We hired a taxi to get us from Izamal to Hoctun to Homun. It was worth the expense, otherwise we would have spent hours with collectivos, buses, and moto taxis. I’ve wanted to take a side trip to the Hoctun cemetery for some time and I’m glad I could finally do it. Latin American cemeteries can be quite colorful but the one in Hoctun is known for its brilliance.
We took photos for a half an hour and then made our way to Homun. We stayed at Hospedaje Papa Grande hosted by the ever helpful Ivan who made us coffee and arranged for a cenote guide. Morning coffee in the comically sparse but jumbled garden while we waited for Homun’s best cenote guide, Angel Tzab, who arrived promptly at 9:30. That tree in the middle of the courtyard is a champagne mango tree which thunderously dropped a mango to the ground every 15 minutes.
We loaded up in his moto taxi supplied with tortas and lemon cookies.
For 250 pesos ($13) we would be driven through town and out into the countryside to visit several of the 30 identified family run cenotes in the area. This is one of the best things I’ve ever done in vacation.
Our first stop was Cenote Bal Mil. It’s more of a cavern closed cenote with big stalagmites and stalactites but there’s an opening at the top that lets the light in. We were the only people there.
Next was Hool Kasom. Also a closed cenote that has a hole at the top. Again alone, the experience was incredible. Cross an opal with an aquamarine, turn them into cool liquid, pour it into a cave, add a dapple of sunlight, toss in a few swallows, sprinkle in purple flower petals and you might have something like what we experienced at this cenote.
It was hard to beat and we didn’t want to leave, but we motored to Cheel Pak. This is a teeny cenote that is really deep. It’s little a jewel and it would have been amazing except there was a guy that’s talked non stop to his 3 companions all but ruining a perfectly good cenote.
No refunds! I guess when people see how small it is they might feel disappointed. We adored it but we’re keen to leave because of that guy blabbering on disturbing the peace. Last stop tres ochos. Sublime gardens and when a beam of sunlight hits the water it’s as if a portal opens up. Cenotes are deep, like a 100 feet deep, you can’t see the bottom in these things.
A most epic four hours with Angel and the cenotes of Homun. Angel even helped us get back to Valladolid, as there is no bus from Homun. Angel took us to Tekat in his moto taxi, we had lunch together in Hocab at the only open loncheria.
Angel is a real Renaissance Man- plays piano and guitar, writes music, teaches music online, speaks four languages, and is an expert guide. He will also take you to cenotes at night, light a bonfire, and play his guitar for you. Can you imagine how delightful that would be? Really he is an all around good guy and we throughly enjoyed our day together. He got us to Tehmak where we friended each other on Facebook and waited in the zocalo for the next eastbound bus. We flagged one down and hopped on, enjoying another local route to Valladolid with a million stops.
All photo credits Vicki Spagnoli
We took photos for a half an hour and then made our way to Homun. We stayed at Hospedaje Papa Grande hosted by the ever helpful Ivan who made us coffee and arranged for a cenote guide. Morning coffee in the comically sparse but jumbled garden while we waited for Homun’s best cenote guide, Angel Tzab, who arrived promptly at 9:30. That tree in the middle of the courtyard is a champagne mango tree which thunderously dropped a mango to the ground every 15 minutes.
We loaded up in his moto taxi supplied with tortas and lemon cookies.
For 250 pesos ($13) we would be driven through town and out into the countryside to visit several of the 30 identified family run cenotes in the area. This is one of the best things I’ve ever done in vacation.
Our first stop was Cenote Bal Mil. It’s more of a cavern closed cenote with big stalagmites and stalactites but there’s an opening at the top that lets the light in. We were the only people there.
Next was Hool Kasom. Also a closed cenote that has a hole at the top. Again alone, the experience was incredible. Cross an opal with an aquamarine, turn them into cool liquid, pour it into a cave, add a dapple of sunlight, toss in a few swallows, sprinkle in purple flower petals and you might have something like what we experienced at this cenote.
It was hard to beat and we didn’t want to leave, but we motored to Cheel Pak. This is a teeny cenote that is really deep. It’s little a jewel and it would have been amazing except there was a guy that’s talked non stop to his 3 companions all but ruining a perfectly good cenote.
No refunds! I guess when people see how small it is they might feel disappointed. We adored it but we’re keen to leave because of that guy blabbering on disturbing the peace. Last stop tres ochos. Sublime gardens and when a beam of sunlight hits the water it’s as if a portal opens up. Cenotes are deep, like a 100 feet deep, you can’t see the bottom in these things.
A most epic four hours with Angel and the cenotes of Homun. Angel even helped us get back to Valladolid, as there is no bus from Homun. Angel took us to Tekat in his moto taxi, we had lunch together in Hocab at the only open loncheria.
Angel is a real Renaissance Man- plays piano and guitar, writes music, teaches music online, speaks four languages, and is an expert guide. He will also take you to cenotes at night, light a bonfire, and play his guitar for you. Can you imagine how delightful that would be? Really he is an all around good guy and we throughly enjoyed our day together. He got us to Tehmak where we friended each other on Facebook and waited in the zocalo for the next eastbound bus. We flagged one down and hopped on, enjoying another local route to Valladolid with a million stops.
All photo credits Vicki Spagnoli
Looks like you had a grand time with water and food -- two of my favorites, too! 🏊♀️ 🌮😁
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