Climbing: learn to scale more than walls… cenotes!

Climbing… is it really an art too?

Climbing in Mérida is starting to gain followers. The physical and mental demands it places on athletes mean only those who are passionate about it manage to practise it with the safety it requires.

Extreme sports keep attracting more fans, and it’s a pleasure that a sport as complete as climbing is having its turn — because, of course, it’s not just about going up walls.

Many people describe climbing as an art. Some routes have a set form, so doing them again and again solves the problems of which foot to place, where, how much weight to lift with which parts of the body, and so on. Once you’ve worked out the moves, they flow — just like a dancer building a choreography.

Climbing can be free or aided, using only feet or hands, or helped by climbing shoes and other purpose-built supports.

There are different varieties of climbing, classified by terrain: rock, ice, mixed or purpose-built walls. There’s also a free style you can do however you choose.

We recommend: The 5 best cenotes near Mérida.

Benefits of climbing

1. A full workout. Start climbing several times a week and you’ll work the whole body.
2. Improved flexibility. If you’re not flexible when you start, you soon will be after a few months of reaching seemingly unreachable holds.
3. Better endurance. Perfect if you want a sport that stimulates the whole body.
4. It burns calories — and it can be really fun.
5. Better cardiovascular fitness. It’s not just your muscles that get exercised; the extra effort makes your lungs work overtime to take in more oxygen.
6. Meditative effects. Many climbers concentrate so much that their connection with the wall and their own awareness is indescribable — what many climbers and athletes call a state of flow.
7. It relieves stress. It’s not just the meditative effects that help fight cortisol; the physical effort also works wonders for releasing endorphins, making us feel better and lowering our stress.

Extreme sports in Yucatán to try right now!

Life in Yucatán is marked by contact with nature and incredible landscapes. There are perfect places for extreme sports in Mérida, and artificial walls to take your first steps.

Bouldering is one of the most popular types of climbing. It’s usually done on small rocks and boulders, on outdoor artificial climbing structures or on indoor walls. Since the climber doesn’t go very high, there’s no need for ropes — but thick, padded mats are used under the walls to cushion falls.

Another type is psicobloc (deep-water soloing). It has been practised in Mérida for 10 years — a form of solo climbing over a deep body of water. Life in Yucatán lets you do it in a very special place: the cenotes.

Places to climb in Yucatán

There are various active spots for bouldering and psicobloc. Some examples:

Cenote Nayah. 70 kilometres from Mérida. Take the Acanceh–Tecoh road towards Telchaquillo.

Cenote Oxola. 65 kilometres from Mérida, on the way to Homún.

M20. A bouldering-style climbing centre in Mérida, with a boulder area.

Life in Yucatán, with its many natural riches, is the ideal setting for these activities. Today, climbing enthusiasts can find various suitable spaces in Yucatán.

What are you waiting for to try climbing? Climbing can always be a metaphor — don’t miss the chance to give it a go.

The Yucatán peninsula offers a wide range of extreme and eco-sports you can practise, and there are companies that offer guided activities as well as specialised tours for diving, snorkelling and kayaking.