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. Location: 22km (13 miles) north of Tulum, about a 20-minute drive. I personally think this place is a hidden gem in Tulum. The word cenote is derived from a Mayan term dzonot. The Cenotes are still sacred to the Mayan people today, meaning most cenotes are closed off from public use. disclaimer. 10 BEST Tulum Cenotes (2023 Guide) | Jonny Melon There is also a wall of lily pad leaves that are fun to explore with a snorkel mask too! Yes and no. 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. Some cenotes will require you to rent a life jacket, even if you dont need one (as a way to make money from tourists). Sure, what youre seeing isnt as clear and you cant breathe underwater, but The entrance fee is $120 pesos. Book your stay at Wakax HaciendaON THEIR WEBSITEor onBOOKING.COM. The best way to see all the cenotes you want is to rent a car and do your own Tulum cenotes tour. Copyright 2023 Every Steph | Wisteria on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, 150 MXN (includes admission to Cenote Escondido), 150 MXN (includes admission to Cenote Cristal), Casa Cenote is an open type cenote, and its family friendly because the open space makes it ideal for kids to swim in. Keep reading for a full restaurant review. . Youre able to cruise under the wetland mangrove roots, through a limestone passage and face-on with interesting fish. For example, Casa Cenote has a small crocodile called Panchito which they consider a mascot that is very friendly to tourists. For example, foreigners usually cant drink tap water in Mexico. Youll start the day with a visit to the Tulum ruins, where youll learn about the history of the Mayan civilization, and then head to the cenotes at Casa Tortuga for a swim. The Tulum and Playa Del Carmen cenotes that I went There are two scuba dive routes that can be taken in Cenote Dos Ojos. This is a list of the essential items you need to bring with you when you visit a cenote in Tulum. Usually you wont have to wait for more than 5-10 minutes. Carretera Tulum Coba Km 1.7, 77796 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico. Entrance fees and opening times info for this list of cenotes in Tulum were updated in February 2022. It depends. 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. Its located in Chemuyil village, half way between Tulum and Akumal, and is known as the fourth largest underwater cave system within Riviera Maya. Theres a small deck for sunbathing and the walk to the cenote is along wooden stumps through the mangroves. A wide, pond-like cenote 150 feet across and 10 feet deep on average, Cenote Carwash is one of the best cenotes in Tulum for swimming. Read More 3 BEST Supermarkets in Tulum, Mexico in 2023Continue. You'll see stalagtites, mites, learn the history and see spectacular sights. Your email address will not be published. No trip to Tulum is complete without the cenotes. Well, dont. Cenotes are not only safe for swimming but theyre naturesperfectswimming spots free from the dangers of the beach. Its shy and totally harmless! Help maintain the cenotes as beautiful as they are! If you want to know more about these cenotes, just read the article! On the opposite side of the road, near Akumal Beach, there is a lagoon-style cenote called Laguna Yal-Ku (sometimes called Cenote Akumal). Yes, it was like that! On Google it says 9 AM 5 PM every day but we got there at first thing at 9 AM and they didnt open the doors until 9:30.. RELATED ARTICLE Guide To Visiting Cenote Aldea Zama. Water Shoes: It can be uncomfortable to walk barefoot on the jagged rocks that surround the cenotes. The water is always clean and warm. Cenote Triple Tour in Tulum Casa Cenote, Gran Cenote and Temple of Doom. READ MORE:Cenote Carwash: Swim with a Baby Crocodile & More. $200 MXN pesos general entry / $250 MXN pesos scuba diver entry, Toilets, life jacket rental at $20-$50 MXN pesos, 9 km (5.6 miles) from Tulum center on the Highway to Coba (Calle Carretera Federal 109) and turning left, $350 MXN pesos general entry fee / $380 MXN pesos scuba diver entry, Shower and toilet. The snorkeling and diving are somewhat separated and both incredible in their own right. Did you know that the deeper you go the more colours youll lose out of your photos or video? 16 Best Cenotes Near Tulum To Visit in 2023 - Every Steph The Pet Cemetery Cenote (or Cenote Sac Actun) might sound creepy but it is actually one of the most beautiful cenotes in Mexico. I will talk about all of your options below. There are many cenotes near Cancun and Tulum that not only offer life-vests butrequirethem for all swimmers. Youll find it on your right after passing Cenote Calavera. 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. Book your tour of Chichen Itza ruins + a visit to a cenote . It depends! Some of the bigger cenotes will rent snorkel gear to you at a price, from my experience at around 50-200 pesos each time you rent. Similar to Caleta Tankah the open-air cenote gives the feeling of a beach without having to deal with any seaweed, but Laguna Yalku is much larger than Caleta Tankah. Theres also the possibility of contracting Giardia, which is a parasite that affects the stomach when swimming in untreated freshwater. it still does the job! Caleta Tankah is about 10 minutes outside of Tulum on Highways 307, you can bike there (like I did, wouldnt recommend) from Tulum or take a taxi and arrange a pickup time via Whatsapp for about $7 each way. 