Exploring Hacienda Mucuyche Cenotes: How to Visit The Yucatan’s Best Kept Secret

Here you’ll find everything you need to know to visit Hacienda Mucuyche cenotes: what it is, how to visit, what to bring, and what it’s like.

When I first came across a photo of one of the cenotes at Hacienda Mucuyche, I was shocked. I had to go immediately. Something about the combination of the crystal blue water and the abandoned, dilapidated former hacienda drew me in. I’m a huge fan of abandoned sites, and a huge fan of cenotes, so this was a dream come true.

Only one hour from Merida, visiting the Hacienda is incredibly easy. While the entrance fee is higher than most cenotes, by a lot, the combination of the hacienda tour, access to the grounds and pool, as well as the three cenotes, make it worth every penny.

If you’re anywhere in the Yucatan or nearby Quintana Roo, visiting Hacienda Mucuyche is a must. Since this location remains under the radar of international tourists, there aren’t a lot of things written about it. So, I decided to make it easy for you.

Below is everything you need to know before visiting- how to get there, what it costs, how to book, what it’s like, and what you need to know before you go. If you go, let me know what you think in the comments!

What Is Hacienda Mucuyche?

Hacienda Mucuyche is a former plantation, as are all hacienda’s in the Yucatan. The original family used to own numerous Haciendas in the area, where they grew the incredibly profitable henequen plants. These plants were used to create an incredibly strong rope.

In the early 20th century, once plastic was invented, the industry became obsolete. The owners of this hacienda, like many others, fled the hacienda and abandoned it. Another family took over it over shortly after, and owned the place until the eighties when they too abandoned it. The state eventually took over the property and opened it up to the public as an attraction around 2012.

Now, it’s a major local attraction and growing in popularity with international tourists, especially cenote Mucuyche. Unlike some of the other haciendas in the area, it’s not restored, so you can ogle at it’s haunting, abandoned beauty. What makes this place so unique is that it’s a hacienda with a cenote, three, in fact, onsite. This makes it an unbeatable Yucatan day trip.

How to Visit Hacienda Mucuyche:

The hardest part about figuring out to visit Hacienda Mucuyche is finding out about it in the first place. A quick google search doesn’t provide a lot of results, but it’s actually quite easy to visit. All you have to do is facebook message the company or whatsapp them for reservations: +529995476087.

In order to visit Hacienda Mucuyche, you have to book a tour. You should only do this directly with the Hacienda- there is no need to book outside tours. You simply pick your available time, show up, and they will take you on the tour.

Hacienda Mucuyche Schedule:

English tours start at 9:30 am, and go until 7:00 pm on weekdays. Weekends start at 9:30 am and go until 2 pm. They have a tour starting every half hour. They request that you arrive 30 minutes before your tour begins. Your tour will last about two hours.

Hacienda Mucuyche Costs:

It costs $490 MXN to visit, so $24 USD as of now. Children 4-12 years old are $150 MXN. Anyone 3 years old or under is free. You need to pay in cash, in mexican pesos.

Hacienda Mucuyche Reservations:

To make a reservation, simply contact them via whatsapp at the number above, and book your desired and available time slot. Please be warned that they are quite popular, on the weekends especially, so be sure to book as soon as you can.

Reservations take place rain or shine. We went when it was lightly drizzling and it was pretty magical swimming in the cenotes in and out of the rain.

How to Get There:

Mucuyche is a rather remote town, so it’s not along any major bus lines. The best and easiest way to visit Hacienda Mucuyche is to rent a car. You can easily rent a car in Merida and drive there in just under an hour. I cover this process at length here.

You could also book private transfer or a tour guide, but the cheapest and easiest option is to rent a car for the day. You can then visit the nearby Mayapan ruins and cenotes.

What To Expect of the Hacienda Mucuyche Tour:

I was hesitant about being forced to take a tour when we really just wanted to get in the cenotes. I’m so glad we did though! The tour lasts roughly 30 minutes. Your guide will take you through three un-restored buildings as they explain the history. Exploring the grounds with a tour guide gave great insight to life on the former plantation.

You’ll learn about the history, the end of slavery in Mexico, what happened to the two different owners and how they discovered the cenotes underground.

What to Expect of the Cenotes:

After the tour, you’ll head to the entrance of the cenotes. Here you can change if you’re not already in your swimsuit and put your valuables in a locker or bag. You’ll get fitted for a lifejacket and then head down the stairs to the first cenote, a half open cave cenote.

You’ll get some time to swim in this cenote before you swim through the man made cenote channel which connects the first and last cenote. This channel is so incredibly cool, even if it’s not entirely natural.

After that, you’ll head to the fully closed cave cenote, which is pitch black except for your guides flashlight. You’ll get to spend a lot of time swimming in here and learning the history of the Yucatan cenotes. The life jackets were actually helpful because you spend a lot of time treading water and these caverns are so deep.

After that, your tour is up and you can spend as much time as you want on the property until close.

For Other Awesome Destinations Nearby, Check Out This Complete Guide to Road Tripping Through the Yucatan Peninsula!

Know Before You Go:

There’s a couple of handy things to know before you visit:

• Parking is free and onsite.
• They have numerous showers and lockers. You can bring a change of clothes and fully get ready after your tour.
• Definitely bring a swimsuit and towel!
• Please do not use any lotion, makeup, or sunscreen. This is harmful to the cenotes and they request that you do not use these products before swimming.
• You have full access to the grounds, including the pool and restaurant. Make a day out of it and spend some time at their beautiful pool, enjoy the delicious food and have a photo shoot on the grounds (be sure to respect the other tours coming and going).
• Book early- we went to the first tour and it was only our group and two other people. By the time we finished, the groups arriving were huge.
• They allow up to 20 people in a group, even during the pandemic. Again, book early.
• You won’t be able to bring your phone into the cenotes because you really have to swim. If you have a waterproof case, definitely bring it if you’re planning to take photos.