Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
One of my favourite issues to do in Mexico is swim within the stunning cenotes of the Yucatan. Here are suggestions for visiting a cenote in Mexico, and tips on how to get pleasure from them responsibly.
Cenotes in Mexico are tremendous cool! The Mayan individuals used cenotes to produce their historic cities (like Chichen Itza) with contemporary water, in addition to a sacred place to conduct sacrificial choices to their gods.
Ancient artifacts and even human bones have been discovered in lots of.
Offerings had been made to the Mayan god Chaac, the god of rain, when drought threatened the world. The Maya additionally believed these underground wells had been entrances to the afterlife.
Despite their barely creepy historical past, today cenotes in Mexico are loved by foreigners and locals alike as refreshing jungle swimming holes and cave diving hot-spots. No journey to Mexico is full with out swimming in a cenote!
Here you’ll discover particulars about Tulum cenotes, in addition to cenotes close to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Valladolid too.
After spending years residing in and often touring to Mexico as a digital nomad, I needed to place collectively a useful information to my favourite cenotes all through the Yucatan Peninsula.
Mexico Cenotes Map
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you’ll discover a map of cenotes in Mexico. Click on the highest left of the map to seek out separate layers marking the route and factors of curiosity. You can disguise and present completely different layers, or click on icons on the map to see the names of locations I point out on this journey information. “Star” the map to reserve it to your individual Google Maps, or open the map in a brand new window for a bigger model. Enjoy!
Mexico Travel Restrictions 2023
Mexico has eliminated all COVID-19 entry necessities, together with for Americans. It’s the right time to go to Mexico!
You can discover the most recent updates on touring to Mexico right here.
Get Travel Insurance
Protect your self from damage, sickness, or theft. SafetyWing presents reasonably priced journey insurance coverage that covers COVID-19 too!
Best Cenotes In Mexico
What Exactly Is A Cenote?
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is known for its wonderful cenotes — pure swimming pools of contemporary water positioned in limestone caves. These swimming pools are linked to one another via the world’s largest underground river system.
Rain water seeps via the porous limestone, amassing underground.
Cenotes themselves are created when the limestone floor collapses, making a cave opening into this river system. Some cenotes are “open air” which means the roof has utterly collapsed, whereas “cave cenotes” might have most or all of their roof nonetheless intact.
Many cenotes in Mexico are residence to a wide range of fish and flowers, some even have turtles!
There are supposedly over 6000 completely different cenotes positioned in Mexico. Some have been changed into swimming holes for vacationers, others are used for technical cave scuba diving, and lots of extra are merely inaccessible – hidden within the distant Mexican jungle.
Best Cenotes In Tulum
Casa Cenote (Cenote Manatí)
One of my favourite Tulum cenotes, Casa is an open-air cenote that appears extra like a river than a typical cenote. Jungle vegetation go proper as much as the sting of it, and it’s a great place for snorkeling. It’s slender however VERY lengthy, so that you may wish to use a life jacket (they’ve them) in case you’re not a robust swimmer.
Locals name it “Cenote Manati”, as a result of there was once a inhabitants of Manatees residing in it. While they’re now not there, a pleasant crocodile named “Panchito” does generally make appearances to swim with vacationers. I wouldn’t pet it, however in any other case there’s nothing to be afraid of!
Entrance Fee: 150 MXN ($7 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Dos Ojos
Dos Ojos Cenote is without doubt one of the coolest cenotes close to Tulum. It’s highly regarded for scuba diving, resulting from its “two eyes” (sinkholes) separated by a 400m lengthy underwater tunnel. But it’s additionally enjoyable for snorkeling, as there are many caves to discover which might be simply above the water line.
Because Dos Ojos is without doubt one of the most well-known cenotes within the Yucatan Peninsula, it will probably get crowded quick. It’s really a part of an enormous cenote advanced, and there are a lot of completely different ones you may go to within the space.
Entrance Fee: 350 MXN ($17 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Gran Cenote Tulum
Gran Cenote (aka Great Cenote) is without doubt one of the closest cenotes to Tulum. In reality it’s attainable to experience a motorbike right here if you wish to. It’s not tremendous huge, however has two cool chambers separated by a cave tunnel. They even have a mini turtle sanctuary!