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. I hope this post has helped you choose the best cenote in Tulum for your needs. Eerily poking out of the gas layer are giant dead trees, of which you can swim amongst the branches. Your Guide to Tulum's Best Cenotes - Be My Travel Muse This custom map of cenotes near Tulum includes all of the READ:How to Choose the Best Snorkel Gear on the Market! This is a natural phenomenon that happens when freshwater and saltwater meet, and it creates optical illusions. There are life jackets to rent at most cenotes. More posts you may like r/Madden Join 3 yr. ago You can get to Tulum via a 50 pesos Colectivo from Playa del Carmen or take an Ado bus from Cancun or Playa. The Gran Cenote price doesnt include life jacket rental, you will have to organize that at the gate as well as snorkel gear hire and/or locker rental. You can visit Sac Actun by joining the Dream Underground World with pick up from Tulum. The cave then drops even further but cant be reached by untrained divers. Toilet (sometimes). The Yucatan cenotes that boast underwater passageways connected to the Mayan river system are the best ones for cave diving. Lockers for rent at $50 pesos. The 20 Best Cenotes Near Tulum That You Must visit - Lets Travel to Mexico This means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you click through these links and make a purchase. If youre lucky youll spot a resident turtle swimming alongside you. Im Crystal! This unassuming yet impressive cenote is usually pretty quiet, especially in the mornings, since it is usually more popular with divers than it is with swimmers or snorkelers. For advanced divers, its one of the best cenotes in Mexico to do cave diving because all of the bones and fossils are still in their original position, and the spectacular caves are highly decorated with delicate white rock formations. With the Visit to 4 Cenotes at Casa Tortuga youll get to explore them with a bilingual guide, and snorkel in all of them with the equipment provided. You can jump off into the cenote from a high wooden platform if you like a more thrilling experience. Underwater, there are a large variety of plants and fish which make it the best cenote for snorkeling. Budget Tip: Just renting a towel, snorkel, flippers, and life vest at this cenote will cost over 500 pesos ($25), if you want to save money bring your own snorkel and beach gear! Follow me foradventures, tips and a travel show! This passage is filled with spectacular stalactites and stalagmites that you come face-to-face with as you cruise past. Or you can take a taxi for around $20 from Playa or Tulum. Cenote Angelita is located on the 307 Highway, approximately 12 minutes drive going south from Tulum. READ THE FULL BLOG POST:Cenote Cristal & Escondido: All You Need to Know. Some of the cenotes in Tulum, especially the ones located on the Tulum/Coba road such as Cenote Calavera, Cenote Zacil Ha, and Gran Cenote, are close enough that you can bike to them. Option 3 - $150 pesos. A Tulum cenote tour is an activity that combines sightseeing, swimming, snorkeling, ziplining, and Mayan history all jam-packed into an affordable, full-day package. When I visited, I had it all to myself! Akumal is about an hour and a half from Cancun; the Ado bus runs a service from Cancun to Chetumal 5 times a day and you can ask them to drop you off at Akumal along the way. 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. Cenote Trail: Caves Visit and Bike Tour Discover some of the best cenotes near Tulum (Gran Cenote, Cenote Escondido & Cenote Cristal) all in one day. This is one of the biggest cenotes I visited in the Yucutan, its also frequented mostly by locals. On the dive, you can hover above and dip below the gas layer if you feel comfortable. The entrance is steep and narrow but once in the water, it opens up into a huge menacing cavern. It is similar to the gas layer that makes Cenote Angelita so famous. These features make it one of the best cenotes Tulum has to offer. None of the other cenotes are home to crocodiles, only colorful fish and rock formations. The cenotes in Tulum are very safe for swimming, and some even feature shallow areas that are perfect for small children. Not all open to the public but the best Tulum cenotes are! Check it out on our Cenote Map Tulum below! You cant visit this cenote without a guide, which explains the high cost of the entrance fee. Carwash Cenote is named so because the cenote is close to the road and taxi drivers used to bring their cars to this cenote to wash them. This dive light starts at only $25 USD and is so bright youll be sure to easily take gorgeous underwater video, especially in the cenotes! This place has a sister bar owned by the same guys, which is on the beach and has some of the best tacos in Tulum, called Taqueria La Eufemia. Keep reading for my six picks for the very best cenotes to visit near Tulum: make sure you see at least one them all! Cenote Xunaan-Ha is one of the most picturesque cenotes you will find, and one of the most secret cenotes in Tulum. This is a newly discovered Cenote near Kaan Luum. You can buy tickets online in advance, but if you wish to pay on arrival, make sure you bring cash as other forms of payment are not accepted. 