The Ring of Cenotes
The Ring of Cenotes (Anillo de Cenotes) is a semicircle of cenotes in Yucatán state, roughly 180 km across, that follows the buried edge of the Chicxulub impact crater.
Where is it?
The arc runs through Yucatán state, passing near towns such as Homún, Cuzamá and the Mérida area, and reaching the coast at both ends.
Why do the cenotes line up?
Scientists link the ring to fractured rock along the rim of the Chicxulub crater, buried under younger limestone. Groundwater flows more easily along these fractures, so more caves dissolve and collapse there.
Why it matters
- It shows how a 66-million-year-old impact still shapes the landscape
- It channels groundwater toward the coast
- It concentrates many visitable cenotes around Homún and Cuzamá
How big is it?
Mexico's UNESCO tentative-list submission (2012) describes the ring as a belt about 5 km wide, forming a semicircle with a radius of about 90 km (about 180 km across), roughly from Celestún to Dzilam de Bravo.
UNESCO status
In 2012 Mexico placed the Ring of Cenotes of the Chicxulub crater on its UNESCO World Heritage tentative list as a natural site. It is not yet a full World Heritage Site.
Did the impact make the cenotes?
No. Researchers explain that the cenotes formed by dissolution long after the impact; the buried crater rim only guided where groundwater flowed and caves dissolved.
Towns on the ring
- Homun: dozens of family-run cenotes, easiest base for a ring day trip.
- Cuzama: Chelentun, Chak Zinik Che and Bolonchoojol by horse-drawn cart.
- Sacalum: Sabak-Ha and nearby cenotes.
- Abala, Mucuyche and Celestun area to the west.
- Dzilam de Bravo on the north coast, where the ring meets the sea (reported).
How to visit the ring
- Rent a car from Merida (about 1 hour to Homun) or join a tour.
- Plan 3-4 cenotes per day; many are small and close together.
- Carry cash; most family cenotes don't take cards.
- Some towns use local tricycle taxi guides to reach cenotes.
Threats to the ring
- Pig and poultry farms and their waste near Homun (reported).
- Untreated sewage seeping into the aquifer.
- Fertilisers and pesticides from farms.
- Too many visitors at small cenotes.
Where the ring runs
The ring is a semicircle of cenotes about 180 km across, centred near the port of Chicxulub north of Mérida. It passes through towns such as Homún, Cuzamá and Dzilam de Bravo, where cenotes are especially dense.
Why the cenotes line up
The buried rim of the Chicxulub crater changed how the overlying limestone cracked and how groundwater flows. Water dissolved the rock more along that line, so cenotes formed in an arc. The impact did not dig the cenotes; they formed much later.
How to visit the ring
Homún is the easiest base, about an hour from Mérida, with around 30 cenotes open to visitors out of many more. Local mototaxi drivers take you to three or four in a few hours. Cuzamá's cenotes are reached by horse-drawn rail carts.
Protecting the ring
The ring cenotes feed Mérida's drinking water. The area is a state geohydrological reserve and has been proposed for UNESCO recognition. Swim without sunscreen and stay on paths.
New to cenotes? Start with our main guide: what is a cenote. Ready to visit? See the best cenotes in Tulum.
Ring of cenotes: frequently asked questions
Which town is best for the Ring of Cenotes?
Homún, about one hour from Mérida, has the most cenotes open to visitors.
Did the asteroid create the cenotes?
No; it shaped the rock, but the cenotes formed much later by water dissolving limestone.
Did the Chicxulub impact create the cenotes?
Not directly. Cenotes form when water dissolves limestone. The buried crater rim created fractures and changed groundwater flow, so cenotes lined up along it.
Is the Ring of Cenotes a UNESCO site?
It is on Mexico's UNESCO tentative list, not yet a World Heritage Site (reported).
Can you see the ring from the ground?
No. It was mapped with satellite imagery and gravity data; on the ground you only see individual cenotes.
Is the Ring of Cenotes protected?
Parts of it are a state geohydrological reserve because it feeds the region's drinking water.
How wide is the Ring of Cenotes?
About 180 km across, as a belt roughly 5 km wide, according to Mexico's UNESCO submission.