Learning some Spanish will definitely help you barter, but sometimes, you just have to accept that you wont be paying nearly the same price as the locals. Below, I have posted some of my favorite photos from the cenotes near Playa del Carmen. BOOK IT HERE, Cenote Nicte-Ha Entrance Fee: 250 MXN.Cenote Nicte-Ha Opening Times: 9 AM to 5 PM daily.Best For: Swimming / Snorkeling / Scuba Diving. If you feel confident driving in a foreign country, renting a car is probably the easiest way to get around and go visiting Tulum cenotes. Swimming in cenotes is something that you can only do here, and that will quickly become your favorite activity in the Riviera Maya. Carretera A Tulum Carrillo Puerto KM 200, Tulum, Q.R., Mexico, RELATED ARTICLE How To Swim With The SeaTurtles In Akumal. Keep in mind that only experienced divers are allowed to dive here. On the dive, you can hover above and dip below the gas layer if you feel comfortable. RELATED ARTICLE Ultimate Guide To Laguna Kaan Luum. Renting a bike for a day shouldnt cost you more than 200 pesos (around $10). He obviously loves his job cenote diving and goes out of his way to ensure his customers have the best day diving of their lives diving some of the best cenotes Mexico has to offer! Seeing the cenotes in real life is absolutely incredible and Im sure you will want to know what items are an absolute must-bring when spending time in these mesmerizing natural structures. You can select an area to download and use offline if you wont always have access to data in Mexico. Youll find it on your right after passing Cenote Calavera. Be aware that if you bring professional photo equipment, like a GoPro or a drone, they may charge you extra. BOOK IT HERE, The Cenote Triple Adventure Tourtakes you to three cenotes to free-dive, snorkel and cliff-jump, as well as explore the various rock formations underwater. This is the cenote with a swing and a jumping platform, all surrounded by Mexican jungle foliage; its a great cenote to photograph, thats for sure. memories! Cave Cenotes Cave cenotes can usually be accessed via a land-level entrance with a staircase. Cenote Cristal is located on Highway 307 going south from Tulum. Want to take it a step further and stay at a cenote hotel in Tulum? Keep reading for a full restaurant review. By using these links youre supporting my blog so I can keep traveling, and I only feature products I believe in and use myself. warned. The cenote itself is fairly average. The complex cave systems of the cenotes are extremely easy to get lost in, it is not worth the risk. As cenotes in Mexico get increasingly popular, locals see this as an opportunity to make more and more money from tourists. This cenote was first discovered in 1987, and while its more known among divers, snorkelers can enjoy it too. Even though Casa Tortuga means Turtle House in Spanish, dont go looking for turtles because its unlikely youll see one; the name is a bit deceiving on that end! Not only its expressly forbidden in many of them, but its also just really bad for the water and its creatures.If you really need to use sunscreen, only go for 100% biodegradable sunscreen. Share this or save it for future reference! Trying to decide where to base yourself? In cenotes, theres no current so you dont have to worry about rip tides, waves, or boats while you swim. You can get to quite a few really good cenotes with a bicycle. The cenote tour can take some time, especially if you need to wait for more members before the tour can leave, so make sure you leave at least a few hours to complete the entire route. Theres also a bar and hammocks to hang out as well as a pool. Hell, you may even discover your own favorite cenote Mexico has to offer in this very guide! Check out the Snorkeling Adventure Tour in Three Ecosystems. Bring food and at least 2L of water per person, expect to spend at least 1 hour per Cenote + the half-hour bike ride there and back. people have got lost in the many tunnels and drowned inside. Boasting vibrant blue water, unique rock formations, and an ideal spot to go swimming, this is one cenote you do not want to miss! Coming from Tulum you can hop a Colectivo in the center for 35 pesos that will drop you off near the lagoon, or a private taxi from Tulum will cost about 250 pesos (tourist price). Did you know that the deeper you go the more colours youll lose out of your photos or video? Check out some of the shots it took in the cenotes above! Follow the directions for Cenote Dos Ojos. Puerto Morelos is halfway between Playa del Carmen and Cancun, If you want to go via public transit you could take a Colectivo or bus to Puerto Morelos (if via Colectivo youll need to transfer in Playa if youre coming from Tulum). Mexico is a water-lovers paradise and it would be a shame not to capture all your special memories made in the cenotes. Exploring cenotes seriously quickly became one of my favorite activities in the Rivera Maya, and I am confident they will become one of your favorites too. Dos Ojos Cenote Complex