Published on Feb, 2020
If you are visiting the Riviera Maya or Cancún, I recommend utilizing the company Alltournative for your day-trips when available and priced competitively. Their Cenote Maya and 'Native Park' was developed exclusively for their own use and will likely leave you feeling a little underwhelmed on its own. My recommendation is to find a day-trip that combines these attractions with an archaeological tour. Alltournative is an above-average organization of integrity encouraging sustainable tourism, which is why I recommend them over other similarly priced companies.
The park employs local residents and and the company works with local communities on methods for recycling non-biodegradable materials like plastic and rubber. They take care to respect both the environment and the beliefs of the local Maya, performing a ritual purification ceremony before entering the cenote and strictly forbidding all electronics. While their reason for banning phones and cameras is a practical one (not poisoning the local water supply!), they do take advantage of the scenario by taking and selling professional pictures of your descent into the cenote. You are not obligated to buy anything, but any money you spend will go back into the local economy and local Maya communities. Despite being a little overpriced, it is worth considering a photo memento for this reason.
The cenote experience is like many others. Most people will rappel from the opening at the top down into the water, though they do offer a tunnel entrance for the faint of heart. They serve a local, organic, vegetable-forward lunch with unlimited fresh tortillas and aguas frescas. There are many similar cenotes and eco-parks in Yucatán, so what sets this one apart from the rest is the company behind it. Their respect of the environment and the community, as well as their focus on sustainability, have made me a repeat customer. Their cenote is enjoyable (if unremarkable), but the company offers some excellent combined tours that are worth exploring while you are visiting the region.
