26 Best Tulum cenotes: Pro Guide To Plan Your Trip [2023]

How to choose among all the Tulum cenotes?

There are so many options that you probably need help figuring out where to start. And you only have a few days available in your itinerary, so you better choose well!

Wouldn’t it be great to have a guide that compares all the cenotes near Tulum? So you won’t have to spend hours wondering if you made the right choice?

Then, you’re in the right place.

I visited more than twenty Cenotes during my 2 months in the Riviera Maya.

Thanks to this guide, you will know which are the most visited cenotes, which are the most suitable for snorkeling, which are perfect for a family day, and so on!

Read on to make the right decision 😉

👉 Don’t hesitate to read our Tulum guide to plan your vacation and not make any more mistakes. You will find all our articles about this destination.

Quick Answers: Best cenotes near Tulum

• Best diving cenotes in tulum: Angelita or El Pit 
• Best open cenotes near tulum: Cenote Zemway, Cenote Nic Te ha, Casa cenote
• Best semi-open cenote near Tulum: Gran Cenote & Taak Bi Ha
• Best cave cenote near Tulum: Sac Actún
• Best cenote parks: Tankha & Casa Tortuga
• Best cenotes tours: 3 cenotes in 1 day (group) and 3 cenotes in 1 day (private)

Maps of the cenotes near Tulum

Best cenotes near Tulum

A brief and helpful overview to help you choose among the best Tulum cenotes. They are classified by distance (the closest to Tulum being first in this article).

About “Popularity”: The rating goes from 1 to 5, 5 meaning that the cenote is very well known and, therefore, there will be many people.

Entrance: $ = < 100 MXN; $$ = 100 – 250; $$$= 250 – 500; $$$$= 500 – 1000; $$$$$ > 1000 MXN

1# Cenote Cristal

Cenote Cristal is a lovely open-air cenote with cool, clear blue waters offering good visibility. The place is quiet and perfect for family swimming. A wooden tower about 3 m high allows you to make some dives.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Cristal

• 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency:4.5/5
• Popularity:4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 2.5/5
• Lifejacket: For rent on site
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• With a bit of luck and patience, you may see a turtle.
• Go for a swim in the tunnel to admire the stalactites.
• It is better to avoid weekends for more tranquillity.

🚗 How to get there

• The best is to book a tour that will drive you there early in the morning.
• Bicycle fans will not need to cycle more than 20 minutes from Tulum.
• You can also rent a car and visit several cenotes during the day.
• This bike tour includes this cenote.

2# Cenote Escondido

Cenote Escondido is a lovely open-air cenote surrounded by beautiful vegetation. With its long shape and crystal clear waters full of fish and aquatic plants, it is a great place to swim or snorkel with family and friends.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Escondido

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 5/5
• Infrastructure: 1.5/5
• Lifejacket: For rent on site
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Cenote Escondido faces Cenote Cristal, and you can buy a single ticket for 2 at 300 pesos.
• Scuba diving aficionados can go from one to the other through the underwater tunnel that connects them (500 m).
• Bring some food and drink if you plan to spend the day there.

🚗 How to get there

• By public transport, take a colectivo to Felipe Carrillo Puerto (20 – 40 pesos) and ask the driver to let you on the side of the road.
• By bike from Tulum (20 min).
• This bike tour includes this cenote.

3# Cenote Calavera

Cenote Calavera is a very photogenic small cenote with a circular shape surrounded by vegetation and accessible by a wooden ladder, a rope, or jumping (2/3 m). The water is deep but not very clear. This cenote is more suitable for divers curious to explore underwater rock formations than for swimming amateurs. The place is more suitable for couples or friends than for families.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Calavera

• Time: 9 am – 4 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 2.5/5
• Popularity: 5/5
• Infrastructure: 4/5
• Lifejacket: For rent on site (50 pesos)
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• The rocks around the cenote are sharp; bring rubber shoes.
• Once in the water, look up to see the bats in the cenote cave!
• The site is arranged but needs to be better maintained (waste).

🚗 How to get there

• Easy access from Tulum (2 km) by foot, bike, or rental car.

4# Cenote Corazón del Paraíso

Cenote Corazón del Paraíso is a lovely heart-shaped open-air cenote surrounded by vegetation. Its waters are very clear, perfect for swimming and snorkeling among curious fishes that come to nibble at the bathers. Surrounded by wooden duckboards and mainly frequented by locals, the site is ideal for a relaxing day with your lover.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Corazón del Paraíso

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 4/5
• Popularity: 4/5
• Infrastructure: 3/5
• Lifejacket: For rent on-site
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Maybe you will meet turtles or even the friendly little crocodile that enjoys the place.