has 5 cenotes; Dos Ojos, El Pit, Jaguar, Nicte Ha, & Los Monos. In some cenotes there might be small carp and minnows, but nothing that will affect a swimmer. Though you cannot enter the passage, the eyes are a beautiful place to go snorkeling. Under the surface, the caved-in middle platform juts downward in an Cross a boardwalk through the Mexican jungle, visit ancient Mayan ruins, climb a treehouse, and take a speedboat to a natural lazy river all in 4 hours! One of the cave cenotes you are led inside where you can see bats and interesting blind cave fish. In Spanish, Calavera means skull- a pretty grim-sounding name, right? This means that when you scuba dive there, you can follow the edge around past rainbow-colored rock formations, a prehistoric fossil and have fun swimming through the halocline. When there are crocodiles in cenotes, its usually well-known. Yal-Ku Cenote is a great option for snorkeling, as its waters are spectacularly clear and there are plenty of colorful fish to swim with. This type of underwater caves is the most mysterious one, and some of my favorite cenotes are in this category. Re: Cenote Sac Actun for Non-Swimmer 5 years ago Save If you don't swim I would suggest Riu Secreto . Snorkel equipment ($80 MXN), life jacket and locker rental ($30 MXN) available, 4 km (2.5 miles) from Tulum town center on the Highway to Coba (Carretera 309), $300 MXN pesos general entry fee (updated 15th June 2021), Toilet only. If youre not, then dont worry- theres a ladder you can climb down instead! Cenote El Pit Entrance Fee: 300 MXN or 500 MXN for a combined ticket with Dos Ojos Cenote as well.Cenote El Pit Opening Times: 9 AM to 5 PM daily.Best For: Diving. It is one of the most remote cenotes near Tulum so you are more likely to have some peace and quiet. The cave then drops even further but cant be reached by untrained divers. It can be accessed from the same entrance as Cenote Dos Ojos and El Pit, so it is possible to do these cenotes on the same trip. I always book my bus trips ahead of time with Busbud.com because they accept international credit cards. Adorned with colorful rock decorations, stalactites, and the giant fallen trees, this cenote has an eerie, otherworldly vibe! Youve been Follow me foradventures, tips and a travel show! The soft sand at the bottom is known to be a great skin exfoliator, but it smells like rotting eggs! You need to understand how they work, but then they are really easy to use and they are your best option if you are traveling on a budget. The cenotes at Casa Tortuga are ideal for swimming, snorkeling and admiring the stalactites and stalagmites in the caverns. At Cenote Azul, you just have to dip your feet in the water and get in, as you would in a swimming pool! Cenote Zacil Ha is relatively small its like a pit with very blue water. It's a draw for divers, as it provides access to the second-largest cave system in the world. 2023 NEW MENU: Is Be Our Guest Restaurant in Disney World Worth It? Cenote Calavera might be my favorite cenote in Tulum! If you rent a scooter in Tulum you can easily reach further out cenotes like Cenote Zacil Ha. Combine it with Dos Ojos for the perfect day tour from Tulum. Required fields are marked *. It's really an amazing place and the people working there are very friendly. Cenote Zacil Ha is not that big, but the cenote has plenty going for it, including a zip line that runs some 10 feet above the surface of the water, the perfect way for thrill seekers to plunge into it. On the opposite side of the road, near Akumal Beach, there is a lagoon-style cenote called Laguna Yal-Ku (sometimes called Cenote Akumal). Car Wash is a large open cenote, filled with brightly colored lily pads, turtles and even the odd shy cayman. From Valladolid youll need to take a taxi to Cenote Oxman because its on the outskirts of the city our taxi cost 125 pesos ($6), and we were able to arrange it with the driver to pick us up via Whatsapp for another 125 pesos so we didnt need to pay someone to wait for us. They are out-of-this-world, incredible, fascinating, spectacular and should be high up on your Mexico itinerary! Best Snorkeling Cenotes Best Scuba Diving Cenotes Best Cave Cenotes Best Free Cenotes Playa del Carmen Cenotes, Tulum Cenotes Map Getting to Cenotes in Tulum Cenote Packing List Where to Stay in Tulum. The Cob cenotes are unique because theyre all 100% underground. Cenote Angelita is a deep cenote located to the south of Tulum. Theres a complex with hammocks outside the cenote and the water is very clean. Sac Actun, meaning white cave in Mayan, is the second-longest underwater cave system in the world, accessible by hundreds of sinkholes (cenotes). It is one of the BEST diving Ive ever done in my life! Make sure that you wear something that will enable you to swim with ease and to make the most of the natural pool. You can book on Busbud.com. You cant visit this cenote without a guide, which explains the high cost of the entrance fee. You can walk or bike to Aldea Zama Cenote from pretty much anywhere in Tulum. Some cenotes like Casa Cenote and Laguna Kaan Luum are open-air cenotes that get lots of sunlight warming the water. 