Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
One in every of my favourite issues to do in Mexico is swim within the lovely cenotes of the Yucatan. Listed here are suggestions for visiting a cenote in Mexico, and the best way to take pleasure in them responsibly.
Cenotes in Mexico are tremendous cool! The Mayan individuals used cenotes to provide their historic cities (like Chichen Itza) with recent water, in addition to a sacred place to conduct sacrificial choices to their gods.
Historic artifacts and even human bones have been found in lots of.
Choices have been made to the Mayan god Chaac, the god of rain, when drought threatened the realm. The Maya additionally believed these underground wells have been entrances to the afterlife.
Regardless of their barely creepy historical past, nowadays 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!
Right 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 repeatedly touring to Mexico as a digital nomad, I wished to place collectively a useful information to my favourite cenotes all through the Yucatan Peninsula.
Hello, I’m Matthew Karsten
I’ve been touring the world for 10+ years as an expert photographer & author. I hope you take pleasure in my Mexican cenote suggestions! Should you discover them helpful, utilizing my affiliate hyperlinks to ebook one thing will give me a small fee, at no additional price to you. Thanks!
Mexico Cenotes Map
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you’ll discover a map of cenotes in Mexico. Click on on the highest left of the map to seek out separate layers marking the route and factors of curiosity. You possibly can conceal 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 personal Google Maps, or open the map in a brand new window for a bigger model. Take pleasure in!
Greatest Cenotes In Mexico
What Precisely Is A Cenote?
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is legendary for its wonderful cenotes — pure swimming pools of recent water situated in limestone caves. These swimming pools are related to one another by way of the world’s largest underground river system.
Rain water seeps by way of the porous limestone, accumulating 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 fully collapsed, whereas “cave cenotes” might have most or all of their roof nonetheless intact.
Many cenotes in Mexico are dwelling to quite a lot of fish and plants, some even have turtles!
There are supposedly over 6000 completely different cenotes situated in Mexico. Some have been become 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.
Greatest Cenotes In Tulum
Casa Cenote (Cenote Manatí)
One in every 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 spot for snorkeling. It’s slender however VERY lengthy, so that you may need to use a life jacket (they’ve them) in the event you’re not a robust swimmer.
Locals name it “Cenote Manati”, as a result of there was a inhabitants of Manatees residing in it. Whereas 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 Payment: 150 MXN ($7 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Dos Ojos
Dos Ojos Cenote is likely one of the coolest cenotes close to Tulum. It’s very talked-about for scuba diving, attributable to its “two eyes” (sinkholes) separated by a 400m lengthy underwater tunnel. However it’s additionally enjoyable for snorkeling, as there are many caves to discover which can be simply above the water line.
As a result of Dos Ojos is likely one of the most well-known cenotes within the Yucatan Peninsula, it could actually get crowded quick. It’s really a part of an enormous cenote complicated, and there are lots of completely different ones you’ll be able to go to within the space.
Entrance Payment: 350 MXN ($17 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Gran Cenote Tulum
Gran Cenote (aka Nice Cenote) is likely one of the closest cenotes to Tulum. The truth is it’s potential to journey a motorcycle right here if you wish to. It’s not tremendous massive, however has two cool chambers separated by a cave tunnel. In addition they have a mini turtle sanctuary!
A pleasant cenote for swimming and snorkeling, additionally they have showers and restrooms on website. It’s grown in reputation over time, and might see large crowds generally.
Entrance Payment: 180 MXN ($8 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click on 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 stored wanting pure, which I really like. The water is tremendous clear, and snorkeling right here makes you are feeling like a cave diver. Which, by the best way, you’ll see loads scuba divers disappear into the abyss past.
It’s typically one of many less-crowded cenotes in Tulum, partly attributable to its steep worth to enter in comparison with others.
Entrance Payment: 500 MXN ($24 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Automotive Wash (Aktun Ha)
The Automotive Wash Cenote is situated proper off the street from Tulum to Coba, and was the place locals would wash their automobiles! Now it’s a correct Tulum swimming cenote the place you’ll see tons of fish, water lilys, iguanas, and even some turtles on occasion.
