Diving in the cenotes of the Riviera Maya is an unforgettable adventure that immerses you in an unparalleled underground world of beauty. These enigmatic freshwater sinkholes, created by millennia of limestone erosion, offer a diving experience like no other on the planet.
Plunge into crystal-clear and transparent waters that allow you to see every last detail of the stunning geological formations that adorn these cenotes, from stalactites and stalagmites to intricate caves and underground passages. In this article, we will explore the BEST OF CENOTES RIVIERA, the Top 10 best cenotes in the Riviera Maya for diving.
10. CASA CENOTE
Casa Cenote, also known as Cenote Manatí, is located 10 km north of Tulum and is a semi-open cenote with a maximum depth of 8 meters. This beautiful oasis surrounded by tropical vegetation is ideal for beginners in activities such as cenote diving, freediving, and snorkeling.
Its rich biodiversity is due to its unique location at the interface between freshwater and saltwater, hosting diverse species, including the famous crocodile Panchito, who has peacefully coexisted with visitors and locals since childhood.
However, when exploring this natural environment, it is essential to maintain a safe distance to ensure safety while enjoying wildlife observation.
9. CENOTE DOS OJOS
The Two eyes cenote, located south of Xel Ha and about 48 km from Playa del Carmen, is a prominent natural attraction for cave diving enthusiasts. This cenote offers shallow dives with impressive visibility.
The maximum depth is 7 meters, and the dive lasts for 55 minutes, suitable for Open Water level divers with good buoyancy control.
Cave divers have the opportunity to explore an exceptionally large cave system, known as SAC ACTUN, the world’s most extensive with 376 km in 2022.
8. CENOTE TAJMA-HA
In the heart of the lush jungle of the Riviera Maya, 28 km south of Playa del Carmen, lies a magical underground world for cave diving enthusiasts.
The adventure takes explorers through caverns, passing by the “Sugar Bowl,” a second small cenote that offers a dazzling light show on sunny days, adorned with stalactites and stalagmites that create a magical atmosphere.
It concludes at the stunning Cenote Esmeralda, providing a unique underground experience in the Riviera Maya.
7. CENOTE TAAK BIHA
“TAAK BI HA, known as “The Hidden Path of Water” in Maya, recently opened up for cave diving. Located near the famous Dos Ojos cenote, this place piques the curiosity of underwater explorers. Access to TAAK BI HA begins thrillingly with a steep staircase leading to a strategically lit cave, making underwater exploration easier. Once inside, divers can enjoy stalactites and stalagmites frozen in time, spectacular columns, and narrow passages that add excitement and mystery to the experience.
Furthermore, TAAK BI HA provides access to the impressive Sac Actun system, with 376 kilometers of underwater passages and galleries. Here, underwater adventurers can explore the Earth’s geological history and the immense beauty beneath the surface that this cenote offers, making TAAK BI HA an even more intriguing destination for cave diving enthusiasts in the Riviera Maya.”
6. CENOTE CARWASH
Located 8 km west of Tulum, also known as Aktun Ha, this cenote offers a unique experience for divers with a minimum Open Water level and good buoyancy control. With a depth of 16 meters and an impressive cavern filled with columns and roots that create a magical atmosphere, the cenote is a spectacular place to explore underwater.
In addition to the cavern, Aktun Ha also has an open section with crystal-clear waters that host a diversity of aquatic life, from cichlids to turtles and other tropical animals. In summary, Carwash is a captivating destination where nature and history blend together. This cenote offers an unforgettable experience to those who have the opportunity to explore it.
5. CENOTE CHAC MOOL
Chac-Mool, a prominent cenote on the Yucatan Peninsula, offers a unique diving and underground exploration experience.
From its entrance into the Little Brother cenote, adventurers immerse themselves in a world of laser lights and submerged logs in the first stage of the dive, while the second chamber surprises with an air dome that allows ascent and enjoyment of majestic stalactites. The halocline, where saltwater and freshwater meet, adds fascinating visual effects to the experience, making Chac-Mool an ideal destination for divers of all levels and home to the world’s largest underwater stalactite, “El Monstro.”
4. CENOTE DREAMGATE
Approximately 50 km south of Playa del Carmen, the cenote Dreamgate showcases stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations amidst the jungle.
Two separate diving circuits reveal unique underwater beauties, but it should be noted that it’s a challenge for experienced divers due to its size and dark areas. Advanced skill and buoyancy control are required to fully enjoy it.
3. CENOTE EL PIT
“The Pit Cenote is an impressive cenote located just 3 kilometers from Dos Ojos, in the midst of the jungle. Its steep and narrow entrance requires caution and specialized equipment. This cenote offers different experiences throughout the year, with majestic light filtrations in winter and bright luminosity in summer. Once inside, divers experience serenity as they explore its depths, including a cloud of hydrogen sulfide and astonishing stalactites.
However, an advanced level of diving and previous deep diving experience is required due to its maximum depth of 35 meters. The cenote plunges into darkness in its depths, reaching up to 120 meters, revealing the cave entrance and a spectacular view of this underground wonder.”
2. CENOTE ZAPOTE
The Cenote Zapote, located in Puerto Morelos, stands out for its natural beauty and the Zapote trees that surround it. Known as “Hell Bells” among intrepid divers, this cenote has an impressive giant hourglass-like shape.
Descending through a 4-meter diameter throat, explorers reach depths of 20 meters and arrive at a bell-shaped chamber.
In the depths of this chamber, about 35 meters below the surface, there is a mysterious veil of hydrogen sulfide enveloping petrified trees in the muddy bed. The walls of the cenote are adorned with thousands of limestone bells, a unique geological formation that creates a mystical and evocative environment.
It is crucial to highlight that exploring Cenote Zapote requires experience in deep cenote diving, as only experienced divers can appreciate its unique beauty.
1. CENOTE ANGELITA
Angelita, a hidden treasure located south of Tulum, is an exceptional diving experience. After a short hike through the jungle, you come across a circular cenote that is 200 feet (60 meters) deep.
Underwater, at 30 meters, a cloud of hydrogen sulfate creates a surreal separation between two worlds. Further below, impressive stalactites hang from the cenote, bearing witness to times gone by.
This dive is for experienced divers due to its depth of 130 feet (40 meters) and is popular for technical diving, decompression, and freediving. Nitrox is recommended, and the dive time is around 40 minutes depending on air consumption.