🚗 How to get there

• By rental car (8 min from Tulum)
• Take a collectivo to Aldea Tulum in the Parque Rotario (near Tulum downtown) and walk 15 min.

5# Gran Cenote

Gran Cenote is a beautiful cenote composed of several small cenotes lined with wooden walkways. Green lawns surround it to relax.

Its stunning clear blue waters are ideal for swimming and watching fish and turtles.

A shallow part of the cenote with a sand bottom is great for kids.

Snorkelers can explore the cenote caves and tunnels in the company of many bats.

☑️ Infos about Gran Cenote

• Time: 8 am – 4.15 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 5/5
• Infrastructure: 4/5
• Lifejacket: Included and required
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Bring cash to pay the entrance fee.
• Remember to take your ID as a deposit for the snorkeling equipment and the lifejacket included in the entrance fee.
• The place is quite crowded, so it’s best to be there at opening time.

🚗 How to get there

• Take a taxi or a colectivo to Coba (5 km from Tulum).
• Taking a Cenote trail by bike from Tulum.
• You can book this group tour or this private tour.

6# Cenote Santa Cruz Tulum

Cenote Santa Cruz Tulum is a lovely, large open-air cenote with crystalline waters surrounding a central islet. An area with a restaurant makes this cenote a perfect spot for those who want to spend a quiet afternoon swimming and chilling out in the shade of palapas.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Santa Cruz Tulum

• Time: 10 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 5/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Be careful another cenote has the same name. This one is located 10 minutes north of Tulum.
• Fish and turtles are less shy in the morning at the opening or the end of the day before closing.

🚗 How to get there

• Take a taxi from Tulum or hire a bike if you are a sports lover.

7# Car Wash Cenote or Aktun Ha Cenote

Car Wash Cenote is a gorgeous open-air cenote in a beautiful, quiet natural environment. Its very clear waters are ideal for swimming and snorkeling among fish, turtles, and aquatic plants. In its deeper part (15 m), its underwater caves with colorful rock formations and the huge tree trunks that fell on the ground make it an excellent spot for scuba diving fans.

☑️ Infos about Car wash Cenote or Aktun Ha Cenote

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 5/5
• Infrastructure: 2.5/5
• Lifejacket: For rent on-site
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• If you come early in the morning, you may enjoy the cenote alone.
• You can combine a visit with Cenote Zacil-Ha and Gran Cenote, which are very close.
• The real name of this cenote is Aktun Ha. It was nicknamed Cenote Carwash because taxi drivers used to come here to wash their cars.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car and combine a tour with other close cenotes.
• Take a colectivo from Tulum to Coba and ask the driver to drop you off at the cenote entrance.

8# Cenote Zacil-Ha

Cenote Zacil-Ha is a pretty little cenote that looks like a pool in the forest. Its waters are very clear and shallow. Its playful facilities (slides and zipline with a jump over the pool) make it a popular place for locals and ideal for spending a relaxing half day with family.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Zacil-Ha

• Time: 10 am – 5.30 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 3.5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 5/5
• Lifejacket: included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• The site, although beautiful, is very equipped and loses a bit of its charm.
• Take some cash to pay for the entrance.
• The zipline is 10 pesos a round.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car and combine a tour with other nearby cenotes.
• Take a taxi or a colectivo from Tulum to Cobra and ask the driver to drop you off at the cenote’s entrance.

9# Cenote Zemway

Cenote Zemway is a pretty, quiet, open-air cenote hidden in vegetation and surrounded by cliffs. Very recently opened, it is still not very well known, so not very visited. You can swim and snorkel in the clear waters, among fish, and in a small cave where bats live. There is also a jumping spot (5/6 m) and ropes to swing over the water.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Zemway

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm (closed on Saturdays)
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 4.5/5
• Popularity: 4/5
• Infrastructure: 2/5
• Lifejacket: included and required to swim
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Access to the cenote is sign-posted from the road.
• A bottle of water is offered at the entrance, and the ticket includes the rental of a lounger.
• There is no on-site food service, but you can bring your picnic.
• You can book this tour.

🚗 How to get there

• Take a taxi or rent a car (15 mn from Tulum).