Automotive Wash has a number of picket leaping platforms, a rope swing, and is one other cave diving spot. There are loads of downed bushes on the backside too, making for a novel underwater world to view whereas snorkeling round.
Entrance Payment: 200 MXN ($10 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm
Location: Click on 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. Good for leaping from the perimeters (there’s even a slender opening you’ll be able to drop into).
It’s generally referred to as The Temple Of Doom by skilled scuba divers. There’s a swing, in addition to a climbing rope. They’ve lounge chairs for sunbathing too.
Entrance Payment: 250 MXN ($12 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Choo Ha
This shallow water cave cenote is situated 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 considered one of my favourite cenotes close to Tulum.
The shallow water makes this an ideal cenote to go to with a household or small children, though the steps down are fairly steep and slippery. So simply be additional cautious! Choo Ha is definitely considered one of 3 cenotes situated round Coba, and it’s potential to purchase a ticket that covers all of them.
Entrance Payment: 100 MXN ($5 USD)
Location: Click on For Map
Kaan Luum
Laguna de Kaan Luum is a transparent shallow lake with vibrant blue water which encircles a deep cenote (sinkhole). With a depth of roughly 262 ft, the waters of this cenote supposedly have magical properties.
Kaan Luum can also be good for scuba diving or freediving with the deeper space cordoned off to forestall entry to swimmers. There are water hammocks, swings, and small tower you can climb for an ideal view of the entire space.
Entrance Payment: 300 MXN ($15 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm
Location: Click on For Map
Tulum Cenotes Tour
Want a guided tour? Discover a few of Tulum’s lovely cenotes in addition to some Mayan ruins.
Greatest Cenotes In Cancun
Cenote La Noria
The very best cenotes close to Cancun are situated alongside the Ruta De Cenotes (Cenote Route) simply outdoors 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 Payment: 300 MXN ($14 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm
Location: Click on For Map
Verde Lucero
Cenote Verde Lucero is a enjoyable one, with completely different cliff leaping spots and even a zipline! A very talked-about cenote that many excursions cease at. In addition they have kayaks to lease right here. If you’re staying at a resort in Cancun, these are a number of the closest cenotes to go to.
Entrance Payment: 300 MXN ($15 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click on 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 complicated, 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 Payment: 350 MXN ($15 USD)
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Boca de Puma
An excellent enjoyable cenote to go to close to Cancun is 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. In addition they 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 in every of them wouldn’t go away Anna’s facet!
Entrance Payment: 400 MXN ($20 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click on 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 ft excessive, and swimming by way of the caves beneath is tremendous enjoyable. You need to bathe earlier than getting in, and there’s just a little place to purchase lunch right here too.
Entrance Payment: 250 MXN ($12 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Journey Tour
Go to 4 completely different cenotes on a guided tour from Cancun. Contains kayaking, zip-lining, rappelling, and extra!
Greatest Cenotes In Playa Del Carmen
Backyard Of Eden Cenote
Cenote Jardin del Eden (Backyard of Eden) is a big open-air cenote simply outdoors Playa del Carmen. It’s fairly fashionable with locals and expats, with plenty of shady bushes, a number of decks for leaping or sunbathing, and loads of little fish swimming round. An ideal spot for snorkeling!
Relying on the time of yr, and time of day, it could actually get crowded right here. Nevertheless as a result of it’s massive, there may be often loads of room to unfold out.
Entrance Payment: 100 MXN ($4.75 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Azul
Situated proper subsequent to Backyard of Eden, Cenote Azul has beautiful blue water. The “blue” cenote boasts a pleasant small cliff you’ll be able to bounce from, a picket boardwalk, and some shaded areas to hang around.
There’s plenty of small fish on this cenote too, who will nibble in your useless pores and skin in the event you put your ft within the water. A pure Mexican fish spa! Ensure to stroll the jungle path that circles the cenote too, it’s tremendous cool.
Entrance Payment: 100 MXN ($4.75 USD)
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Yax Kin
Cenote Yax Kin is an excellent cenote in Mexico for households and youngsters. This is because of its giant shallow areas, one thing that the majority cenotes don’t have. In addition they have lounge chairs, and pathways that take you to much more cenotes which can be a part of the identical complicated.
