A Delightful Dip into the Mayan Underworld
This bit of paradise is not just a natural cenote pool, but an art gallery in the middle of the jungle. Check it out!
Atik cenote is a nature park near Tulum offering visitors a conceptual experience, based on the ancient Mayan people’s idea of the underworld.
This spot’s unique spin is combining nature’s beauty with art, through its sculptures and installations that lead to an immersive experience.
Check out what you can see when visiting Atik, and how to get the most out of your visit.
What to Do at Atik cenote?
To enter the park, you first go through a tunnel representing the journey into the underworld.
The main attraction is the large open-air cenote pool whose water takes on a turquoise blue cast under the midday sun. It is completely surrounded by a wall of stone, dripping with vines, roots, and falling water, transporting you into a dream-like tropical paradise.
There are platforms where you can jump into the pool, as well as a kayak for taking on a spin.
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We know that for the Mayas, cenote sinkholes represented doorways into the underworld, so they were sacred spaces. Atik seeks to recover this concept through eye-catching installations of skulls. Whether they are from monkeys or crayons, they are replicas made by an artist who modeled their work on real monkey and deer skulls.
These installations are found in the jacuzzi area. This space is wrapped in replicas of monkey skulls, and two walls also display an installation made of deer skulls. These are the perfect backdrop for an incredible photo.
Overall, the entire complex is brimming with spots for a great picture. Several feet from the cenote, there is a pool tucked into the rainforest and presided over by a regal Mayan bust.
Finally, the experience wraps up with a stroll through Akbal gallery. You walk paths through the rainforest to discover surrealist sculptures depicting gods and motifs from the ancient Mayan civilization.
Recommendations for Visiting Atik Cenote
- Before going into the complex, take a shower in the facilities located at the entrance to remove any trace of sunscreen, bug spray, perfume, or lotion from your skin. This will prevent you from contaminating the cenote’s water.
- The best time of year to visit is between spring and fall because the water could be too cold during the winter.
- If you want to visit when there are fewer people, get there early when it is less busy.
- Wear water shoes as some areas are quite slippery.
- Make sure your phone is charged. You will want to take a lot of pictures!
- If you want to take a professional camera in, there is an extra fee.
- Food and beverages are not permitted.
How to Get There?
Atik is on kilometer 10 of the Tulum-Cobá road, 10 minutes from downtown Tulum.
Entrance Fees
Tickets cost:
- General access ticket for the whole park – $449 MXN pesos
- General access ticket for the whole park for residents – $320 MXN pesos
- General ticket just for the cenote pool – $299 MXN pesos
- General ticket just for the cenote pool for residents – $220 MXN pesos
More Attractions Around Atik
The area around the Magical Town of Tulum is filled with attractions and points of interest.
Corazón del Paraíso cenote pool is considered one of the most romantic in Mexico for its heart shape and surroundings. In Tulum Mermaid, you can make your dream of being a mermaid come true for a day. Cobá archeological site holds Mayan secrets and is home to the highest pyramid in all the Yucatan Peninsula.