10# Laguna Kaan Luum

Laguna Kaan Luum is a lovely cenote lagoon in an unspoiled natural environment. It is wide, with light green waters, and very shallow (waist max.), except in its central part, where there is a bottomless cave (80 m) whose access is forbidden. Swings are installed above the water. It is a perfect place to bring your kids for a quiet swim.

☑️ Infos about Laguna Kaan Luum

• Time: 9 am – 4.30 pm
• Price: $
• Beauty: 3.5/5
• Water transparency: 4/5
• Popularity: 4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 1/5
• Lifejacket: No
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Its soft sand is known for being an excellent scrubber, but it doesn’t smell very good!
• It is possible to rent kayaks.
• If you want to bring your drone, the entrance fee is 150 pesos.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car.

11# Tankah

Tankah is a beautiful lagoon park managed by a Mayan community living on-site. The place is quiet, and it includes 3 nice cenotes with ziplines surrounded by lovely vegetation. Swimming among fish and water lilies, scuba diving, jumping, and snorkeling, it’s a great spot to enjoy a family day.

☑️ Infos about Tankah

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 4.5/5
• Popularity: 5/5
• Infrastructure: 4.5/5
• Lifejacket: No
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• The entrance ticket price includes a delicious traditional meal prepared by the locals and cooked on a wood fire.
• Kayaks are available.
• On-site guides will tell you the Mayan legends and teach you about the surrounding flora and fauna.
• You can book this tour.

🚗 How to get there

• By shuttle bus from Tulum.
• By rental car.

12# Casa Cenote or Cenote Manati

Casa Cenote, or Cenote Manati, is a beautiful open-air cenote. It looks like a vast lake with transparent and shallow waters running through dense and wild vegetation and mangroves. It is excellent for family swimming, snorkeling, and paddle boards. Scuba divers will enjoy exploring its underwater caves that open into the Caribbean Sea.

☑️ Infos about Casa Cenote or Cenote Manati

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 4/5
• Infrastructure: 1.5/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• The cenote communicates with the sea, so its waters are brackish and rich in fish species.
• Possibility to rent kayaks and snorkeling equipment (additional cost).
• You might meet Ponchito, a cute little crocodile.

🚗 How to get there

• Take a colectivo Tulum-Playa del Carmen. The driver will drop you off on the highway, where taxis will wait to take you to the entrance.
• By rental car (8 km north of Tulum).
• You can book this group tour or this snorkeling tour.

13# Casa Tortuga Tulum

Casa Tortuga Tulum includes 3 cenotes, one of which is an open cenote with a zipline (extra cost); it’s great for swimming. A guide will take you to explore 2 cave cenotes, including the Wisho cenote, with fossils trapped in its rock formations and beautiful jade-green waters. Casa Tortuga Tulum is a great option to learn about cenotes and have a nice family day.

☑️ Infos about Casa Tortuga Tulum

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 4.5/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Upon entry, each visitor must take a shower.
• The entrance fee includes the services of a guide and snorkeling material.
• Bring cash to pay for entrance and other expenses on site.
• You can book this tour.

🚗 How to get there

• By rental car (17 km north of Tulum).

14# Yax-Muul

The site of Yax-Muul includes 3 beautiful cave cenotes whose visit is accompanied by a guide. The water is crystalline and fresh. After the guided tour, you can stay at the site as you wish. The interest lies more in the fascinating geological formations, stalactites, and stalagmites than in the few fish.

☑️ Infos about Yax-Muul

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 4/5
• Lifejacket: Included and required
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Before you enter, a shaman will make you pass a small Mayan rite, asking permission to enter this place full of mysticism.
• Depending on the time of day, you will have little choice at the restaurant. It is better to bring your picnic.

🚗 How to get there

• By taking a colectivo from Tulum.
• You can cover the 2 km between the park entrance and the cenotes on foot or 4×4.

15# Cenote Caracol

Cenote Caracol is a stunning underground cave cenote lost in nature, therefore, not very frequented. The cave is splendid for observing the rock formations where bats nest. It’s pleasant to swim in the gorgeous pool almost wholly covered and includes 2 tunnels you can explore. Cenote Caracol is ideal for those sensitive to the mystery of such a place.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Caracol

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 5/5
• Water transparency: 4/5
• Popularity: 2/5
• Infrastructure: 1/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Access to the cenote is via a 3 km chaotic dirt track through the jungle. It’s best to rent an SUV in the wet season.
• The bats will take care of the mosquitoes.