There are grills and campsites accessible to lease too. Maintain a watch out for all of the HUGE iguana lizards who like to hold round this cenote! Typically they chase one another up bushes. It’s fairly entertaining.
Entrance Payment: 150 MXN ($7 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Greatest Cenotes Close to Valladolid
Ik-Kil Cenote
Cenote Ik-Kil is an excellent fashionable cenote close to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, and is usually included as a cease on guided bus excursions. As such, it’s usually filled with individuals. Huge vines stretch all the way down to the water, making it look very dramatic. Whereas cool, as a result of crowds, it’s not my favourite cenote within the space.
Entrance Payment: 350 MXN ($17 USD)
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Zaci-Ha
Cenote Zaci is situated proper within the coronary heart of the Mexican city of Valladolid, and a straightforward bike journey from anyplace on the town. It’s not fairly as fashionable as others, however has a number of completely different cliff jumps, some massive black fish swimming round, and generally just a little waterfall.
Entrance Payment: 30 MXN ($1.50 USD)
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Suytun
Probably the most photogenic cenotes within the Yucatan, Suytun Cenote has develop into an Instagram sensation. Daylight streams down from a gap within the ceiling, making for a really dramatic scene. Because of its reputation, it could actually get fairly busy as everybody waits in line for a photograph on the round walkway.
Every individual will get a few minute to pose on the walkway for images, earlier than they blow a whistle and let the subsequent individual in line get their flip. Makes a beautiful picture, however isn’t a really magical expertise like another cenotes may be. A little bit of a vacationer lure.
Entrance Payment: 150 MXN ($9 USD)
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote X’Canche
X’canche cenote is subsequent to the Mayan ruins of Ek Balam, and a part of the archaeological website. 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 provide bicycles to lease.
To get all the way down to the water itself, you want to stroll down a few very steep picket 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 just do for an additional price.
Entrance Payment: 70 MXN ($3.50 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 3:30pm
Location: Click on 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 complicated. It’s an enormous cave cenote, with a single gap within the high that enables daylight to stream in. There’s additionally a knotted rope hanging down for climbing!
Entrance Payment: 150 MXN ($7 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 4:30pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Sac-Aua
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 lease kayaks right here, so you’ll be able to cruise across the island. There’s additionally a leaping platform, and a bunch of iguanas hanging round. In addition they have a cavern (cave) you’ll be able to go to, and can prepare dinner a standard Mayan meal for lunch too.
Entrance Payment: 345 MXN ($17 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
Cenote Secreto Maya
There’s tons 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 may be additionally meals, a swimming pool, hammocks, and an enormous colourful mural to take pleasure in if you’re finished with the cenote. Liked this one! It wasn’t too crowded both.
Entrance Payment: 200 MXN ($10 USD)
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm
Location: Click on For Map
How To Go to Cenotes
Rental Automotive
The very best website to ebook a rental automobile in Mexico is with Uncover Vehicles. They search each native and worldwide automobile rental firms that will help you discover the absolute best worth. That is the best approach to lease a automobile and drive in Mexico.
Renting a automobile presents the perfect flexibility for exploring and visiting a number of the extra distant cenotes across the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s my favourite approach to get round! You should use my Mexico cenote map on the high of this text that will help you discover all of them.
Listed here are some helpful suggestions for renting a automobile and driving in Mexico too. We do it lots!
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 fashionable choice leaving from Cancun is the Xenote Expertise.
Bicycle Or Taxi
A number of the Tulum cenotes may be reached by bicycle, in addition to some cenotes close to the city of Valladolid. For many others, except you may have your personal rental automobile, you’ll want to rent an area taxi to take you. Usually taxi drivers provides you with their enterprise card, permitting you to name them if you’re finished visiting the cenote to get a journey again into city.
Lease A Automotive In Mexico
Search each native and worldwide automobile rental firms that will help you discover a whole lot.
Ideas 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 robust swimmers. Most cenotes don’t have a shallow space — they are often tremendous deep.
- Some cenotes embrace rope swings, leaping platforms, zip strains, and can lease you snorkeling gear.
- Cave divers frequent some cenotes, so be certain to provide 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. Should you arrive at a cenote and see a bunch of tour buses, it is likely to be price on the lookout for 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.
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