A great outing in the Riviera Maya (and elsewhere in Mexico) is a visit to a "cenote" (seh-no-tay), a term usually translated as the unalluring word "sinkhole". Cenotes are pools of water which form in the soft limestone that's common in this region.
The "sinkhole" term refers to the formation process: groundwater seeps through the limestone, creating a pool in an underground cavern; eventually the roof of the cavern gets so thin that it collapses, and an open pool -- like this beautiful swimming hole-- is formed.
Cenote Swimming Outing
Photo © Teresa Plowright.