A pleasant cenote for swimming and snorkeling, additionally they have showers and restrooms on web site. It’s grown in reputation through the years, and might see enormous crowds generally.
Entrance Fee: 180 MXN ($8 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Taak Bi-Ha
This cenote hidden within the jungle of Tulum is a particular one. A full on cave cenote, it’s lit with led lights, however nonetheless saved wanting pure, which I really like. The water is tremendous clear, and snorkeling right here makes you’re feeling like a cave diver. Which, by the best way, you’ll see lots scuba divers disappear into the abyss past.
It’s usually one of many less-crowded cenotes in Tulum, partly resulting from its steep value to enter in comparison with others.
Entrance Fee: 500 MXN ($24 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Car Wash (Aktun Ha)
The Car Wash Cenote is positioned proper off the highway from Tulum to Coba, and was once the place locals would wash their vehicles! Now it’s a correct Tulum swimming cenote the place you’ll see tons of fish, water lilys, iguanas, and even some turtles occasionally.
Car Wash has a couple of wood leaping platforms, a rope swing, and is one other cave diving spot. There are numerous downed timber on the backside too, making for a novel underwater world to view whereas snorkeling round.
Entrance Fee: 200 MXN ($10 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Calavera (Temple Of Doom)
Cenote Calavera will get its title from the looks of a cranium, with three openings into the bottom. It’s a really deep cenote in Tulum which cave divers love. Perfect for leaping from the perimeters (there’s even a slender opening you may drop into).
It’s generally referred to as The Temple Of Doom by skilled scuba divers. There is a swing, in addition to a climbing rope. They have lounge chairs for sunbathing too.
Entrance Fee: 250 MXN ($12 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Choo Ha
This shallow water cave cenote is positioned subsequent to the ruins of Coba (about 45-minutes from Tulum). It boasts crystal clear blue water and lots of stalagmites hanging from the ceiling. It’s a dramatic wanting cenote, and one in all my favourite cenotes close to Tulum.
The shallow water makes this an incredible cenote to go to with a household or small youngsters, though the steps down are fairly steep and slippery. So simply be further cautious! Choo Ha is definitely one in all 3 cenotes positioned round Coba, and it’s attainable to purchase a ticket that covers all of them.
Entrance Fee: 100 MXN ($5 USD)
Location: Click For Map
Kaan Luum
Laguna de Kaan Luum is a transparent shallow lake with brilliant blue water which encircles a deep cenote (sinkhole). With a depth of roughly 262 toes, the waters of this cenote supposedly have magical properties.
Kaan Luum can also be excellent for scuba diving or freediving with the deeper space cordoned off to stop entry to swimmers. There are water hammocks, swings, and small tower that you could climb for an incredible view of the entire space.
Entrance Fee: 300 MXN ($15 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm
Location: Click For Map
Tulum Cenotes Tour
Prefer a guided tour? Explore a few of Tulum’s stunning cenotes in addition to some Mayan ruins.
Best Cenotes In Cancun
Cenote La Noria
The greatest cenotes close to Cancun are positioned alongside the Ruta De Cenotes (Cenote Route) simply exterior the town of Puerto Morelos. La Noria was my favourite of those cenotes. It boasts milky blue water, some rope swings, a leaping platform, and dramatic cave stalactites hanging from the roof.
Entrance Fee: 300 MXN ($14 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm
Location: Click For Map
Verde Lucero
Cenote Verde Lucero is a enjoyable one, with completely different cliff leaping spots and even a zipline! A highly regarded cenote that many excursions cease at. They even have kayaks to hire right here. If you’re staying at a resort in Cancun, these are among the closest cenotes to go to.
Entrance Fee: 300 MXN ($15 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Sol & Luna
Cenote Sol y Luna is the primary cenote you’ll encounter on the Ruta de Cenotes. It’s an enormous advanced, that includes the cenote itself, in addition to a pool, waterslides, temazcal sauna, ATV rides, and extra. The cenote is giant and inexperienced, with enjoyable zipline and a few leaping platforms. Lifejackets are offered (and required) right here.