🚗 How to get there

• By rental car, Cenote Caracol is a 30-minute drive from Tulum.

16# Cenote Yax-kin

Cenote Yax-kin is a large and beautiful open cenote surrounded by lush vegetation. Its clear and shallow water areas are ideal for family swimming, even with young kids. In the deeper part of the cenote, you can swim, jump from platforms or go snorkeling with fish and tiny turtles. The quiet area and the facilities make it an excellent place to spend the day.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Yax-kin

• Time: 10 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 4.5/5
• Popularity: 4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 4/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Access is straightforward, even for people with mobility problems.
• Iguanas are napping on the surrounding rocks.
• It is possible to grill your ribs and camp near the cenote (at extra cost).

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car; parking at the cenote is free.

17# Cenote Angelita

Cenote Angelita is a very deep open cenote in the middle of the forest with a surrealistic vibe. The decomposition of leaves creates a blue gas layer that floats at a depth of 30m like a river of fresh water; underneath, it is pitch black. Adventurous divers will enjoy wandering among the branches of giant dead trees that have fallen into the cenote and that emerge from the cloud.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Angelita

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 2.5/5
• Popularity: 3.5/5
• Infrastructure: 0.5/5
• Lifejacket: No
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Only skilled divers visit the site.
• There are many mosquitoes.
• Go on a sunny day.

🚗 How to get there

• By rental car (no parking), then walk 5 minutes through the jungle to the cenote.
• You can book this tour.

18# Cenote Jaguar

Cenote Jaguar is like a large, deep, and pretty open-air pool in the middle of the vegetation, whose main attraction is the 100m zip line that crosses it and provides great sensations. Two platforms (3 and 5 m) also allow jumping into its clear and fresh water. It is possible to snorkel and wander through the caves, which are home to interesting fauna to be discovered by the whole family.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Jaguar

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 4/5
• Popularity: 2/5
• Infrastructure: 4/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Cenote Jaguar is located in the Dos Ojos Park, including Cenote Dos Ojos, El Pit, and Nic Te Ha. It is, therefore, an opportunity to experience several different cenotes in the one-day trip.
• Access to the zipline is included in the entrance ticket; the number of passages is limited.
• Lots of mosquitoes.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car (about 25 minutes from Tulum).

19# Cenote Nic Te Ha

Cenote Nic Te Ha is a very pretty open-air cenote surrounded by vegetation with crystal-clear waters and water lilies floating over it. It has kept a minor wild character, giving it a peaceful atmosphere for swimming and snorkeling.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Nic Te Ha

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 3.5/5
• Infrastructure: 2/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Although not very popular, it is best to come in the morning at opening time, as the pool is small.
• While here, enjoy visiting some of the other cenotes in Dos Ojos Park, where Cenote Nic Te Ha is located.
• The ticket gives you access to the Cenote Dos Ojos.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car (about 25 minutes from Tulum).
• Take a colectivo from Tulum, then walk 15 mn to the park entrance.

20# Cenote Dos Ojos

Its impressive network of caves with deep, crystal waters makes Cenote Dos Ojos one of the most famous cenotes in Mexico for snorkeling and scuba diving fans. Cenote Dos Ojos is so named because it consists of two large eye-shaped cenotes, the open-air “Blue Eye” and the “Black Eye,” a dark cave cenote with gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites. They are linked by a 400 m-long network of underwater caves.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Dos Ojos

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 5/5
• Infrastructure: 4/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• You can rent scuba diving equipment and the services of a guide (extra costs).
• You won’t have access to the Black Eye without a guide.
• The crowds reflect its reputation. Get there early! You will enjoy the best light.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car (about 25 minutes from Tulum).
• Take a colectivo from Tulum, then walk 30 mn on a dusty path.
• Possibility to include the cenotes of Dos Ojos Park in a tour with the visit of the ruins of the Mayan site of Tulum from Cancun.

21# Cenote Taak Bi Ha

Cenote Taak Bi Ha is a beautiful, large underground cenote accessible by steps from a surface hole. Lights illuminate the fresh, crystal-clear waters of the cave, where you can admire beautiful calcareous formations and meet bats while swimming in peace. Diving with a guide is possible.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Taak Bi Ha

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 4/5
• Infrastructure: 2/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• For an extra 50 pesos, the 30-minute guided tour is worth it.
• Although located in Dos Ojos Park, this cenote is managed independently by a local community of 7 families.

