncovering the key sites outside of the city.
One major highlight for us was visiting the historic Mayan temple, Uxmal, along with touring local haciendas, which are traditionally styled estates, and enjoying the refreshing waters of several exquisite cenotes.
As neither of us were inclined to drive, we opted for a private tour or a dedicated driver for this venture.
Upon arriving at Uxmal, we felt as though a tour guide was not particularly necessary for a cenote visit. Generally, haciendas offer their own guides, and we believed that Uxmal was the only significant site that warranted a knowledgeable guide, and thus we could explore it independently.
When departing Uxmal, our first stop was to quench our thirst; we each had two different beverages.
The cenote we ventured to was Cenotes Hacienda Mucuyché, and I hadn’t previously realized two things: a) participation on a guided tour is a requirement, and b) part of that tour includes exploring a hacienda.
Initially, we were apprehensive about visiting another hacienda, as we thought the itinerary would involve either a hacienda or a cenote. Hence, it was a delightful surprise to discover both experiences were combined within the same tour.
By the time we arrived, the English-speaking tour had just commenced. Fortunately, we were allowed to join shortly after its start since it had only been ongoing for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
By the time we reached the first cenote, we were eager for a refreshing swim.
This was postponed briefly. The hacienda tour turned out to be rather engaging, making the partnership of both experiences quite enjoyable.
As for the cenote, I initially questioned the necessity of a guided tour for such a location.
However, the rationale became clear once we proceeded. Cenotes Hacienda Mucuyché features one open-air cenote and another that is completely underground.
The guide takes you to one first, and you float through a small ‘river’ before emerging into the subterranean cenote.
Both locations are remarkably beautiful.
We had initially planned to visit an additional cenote, skeptical about whether we would appreciate this specific one, given its commercial appearance in photographs. Ultimately, it provided a delightful reprieve from the heat, and we learned valuable insights during our time there.
It’s worth noting that guests are required to wear life jackets while swimming. These are provided free of charge, along with secure bags available for rental to store personal items.
After our visit at Cenotes Hacienda Mucuyché, we opted against exploring another nearby cenote, feeling that we had fully enjoyed the one we had just experienced.
We then returned to Merida to collect our belongings from our previous lodging at Decu Downtown before heading to our new accommodation—Casa Olivia.
Casa Olivia is an exceptionally designed accommodation, noted for its exquisite attention to detail.
With only four rooms, the attentive staff enhances the luxurious experience.
This evening, opting to maintain energy levels, we enjoyed local Mayan dishes that are unique compared to typical Mexican fare found elsewhere.
As the day had been quite lengthy and fulfilling, instead of searching for additional entertainment, we decided to retire for the night and headed back to our hotel for a well-deserved rest.
For insights into the activities we engaged in the following day, please refer to this post here.
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