Entrance Fee: 350 MXN ($15 USD)
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Boca de Puma
A brilliant enjoyable cenote to go to close to Cancun known as Boca de Puma (Mouth of the Puma). It’s really comprised of two completely different cenotes, one in a cave, the opposite open-air. They even have a zipline course right here, in addition to a handful of rescued spider monkeys who roam free within the jungle, however aren’t afraid of individuals in any respect. One of them wouldn’t depart Anna’s aspect!
Entrance Fee: 400 MXN ($20 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Ojo de Agua
This cool cenote referred to as Ojo de Agua has a number of openings (eyes) into the crystal clear water beneath. There are leaping platforms as much as 20 toes excessive, and swimming via the caves beneath is tremendous enjoyable. You should bathe earlier than getting in, and there’s slightly place to purchase lunch right here too.
Entrance Fee: 250 MXN ($12 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Adventure Tour
Visit 4 completely different cenotes on a guided tour from Cancun. Includes kayaking, zip-lining, rappelling, and extra!
Best Cenotes In Playa Del Carmen
Garden Of Eden Cenote
Cenote Jardin del Eden (Garden of Eden) is a big open-air cenote simply exterior Playa del Carmen. It’s fairly in style with locals and expats, with a number of shady timber, a number of decks for leaping or sunbathing, and loads of little fish swimming round. An awesome spot for snorkeling!
Depending on the time of yr, and time of day, it will probably get crowded right here. However as a result of it’s huge, there may be normally loads of room to unfold out.
Entrance Fee: 100 MXN ($4.75 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Azul
Located proper subsequent to Garden of Eden, Cenote Azul has gorgeous blue water. The “blue” cenote boasts a pleasant small cliff you may bounce from, a wood boardwalk, and some shaded areas to hang around.
There’s a number of small fish on this cenote too, who will nibble in your lifeless pores and skin in case you put your toes within the water. A pure Mexican fish spa! Make positive to stroll the jungle path that circles the cenote too, it’s tremendous cool.
Entrance Fee: 100 MXN ($4.75 USD)
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Yax Kin
Cenote Yax Kin is an excellent cenote in Mexico for households and children. This is because of its giant shallow areas, one thing that the majority cenotes don’t have. They even have lounge chairs, and pathways that take you to much more cenotes which might be a part of the identical advanced.
There are grills and campsites obtainable to hire too. Keep an eye fixed out for all of the HUGE iguana lizards who like to hold round this cenote! Sometimes they chase one another up timber. It’s fairly entertaining.
Entrance Fee: 150 MXN ($7 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Best Cenotes Near Valladolid
Ik-Kil Cenote
Cenote Ik-Kil is a brilliant in style cenote close to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, and is commonly included as a cease on guided bus excursions. As such, it’s usually filled with individuals. Massive vines stretch all the way down to the water, making it look very dramatic. While cool, because of the crowds, it’s not my favourite cenote within the space.
Entrance Fee: 350 MXN ($17 USD)
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Zaci-Ha
Cenote Zaci is positioned proper within the coronary heart of the Mexican city of Valladolid, and a straightforward bike experience from wherever on the town. It’s not fairly as in style as others, however has a couple of completely different cliff jumps, some huge black fish swimming round, and generally slightly waterfall.
Entrance Fee: 30 MXN ($1.50 USD)
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Suytun
One of probably the most photogenic cenotes within the Yucatan, Suytun Cenote has turn out to be an Instagram sensation. Sunlight streams down from a gap within the ceiling, making for a really dramatic scene. Due to its reputation, it will probably get fairly busy as everybody waits in line for a photograph on the round walkway.
Each individual will get a few minute to pose on the walkway for pictures, earlier than they blow a whistle and let the subsequent individual in line get their flip. Makes a beautiful photograph, however is just not a really magical expertise like another cenotes will be. A little bit of a vacationer lure.