🚗 How to get there

• By rental car from Tulum (20 km) to the park entrance, then continue for 3 km.
• You can book this group tour or this private tour.

22# Cenote Los Monos

Cenote Los Monos is a beautiful underground cenote in the Riviera Maya, accessible by a ladder from the surface, with clear waters and impressive stalagmites and stalactites. It’s ideal for a safe and instructive family snorkeling trip with a guide.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Los Monos

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$$
• Beauty: 5/5
• Water transparency: 4/5
• Popularity: 2.5/5
• Infrastructure: 3/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• The ticket price includes all equipment and guide services.
• You can buy great photos of your expedition.
• The cenote is in Dos Ojos Park.

🚗 How to get there

• By rental car from Tulum

23# Cenote El Pit

With its 130 m depth, the impressive Cenote El Pit in Dos Ojos Park is the deepest underground cenote in the Yucatan peninsula. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cenotes for a cave diving experience. The access from the surface is narrow and steep (wooden stairs). The light effects underwater are grandiose. Only certified free divers and scuba divers are accepted.

☑️ Infos about Cenote El Pit

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$
• Beauty: 5/5
• Water transparency: 4.5/5
• Popularity: 4.5/5
• Infrastructure: 2/5
• Lifejacket: NA
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• It is only possible to dive up to 40m if you are an experienced diver.
• There is the same gaseous phenomenon as in Cenote Angelita.
• One of the galleries communicates with Cenote Dos Ojos.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car (about 20 minutes from Tulum) up to Dos Ojos Park entrance, then drive 15 min.
• You can book this tour.

24# Cenote Sac Actun

Cenote Sac Actun is a vast and beautiful network of underwater caves. From the surface, you descend a staircase into a big cave with beautiful stalactites, stalagmites, and clear waters. A guide takes you snorkeling in the turquoise waters in small groups.

☑️ Infos about Cenotes Sac Actun

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$$
• Beauty: 4.5/5
• Water transparency: 4/5
• Popularity: 3.5/5
• Infrastructure: 3/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Be there early so that your group is as small as possible.
• The snorkel gear is included.
• Cenote Sac Actun is in Dos Ojos Park and can be included in a tour with other cenotes on site.

🚗 How to get there

• Rent a car.
• You can book this snorkeling tour.

25# Pet Cemetery Cenote

Lost in the jungle, Pet Cemetery Cenote is part of the beautiful Sac Actun cave complex. Its waters are fresh, clear, and cool. It is a great place to swim and snorkel through a network of sometimes narrow caves under the informative supervision of a guide. Well known to archaeologists, the site is so named for the fossils specimen that can still be seen there. This characteristic makes it a popular destination for cenote diving fans.

☑️ Infos about Pet Cemetery Cenote

• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$$$
• Beauty: 5/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 2.5/5
• Infrastructure: 3/5
• Lifejacket: Included
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Access is a bit difficult; it reduces the frequentation rate.
• Snorkel gear is included.
• Take the time to walk through the rainforest and meet spider monkeys.

🚗 How to get there

• By rental car from Tulum and then walking in the forest.
• By taking a tour including a visit to Cenote Dos Ojos and El Pit and a lunch.
• You can book this tour.

26# Cenote Xunaan Ha

Cenote Xunaan Ha is a lovely, quiet, open-air cenote with clear waters. It’s a great place to swim, snorkel with your family, and see many fishes that may come and nibble gently at you. The more adventurous can explore a small cave. There are platforms where you can enjoy a few fun dives.

☑️ Infos about Cenote Xunaan Ha

• Time: 9 am – 5 pm
• Price: $$
• Beauty: 4/5
• Water transparency: 5/5
• Popularity: 4/5
• Infrastructure: 2/5
• Lifejacket: Included if needed
• Google Map

💡 Tips & Remarks

• Bring your snorkel gear.
• A bracelet is given at the entrance allowing you to go out for lunch in town and return to the cenote. It’s forbidden to bring food on site.
• After visiting the cenote, don’t leave without seeing the beautiful beach of Xcacel nearby (access fee).

🚗 How to get there

• Renting a car from Tulum, Cenote Xunaan Ha is very close to the small town of Chemuyil (18 km north). Access is via a 400 m-long dirt road with potholes. Better to rent an SUV.
• You can book this private tour.

How to get to the cenotes near Tulum

There are several ways to get to the cenotes near Tulum.

