The Unique Costco Location That Features A Natural Cenote

On the surface, it may seem like all Costcos are the same. When you look deeper, though, some locations have singular qualities that make them stand out. For example, there's the smallest Costco store in the world as well as the more common Costcos that don't sell alcohol. However, there's one unique location that outshines the rest — not because of what's inside, but because of what's in its parking lot. Among the asphalt, cars, and shopping carts, the Costco in Merida, Mexico features an amazing natural wonder: a semi-open cenote.

A cenote is a sinkhole or collapsed cave filled with groundwater. Some are large and safe for diving and swimming, but the one super close to this special Costco is closed off for preservation and can only be observed from the outside. There are more than 7,000 cenotes throughout Mexico, with approximately 900 in the Yucatán region, which Merida is part of. The city has over 120 cenotes as its claim to fame.

One fascinating fact about these underground grottos is that their existence results from the asteroid that struck the earth 66 million years ago and likely caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. The massive scar left by this impact is known as the Chicxulub Crater, and all the smaller sinkholes it has made form the so-called Ring of Cenotes. The one referred to as the Costco cenote is part of this ring, and its official name is Ka Kutzal, from the Mayan word for "reborn."

The Costco cenote may be fenced off, but its surroundings are beautifully landscaped and illuminated by colorful lighting  at night. While cars must leave the lot once the store closes, you can take a walk to the cenote at any time of day or night. In the absence of daytime shoppers and vehicles, it makes for a dramatic sight after dark.

Although the formation of cenotes dates back millions of years, Ka Kutzal was only discovered in 2015 when construction began on the Costco store. Its opening is about 16.5 feet in diameter, and it's around 13 feet down to reach the water's surface. Its actual depth is unknown because it contains numerous tunnels that branch off in several directions, which have only been partially explored.

Aside from the fantastic discovery in its parking lot, the Merida Costco is much the same as the chain's other U.S. and international locations. Some of the company's stores have unique food offerings, like China's Costco fried chicken or countries that still offer the Costco food court combo pizza – but Merida's location mostly serves commonplace staples like double chocolate chip cookies, ice cream sundaes, and chicken Caesar salad. However, it does have a turkey and Swiss sandwich with tomato aioli, and perhaps the most exciting options not available in America are onions and jalapeños from the condiment bar, which shoppers can freely pile onto their hot dogs or pizza.