Entrance Fee: 150 MXN ($9 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote X’Canche
X’canche cenote is subsequent to the Mayan ruins of Ek Balam, and a part of the archaeological web site. It’s fairly cool, and appears like a round crater within the floor with steep sides. It’s a few mile (1.5 km) stroll from the Mayan ruins, however additionally they supply bicycles to hire.
To get all the way down to the water itself, you’ll want to stroll down a few very steep wood staircases. The water is much less clear than another cenotes, so there isn’t a lot to see with snorkeling gear. There are some leaping platforms, a free rope swing, plus ziplines & a rappel that you simply do for an additional price.
Entrance Fee: 70 MXN ($3.50 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 3:30pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Palomitas
This cenote in Mexico is a bit off the overwhelmed path, about 30-minutes from Valladolid. It doesn’t see as many vacationers as others do. It’s really a part of a 3-cenote advanced. It’s a large cave cenote, with a single gap within the prime that permits daylight to stream in. There’s additionally a knotted rope hanging down for climbing!
Entrance Fee: 150 MXN ($7 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 4:30pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Sac-Aua
One of probably the most distinctive cenotes I visited in Mexico, Sac-Aua has an enormous island in the course of it, making a doughnut form. They hire kayaks right here, so you may cruise across the island. There’s additionally a leaping platform, and a bunch of iguanas hanging round. They even have a cavern (cave) you may go to, and can cook dinner a standard Mayan meal for lunch too.
Entrance Fee: 345 MXN ($17 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
Cenote Secreto Maya
There’s heaps to do at this cenote close to Valladolid. A 22 meter leaping platform, 10 meter rope swing, caves to discover, and if you enter, you’re handled to a standard Mayan blessing. There can also be meals, a swimming pool, hammocks, and a large colourful mural to get pleasure from if you’re achieved with the cenote. Loved this one! It wasn’t too crowded both.
Entrance Fee: 200 MXN ($10 USD)
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm
Location: Click For Map
How To Visit Cenotes
Rental Car
The greatest web site to e book a rental automotive in Mexico is with Discover Cars. They search each native and worldwide automotive rental firms that can assist you discover the absolute best value. This is the simplest option to hire a automotive and drive in Mexico.
Renting a automotive presents one of the best flexibility for exploring and visiting among the extra distant cenotes across the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s my favourite option to get round! You can use my Mexico cenote map on the prime of this text that can assist you discover all of them.
Take A Guided Cenote Tour
There are a number of tour choices for visiting cenotes leaving from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum. Some are a part of Mayan Ruins excursions, whereas others mix cenote visits with ziplining, ATV’s and different journey actions. One in style choice leaving from Cancun is the Xenote Experience.
Bicycle Or Taxi
Some of the Tulum cenotes will be reached by bicycle, in addition to some cenotes close to the city of Valladolid. For most others, until you’ve gotten your individual rental automotive, you’ll want to rent a neighborhood taxi to take you. Often taxi drivers provides you with their enterprise card, permitting you to name them if you’re achieved visiting the cenote to get a experience again into city.
Tips For Visiting Cenotes In Mexico
- To keep away from polluting the water in cenotes, most locations require you to bathe earlier than coming into. Please don’t use sunscreen both, as it may be dangerous to wildlife.
- Many cenotes in Mexico present life jackets for people who find themselves not sturdy swimmers. Most cenotes don’t have a shallow space — they are often tremendous deep.
- Some cenotes embody rope swings, leaping platforms, zip traces, and can hire you snorkeling gear.
- Cave divers frequent some cenotes, so be certain to offer them loads of room, and watch out the place you bounce!
- Some cenotes can get very crowded, relying on the season and time of day. If you arrive at a cenote and see a bunch of tour buses, it could be price in search of one other if you wish to keep away from crowds.
- The water in most cenotes is fairly chilly, as they’re fed from underground sources.
Enjoy This Article? Pin It!
READ MORE MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS
I hope you loved my information on cenotes in Mexico! Hopefully you discovered it helpful. Here are a couple of extra wanderlust-inducing articles that I like to recommend you learn subsequent:
Have any questions on visiting cenotes in Mexico? What about different strategies? Join the dialog on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!