2. Cenote Dos Ojos is a good example of this and is the perfect cenote to do your first cavern dive. Nothing super special if youve been to other cenotes in the area, but it makes sense to visit if youre already visiting the more popular Cenote Cristal. The bio-diversity in cenotes is fragile and the ingredients of most sunscreens and insect repellants can severely damage the cenotes and harm the fish. This eco-hotel in Tulum features a Gram-tastic infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean beachs turquoise waters, seriously sumptuous day-beds and, best of all, glass-walled tree houses with unsurpassable jungle sea views. This passage is filled with spectacular stalactites and stalagmites that you come face-to-face with as you cruise past. Some cenotes will require you to shower before entering and you may also like to get a biodegradable sunscreen. You will have to cross the highway via an overpass if youre coming from Cancun via bus. I have marked on the cenote map where you can get these colectivos. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Camera: Because these cenotes feature one-of-a-kind natural beauty, it is hard to pass up the opportunity to capture them in photos. Some will stop, some wont. Its a large, open cenote so it is never crowded. Buses run directly to Valladolid from Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen. Sure, what youre seeing isnt as clear and you cant breathe underwater, but While living in Mexico, my local friend took me to all of the best cenotes near Tulum. Shabby but cute, Mamas Home has the best backpacker vibes! If youre coming from Cancun or Playa via public transit the easiest way to get to Caleta Tankah is by getting to Tulum first via bus or Colectivo and then biking, scootering, or driving to Caleta Tankah from Tulum center. BOOK IT HERE, Cenote Triple Adventure Tour This Tulum cenote tour will bring you to three different cenotes in half a day, where youll get to snorkel, free-dive and cliff-jump, as well as marvel at the surroundings of each. The entrance is steep and narrow but once in the water, it opens up into a huge menacing cavern. Carwash Cenote: Best Less Visited Cenote 5. Yes, it was like that! If you can split the cost with a few other people, its the way to go IMO. Life jacket and snorkel gear for rent. You can also join an organized tour to Grand Cenote. In this winding underwater cave system, both diving and snorkeling are stunning in CenoteDos Ojos(Two Eyes Cenote). Yes and no. The location of this cenote near the, highway 307 going north from Tulum, towards Playa del Carmen. Well, you have multiple options. It is possibly the most expensive cenote in Tulum, and most packed with people. disclaimer. The incredible Cenote Angelita (or Little Angel) is one of the most interesting cenotes to scuba dive in Mexico. The Pet Cemetery Cenote (or Cenote Sac Actun) might sound creepy but it is actually one of the most beautiful cenotes in Mexico. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Home North America Mexico The Best Cenotes in Tulum (2022 Mexico Expert Guide). Its owners make sure that the place is ran in the most sustainable way possible. Youre able to cruise under the wetland mangrove roots, through a limestone passage and face-on with interesting fish. Yucatan cenotes are usually located on private property, meaning prices can change at any time at the owners discretion. . There you can swim, snorkel, or even scuba dive, though swimming and snorkeling are more popular.For something less touristy, we recommend Cenote Pet Cemetery. There are no undercurrents nor dangerous rock formations, however, you should only venture into activities you feel confident about! Zamas Hotel: Choose one of the colorful bungalows on the beach at this boutique hotel and wake up to the sound of waves. Rather, it takes its name from the three sinkholes which open up into it, which from above resemble the eye sockets and mouth of an enormous skull. 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Restaurante Dos Ojos and Restaurante Juanita near the entrance, North of Tulum 22 km (13.5 miles) down the highway to Playa del Carmen (Carretera 307) and turning left onto Cenote Jaguar Road, $150 MXN pesos general entry / $200 MXN pesos scuba diver entry. The Tulum and Playa Del Carmen cenotes that I went Semi-open Cenotes As the name implies, this type of cenote has some parts that are exposed like the open cenotes above, and some portions that are partially hidden by a cave. In 2022 the entrance fee for Gran Cenote is 500 pesos ($25) and then they charge more for snorkel, locker, and towel rental. Gran Cenote: Best Cenote for Insta Photos 3. It leads around an air-filled bat cave, where divers will actually ascend to take a look at the bats and the stunning cave decorations. Casa Cenote is very large, its great for snorkeling and some people have