This cenote is recommended since it is off the touristic path, yes sometimes during the day tourist buses come with many people so listen and avoid to be here between 9:30 and 11:30 and after 4:00 pm or you will find yourself among a lot of noisy people. Clean facilities, well groomed gardens, no pressure to buy, everyone speaks English, safe facilities with mandatory wear of vest, safe parking with security cameras and the best of all….. 400 Mexican pesos for entrance including unlimited cenote and great all you can eat buffet from 12-4. I’m a very experienced traveler and I highly recommend this cenote from all the other 200 around. You will not regret it.

We came here as part of a Chichen Itza Deluze tour. The water was cool and fresh after a very hot day and it was quite wonderful. There are some gift shops and also the opportunity to try tequila and purchase photos of swimming in the cenote.

Beautiful open Cenote with a waterfall. The water was clear, it was a bit crowded when we arrived but was getting better as we got in the water since a big group was leaving. Lukily we have been on an individual tour, so our guide was able to adjust our schedule to avoid the crowds. The Shower, locker and changing room facilites are good and the hacienda itself is layed out very beautifully. After the refreshing bath, the lunch buffet on the hacienda was another highlight. The facitities are very nice, staff is attentive and the food was amazing. It was also not crowded there (we came approx. 11.30 am, so the buffet was still untouched). In particular we liked the soup. And, as usual in Mexico they will also serve delicious Nachos with dips to your table. You can also stroll through some shops, but we did not buy something there, it seemed quite overpriced. In total a great experience.

A stop on our tour brought us to Cenote Saamal. This cenote has definitely been designed as a tourist attraction. It has all of the features you would expect (restaurant, giftshops etc.) The actual cenote is very impressive. Deep in the ground with nice blue water. There was an option to swim in the water but we chose just to wander around & take pictures. The surrounding areas were covered with gardens & streams. It was a nice break for an hour during a busy day.

Far better than I expected. It's so beautiful to see from the rim, but really amazing to get in the water and swim around. Flotation vests are provided and much attention to safety. Beautiful and enjoyable experience.

Having read mixed reviews of this cenote, I wasn’t sure we were making the right decision to choose this one to visit over others locally however we had a fantastic time and here is the definitive information as of February 2024 for an independent visit to Cenote Saamal (part of the Selva Maya complex). The entrance is just off the main road so you can be dropped off and picked up by Colectivo minibuses or cars (we paid 40 pesos from Chichen Itza and 25 back to Valladolid). Walk into the main entrance as directed by the staff and pay your 200 pesos which includes all changing facilities and (open) showers, lockers and a life jacket. There are souvenir shops , a bar and a restaurant and you can buy a package deal to include meals and drinks. Head to the changing room. Grab a locker key (lost key charge will be 300 pesos) Shower to wash off any sunscreen or insect repellant and then collect your life jacket. This means you can get down to the lower platforms even if you don’t want to swim. Photographers can get to a viewing platform without a life jacket. The sun disappeared from the water approximately 3pm so I’d advise arriving in time to enjoy the effect of the sun on the water, the increased visibility in the water and the effects created on the rocks and through the waterfall. We had a wonderful time in the water which is chilly on entry but pleasant enough to stay in for 20 minutes or more. Adventure seekers can jump in from a platform if they so wish!

Beautiful cenote! See note at the bottom. We went as part of a tour through CARM to Chichen Itsa. We ate lunch first and then the cenote. Lunch was fine, nothing special if you are used to eating traditional Mexican fare, but there were many options here and staff was friendly. Locker rooms were clean and free lockers are available, another plus. We asked in advance, so we brought our own towels, which are not provided. The cenote is spectacular. We have been to a handful, and this one is the biggest, open cenote we've visited so far. Big note: I do not recommend purchasing pictures from the photographer!!!! Rip off! The fellow we had (he spoke 8 languages) must have taken 50+ pictures of our big group. We got one free print and for 600 pesos he said he would send all the rest that day. What we got were the first 10, maybe, and that was it. Of the group of 9 almost all the pictures were of three people. We know he took a lot more because he had us pose for many of them, along the far wall, under the waterfall, jumping, etc. Glad I brought my phone for family shots.