The magnetism of Tulum is not limited only to its eco-luxury restaurant and hotels. It is its exotic nature that attracts thousands of adventurers a year to discover the magic of the jungle, cenotes, beaches and lagoons. It is a fertile field for explorers and speleologists from Mexico and around the world, who immerse themselves into the depths of the unexplored mayan waters.
At the beginning of the year 2018, the group of explorers Gran Acuífero Maya (GAM), discovered the largest flooded cave in the world in Tulum. The GAM published a statement that explained that the length of the cave is 347 kilometers. This positions it as the largest on the planet.
It is also the largest archaeological site in the world by connecting the flooded cave systems of Sac Actun and Dos Ojos in Tulum, Quintana Roo, which offers us a gigantic cave of 347 kilometers. This labyrinth that forks and sinks, is not only a natural spectacle, but also an important archaeological find that could reveal the lost secrets of the ancient Mayan civilization.
The discovery of the caverns began in March 2017, but the person responsible for underwater exploration of the GAM, Robert Schmittner, searched for 14 years this connection and added new tunnels and galleries to this underwater labyrinthine wonder. thus discovering the connection of two flooded cave systems. It is because of this discovery that Tulum has the largest underground river in the world. The GAM is a project led by Guillermo de Anda, underwater archaeologist of the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH) and explorer of National Geographic.
This immense cave represents the most important submerged archaeological site in the world with more than a hundred archaeological contexts: the first settlers of America, extinct fauna and the Mayan culture. It should be noted that sophisticated equipment, permits and an advanced level of diving are required to explore part of these systems. Some spots are open to the public, but it is required a high level of specialization in these type of disciplines, due to the high risk of diving into this enigmatic underwater universe.
The Great Maya Aquifer is a research project of the subsoil of the Yucatan Peninsula and its relationship with the human being and the environment. The Great Maya Aquifer is an initiative of underwater archaeologist Guillermo de Anda, with the support of Aspen Institute Mexico, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the Technological University of the Riviera Maya (UTRM), National Geographic and the Bank of Latin American development (CAF).