Rent a car

You can rent a car. Choose an SUV model for the cenotes where the access is a dirt road.

Rent a bike

If you are sporty, rent a bike in Tulum to visit the closest cenotes (Cenotes Escondido and Cristal, which are nearby, Gran cenote, Cenote Calavera, and Cenote Corazon).

Rent an ATV

You can drive on the main roads with an ATV, but you will enjoy the rough ways more.

In a day you can, for example, go to Gran Cenote, Zacil-Ha and Corazon with a little swim on the beach.

The cost is 100 USD/day.

Pay a taxi

You can also take a taxi in Tulum. Before booking, check the distance and the cost. Cabs are costly in Tulum 😉

Take a colectivo

There are colectivo transports from Tulum going to some cenotes. Remember that they leave you on the main road, and you must walk to the cenote’s entrance (Ex: Casa Cenote).

You can also hitchhike.

Book a tour

Some tours include a combination of several cenotes and possibly other sites (Ex: Tulum Ruins) or a meal.

Famous cenotes away from Tulum

If you want to venture further away from Tulum, here is a short selection of exciting cenotes.

Cenotes near Playa del Carmen

Some great cenotes to see if you go around the famous seaside resort of Playa del Carmen.

Cenote Azul

Cenote Azul is a set of open-air pools of different depths with partially submerged rocks. Footbridges, some with jumping pontoons, connect them. The surrounding vegetation’s shade and clear waters make it an ideal cenote for family swimming. It is possible to eat on-site.

🚗 Distance from Tulum by car: 0.45 hours

Cenote Cristalino

This open-air cenote, surrounded by beautiful vegetation and rocks and accessible by steps, owes its name to its stunning crystalline waters. A platform allows jumping into the deepest part of the cenote. Don’t confuse it with Cenote Cristal.

🚗 Distance from Tulum by car: 1.10 hours

Cenote Jardin Del Eden

Cenote Jardin Del Eden is a vast, deep, semi-underground cenote. The open area is surrounded by lush vegetation, and its incredible turquoise waters allow you to see the bottom. It is ideal for swimming, snorkeling, or scuba diving.

🚗 Distance from Tulum by car: 0.45 hours

Cenotes near Valladolid

2 lovely cenotes for those visiting the beautiful colonial city of Valladolid, ideally located near the famous site of Chichen Itza.

Cenote Ik Kil

Cenote Ik Kil is a fantastic cave cenote in which vines and roots of the surrounding trees cascade through the collapsed cave ceiling. Its somewhat surreal vibe makes it one of the most famous cenotes in Mexico.

🚗 Distance from Tulum by car: 2 hours

Cenote Suytun

Cenote Suytun is an underground cenote famous for the unreal ambiance created by the rays of sunlight entering through the hole in the cave ceiling and lighting up a platform set in the middle of the water. Lovely and huge stalactites go down from the roof. Have your picture taken in the halo of light. The best time is late morning or early afternoon.

🚗 Distance from Tulum by car: 1.15 hours

Cenote near Coba

There are 3 lovely cenotes close to Coba, the biggest Mayan site on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Cenote Choo Ha

Cenote Choo Ha is a small cave cenote. Its crystal clear, shallow waters and beautiful rock formations make it an enjoyable place for a family bath after visiting the Mayan site.

🚗 Distance from Tulum by car: 1 hour

Tulum cenotes: Become an expert

Before exploring them, let’s learn about these fascinating sites. You’ll enjoy them more.

What’s a cenote?

A cenote is a sinkhole resulting from the collapse of an underground cave of limestone formation, bringing up fresh water from the phreatic layer.

There are thousands of cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula.

For the Maya, they were ceremonial places.

4 different types of Cenotes

The cenotes are classified into 4 categories:

• The oldest ones are the open-air cenotes. Natural lagoon pools of different shapes and sizes. They are great for swimming and sunbathing with your family.

Ex: Cenote Azul.

• Semi-open cenotes, with an open part and a closed one. The lighting through the holes in the rock makes them very photogenic, depending on the time of day. They are great for snorkeling in crystalline waters.

Ex: Gran Cenote.

• The cave cenotes are accessible through a hole in the surface, opening onto a pool of variable depth. The play of light and the rock formations create a surreal atmosphere. They are a delight for divers.

Ex: Cenote Taak Bi Ha

• The underground cenotes, totally closed, with difficult access, can only be visited with a guide and a headlamp.

