Mexico's aquifer system is unique and exciting because of its topography. There are so many cave swimming holes where you can snorkel into the caves. I'm not brave enough to try cave scuba diving, although many people here do that. The cave system is much more open and large than in Florida allowing for numerous long dives between the cenotes. It's incredible. At Parque Dos Ojos we swam into several large cave chambers and one of them was completely enclosed and had an opening where bats would fly in and out. There were 4k bats inside the cave. It was nice to swim into the caves and see the bats. Seeing the underwater caves is also amazing because the visibility in the cenotes is so clear and the water is so fresh. They gave us flashlights as part of tour and we could see further into the cave. It all comes from rainwater apparently, so the water is crystal clear like in the photos. You can see everything very visibly. There were no obstructions. I was amazed by the caves underwater because the chambers are so huge. There were large stalagmites and its really awe inspiring. I also went to a few other very interesting cenotes that were very picturesque and beautiful. The cenote Nichte Ha was one such cenote where the photographs were incredible and the underwater scene was also amazing. There were many large fish swimming around and it seems the habitat is well maintained for the lotuses and scenery to be beautiful. Although many people visit there to take a dip it seems as though the cenote itself was very alive. There was also a large cave opening to swim into as well and some divers came up from within the cave at one point. Peering into the depts of the cave system was really amazing. I was surprised how far I could see without a flashlight. 

I have been finding local life to be nice in the village of Tulum. People are amiable, and in the neighborhoods, there is a close-knit feel where there are animals running around and kids, people's doors are open, and there are people around. It's nice and very different from the sort of closed-off neighborhoods of San Diego or Las Vegas, where people are more independent. You might see your neighbors outside sometimes but the space is so much more distant it seems. I have been enjoying the local tacos and taking the collectivo vans around, which are the cheap minivan-style "buses" that run people from Tulum to Playa del Carmen. So far I have been able to go anywhere I have wanted in the collectivo. 

Snorkeling at Gran Cenote and then at Akumal presented some exciting experiences. Gran cenote is another part of Mexico's excellent underwater cave system. It's very different from the natural springs I experienced in Florida, also frequented by scuba divers. These caves are more visible, and you could easily peer deeper into dark chambers and be entirely swimming through and within caves with bats in them. It's incredible, scary, and creepy, adding to the fun.

The coral reef system at Akumal is lovely. Since it is a national park, they cater to groups of tourists, but I chose a solo route. The solo route led me to nearly three hours of exploring coral reefs alone. Swimming up to giant brain corals with numerous multicolored fish. I saw an octopus. I saw a whole school of cuttlefish. I can't even name everything I saw. 

Ya Kul was a nearby lagoon that I walked to that is the breeding ground for many fish. I saw many species I did not see at Akumal, including a parrotfish that was half my size, was rainbow-colored from head to tail and had green spots. It was one of the most beautiful fish I had ever seen. Otherwise, Ya Kul is mostly boulders on the bottom with no reefs, which makes for an adventure just swimming around and seeing the schools of fish. Apparently it takes a few trips to see all the different kinds since they come out at different times of the day. 

Needed an underwater camera for my snorkeling adventures to share the beauty. Something to consider next time.