X'Batún
Open cenote in San Antonio Mulix (Umán), about 50 km south-west of Mérida, run by the local community together with neighbouring Dzonbakal. A sunlit, vegetated pool leads into a twilight-zone cavern on a debris slope; a UNAM study sampled the cavern at 24–28 m and two dark-zone cave passages at 38–44 m. The water is freshwater and well oxygenated throughout. Operators describe light beams, speleothems and roots along the walls.
Facts
- Region: Mexico – Yucatán Cenotes (Mérida)
- Area: South of Mérida (Umán – Abalá – Tecoh – Tekit)
- Depth: 0–28 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: low
- Type: cave
- Coordinates: 20.67406, -89.77281
- Highlights: open sunlit pool with water lilies, twilight-zone cavern to ~28 m, two cave passages in the dark zone (~38–44 m), light beams, stalactites, stalagmites and columns, tree roots on the walls, freshwater, no halocline reported
- Tips: Guided cavern dives (daylight zone, permanent guideline, max ~21 m and 60 m from the surface per Mérida operators' rules, max 4 divers per full-cave-certified guide) are open to certified Open Water divers; many operators ask for AOW and 15+ logged dives. Anything beyond the daylight zone is full cave and requires cave certification. Yucatan Dive Crew lists AOW + Deep for this site. One ticket (bought at the Parador San Antonio Mulix) covers X'Batún and Dzonbakal, with a one-hour limit per cenote – check current fees and rules.