reported seeing a tiny crocodile there. From the surface, it appears to be two separate sinkholes, each filled with crystal-clear blue water that makes it look as though the Earth itself is peering up at you through two enormous eyes. The rooms are packed with beds, but the breakfast is flipping amazing. Open hours: 9 am5 pm daily. The Cenote Triple Adventure is a great Cenote Calavera tour. It is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or diving. Others such as Cenote Calavera and Cenote Carwash are located on the Tulum/Coba highway, going towards the Coba Ruins. Cenote Dos Ojos Opening Times: 9 AM to 5 PM daily.Best For: Swimming / Snorkeling / Diving, Cenote Dos Ojos is on the Carretera Federal 307, km 244.5, 22km north of Tulum, READ THE FULL BLOG POST FOR MORE INFO:Visit Cenote Dos Ojos, Tulum The Most Beautiful Cenote in Riviera Maya. Cenotes are not only safe for swimming but theyre naturesperfectswimming spots free from the dangers of the beach. If youre staying in Tulum, then there are so many amazing cenotes in Tulum just a stones throw away, and it would be a shame not to include these incredible natural wonders in your Yucatan itinerary. On my first trip to Mexico, I bought a top-of-the-line snorkeling kit and I did not regret it. Yes! This natural sinkhole or pool gets then filled with rain water and with water flowing through the underground river, to which these cenotes are connected to. Cenote Corazon is heart-shaped, hence the name Corazon = heart in Spanish. The roads are well kept and rivers more or less respect the rules. On your way back youll notice the mesmerizing light beams that dance around in the depths on a sunny day. Paddleboard & Snorkel at Casa Cenote + Photos + Tacos! In one day, youll be able to snorkel at Casa Cenote + Cenote Sac Actun and the beautiful reef of Tulum. But its not as easy as saying that cenotes are underground sinkholes and thats it. We booked an Oriente bus (in person because Oriente isnt listed online) for 55 pesos each way. And with a sandy bottom and sunbathing decks, it's also a favorite with swimmers and those looking to relax in the sun. Cenote Triple Tour in Tulum Casa Cenote, Gran Cenote and Temple of Doom, Request to visit Cenote Angelita on this cavern diving tour, Dos Ojos Cenote Private Tour with Mayan lunch, Request to visit Cenote El Pit on this cavern diving tour, Tulum Ruins and Grand Cenote Tour from Playa del Carmen, Cenote Trail Bicycle Tour (including Grand Cenote) from Tulum, 5 PLACES ONE PRICE! You read that right! Location: 22km (13 miles) north of Tulum, about a 20-minute drive. The cave system is mapped out by reel lines, helping the first-time cavern-diver like myself feel safe navigating these confusing tunnels. In English, the name of this cave cenote translates to two eyes- and the reason for that becomes clear as soon as you set eyes on Cenote Dos Ojos, one of the best cenotes in Tulum. Usually you wont have to wait for more than 5-10 minutes. Cenote Zacil-Ha is located on the Highway going to Coba about 8.5 km (5.2 miles) from Tulum or less than a 15-minute drive. From the ADO Bus Terminal in Tulum Town, drive for 5 minutes and youll find it on your left, right in front of Cenote Cristal. However, even though its easily accessible, it rarely gets crowded, so its the ideal spot to come for a swim and relax (even better if you have a heart floatie to play with!). One is 3 meters high and one is about 10. Check the maps for snorkel cenotes https://castawaywithcrystal.com/best-cenotes-tulum/ https://www.selvatica.com.mx/top-20-cenotes-riviera-maya-cant-miss-guide/ The Private Tour to Cenote Taak Bi Ha and Nicte Ha offers transportation from Tulum, as well as lunch and snorkeling equipment. almost perfect circle, with boulders tumbling down the sides. dipping the phone under. Cenote Calavera translates to skull cenote in English, and the reason it is called this is that the sunlight that pours in through the holes of the cenote looks exactly like a skull at certain angles of the dive. Water Bottle: Mexico has tropical weather so you can expect it to be hot and humid. You cant get closer to the beach than this!Check out prices and availability for Zamas Hotel.CHECK OUT A FULL REVIEW OF ZAMAS HOTEL. Its a bit steep to get in (300 pesos) but Caleta Tankah is one of the only places in Tulum with a (small) seaweed-free beach. Its a 20 min bike and youll pass various Mayan villages that cater to tourists. Maybe thats why its so good for you. Read More 3 BEST Supermarkets in Tulum, Mexico in 2023Continue. Book your accommodation by using the map belowHere youll find hotels and holiday rentals in Tulum Town; change the location to Tulum Beach if you prefer to stay by the beach. Theres a nice deck for you to sit on and a few active cichlid fish swimming around the mangroves as well as a resident cayman that I never got the pleasure of meeting. You can pay per cenote entrance (200-300 pesos per cenote), or book a guided tour of the park for 600-700 pesos on their website linked here.