Ex: Pet Cemetery Cenote.

What should you bring?

A few helpful things to slip into your bag.

• Depending on the time and location, the sun can be intense in the cenotes, and sunscreen is forbidden, so bring a hat and T-shirt to protect yourself.
• Water shoes will avoid injuries on the rocks.
• You must walk through the jungle to get to some of the cenotes; wear appropriate shoes.
• Take your mask and tuba; some cenotes don’t rent them.
• Amateur photographs should bring their GO PROs with them. Beware, some cenotes will charge you more for entry.
• Take a bottle of water; there may not be a snack bar on site.
• Many cenotes don’t accept credit cards; ensure you have enough cash.

Practical tips for visiting cenotes

Some practical tips to make your visit more magical.

• Avoid the crowds by going at the opening or before closing time.
• Unless it’s a cave cenote, choose a sunny day to appreciate the play of light and water transparency.
• In the rainy season, there are mosquitoes, and repellent use is forbidden.
• Avoid Sundays. The locals are very fond of the cenotes.
• Keep an eye on your personal effects; there are not always safe deposit boxes.
• The price of the cenotes increases every year, have a little extra cash.

Cool cenotes for families / chill-out

The most convenient cenotes for families and to relax are the open-air cenotes, such as Cenote Santa Cruz Tulum or Cenote Corazon del Paraiso. Their clear, shallow waters are ideal for swimming at any age. The surrounding vegetation and the duckboards in some of them are great for lazing around.

Not all of them rent life jackets, so check first. Choose your time of day; sunscreen is forbidden.

Cool cenotes for snorkeling

For snorkelers, choosing a semi-open cenote, such as Cenote Azul or Cenote Dos Ojos, is ideal. It’s fun to snorkel with fish among the rock formations.

The light is at its best between 11.00 am and 3.00 pm, and the water is clearest.

Bring your own gear; not all cenotes offer it.

Cool cenotes for adrenaline (jump, ATV, zipline)

The open-air cenotes with fun facilities such as jumping platforms, ropes, or ziplines are the best for those looking for a thrill while having fun. This is the case of Cenote Zacil-Ha and Tankah. Some are accessible by ATV for more fun.

They are popular, so choose the time of day to avoid the crowds.

Cool cenotes for diving

The coolest cenotes for diving are the cave cenotes or underground cenotes with deep waters and amazing rock formations creating a supernatural vibe. That’s the case of Cenote Angelita or Cenote El Pit.

A guide must accompany you, so contact the diving centers in advance. You will need to present your certificate.

Cool secluded cenotes

Some cenotes are lost in the jungle; They’re usually less crowded and manage to keep their mysterious side. It will please all those looking for some calmness. This is the case of Cenote Caracol and Cenote Laguna kaan Luum.

Their access is sometimes chaotic or requires walking. Plan suitable footwear and/or an SUV car.

When booking a cenote tour?

It is interesting to book a cenote tour when you want to visit several cenotes on the same day or group a cenote visit with archaeological sites such as Chichen Itza.

Besides the fact that it allows you to discover several types of cenotes, transportation is included as well as a snack or meal and the services of a guide. Moreover, it is a good way to get the right equipment (snorkeling, diving).

One of my favorite cenote tours is this one.

You’ll visit 3 cenotes in one day: Gran cenote, Taak Bi Ha & a secret cave cenote.

👉 Must read: our analysis of the best cenote tours from Tulum.

Parque Dos Ojos: A short guide

The Parque Dos Ojos, located about 30 minutes drive north of Tulum, is a site in the middle of the jungle that includes 5 amazing cenotes: Dos Ojos, Jaguar, El Pit, Nic Te Ha, and Los Monos.

Other cenotes not managed by the park are in its enclosure (Ex: Cenote Taak Bi Ha).

Open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.

The park has a shared entrance with parking and a ticket office for all the cenotes. Access to the cenotes is by foot or car through the park. You’ll have the possibility to buy a ticket for several cenotes.

Safe deposit boxes are available.

Food and beverage service is served inside the park.

Q&A: Tulum cenotes

Many travelers ask us about the cenotes around Tulum. Here are our most popular answers.

Bottom line: Cenotes in Tulum

The cenotes of Tulum are beautiful. Depending on the activity you want to do, some of them will be more relevant. The ones closest to town will be the most visited, so you should plan to visit them when they open. Try to combine several cenotes in one day. You can do so by renting a car or booking a tour 😉

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