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. Cenote Zacil Ha Entrance Fee: 200 MXN.Cenote Zacil Ha Opening Times: 10 AM to 6 PM daily.Best For: Swimming. Complete Guide: Best Cenotes In Tulum | 2023 - A Broken Backpack We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Its so much fun to cliff-jump at Cenote Calavera, but if theres more than a handful of people there you wont be able to jump into the main (mouth of the skull) hole because it will be clogged with a loooooong line of people getting the iconic shot sitting in the swing that this cenote is known for. Take the 307 Highway toward Playa del Carmen and turn right on Reforma Agraria. READ: The ULTIMATE GUIDE to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. People particularly loved to wash their cars here because each new day, all the soapsuds and cleaning products would magically disappear from the cenote! Actually, this is a white gas layer, which is caught between the salt and fresh waters. Want to take it a step further and stay at a cenote hotel in Tulum? This is one of the most frequently asked questions as it seems like different people are getting offered different prices. Other cenotes like Laguna Kaan Luum are only a few feet deep and perfect for non-swimmers. Unfortunately, most of the cenotes are not free in Tulum. There are platforms to jump off from and hammocks and lounge areas for hanging out. What is a cenote, and why is everyone obsessed with them? Calavera cenote isnt as famous as other cenotes in Tulum, which means you can have an amazing swim all by yourself if youre lucky (get here in the [], A Day Trip To Tulum from Cancun: The Ultimate Guide, [] are many (many!) It essentially makes it much easier to get those awesome shots. Some cenotes restrict part of the cenote for guided tours only. Its all walking in a dark cave in waist deep water and there is only one section of the tour you will have to swim maybe 20 feet or so but they do supply life jackets and the guide will help you if you are nervous. Tulum is home to the largest underwater cave system in the world. In 2022 the entrance fee for Gran Cenote is 500 pesos ($25) and then they charge more for snorkel, locker, and towel rental. My favorite cenotes around Tulum include Gran Cenote, Cenote Nicte-Ha, Cenote Calavera, and Cenote Dos Ojos. The dark underground cenotes, such as El Pit, Dos Ojos, and Pet Cemetery Cenotes, are much better explored with a head torch. Im Crystal! 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 cenotes of Casa Tortuga are perfect for newbies who want an in-depth introduction into the cenotes on a tour. So what are Cenotes exactly? Are Cenotes safe? EVERYTHING You Need To Know! (2023) Coming from Tulum on Carretera 109 towards Coba, youll find Cenote Calavera on your right after a 5-minutes drive. I went to about five different ones at that time. 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. 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. Plus, because it is mostly open water, its great for beginner divers who need some practice before they head into the Tulum caves. Dos Ojos Cenote Complex has 5 cenotes; Dos Ojos, El Pit, Jaguar, Nicte Ha, & Los Monos. To keep prices as updated as possible, I ask if you can please comment and let me know if a price is different to what I have listed in this article. Its important to remember that there are a lot of things in Mexico that can make tourists sick. Snorkel Mask or Goggles: The crystal clear waters of the cenote will make you want to take a closer look at what lurks beneath the surface of the water. Get directions on GoogleMaps. If you can split the cost with a few other people, its the way to go IMO. This headlamp had been on my radar for a long time because its cheap, waterproof, sleek and small. Follow the directions for Cenote Dos Ojos. Its more like a lagoon/freshwater swimming hole last I checked it was 80 pesos to get in but prices are going up fast in Tulum! Compare car rental prices HERE or get a quote in the table down below. No restaurant or life jackets, South of Tulum 16.5 km (10 miles) down the highway to Chetumal (Carretera 307) and turning left, Free, just buy something from the bar/restaurant, There are toilets but no showers. Finally, someone made a bar at a cenote! This is an essential item to pack with you when you visit a cenote. How to Call a 1-800 Number from Mexico for FREE! Request to visit Cenote Angelita on this cavern diving tour. This is the number one list of best cenotes in Tulum, Mexico youll find on the web. Casa Cenote is off the 307 Highway, driving north towards Playa del Carmen (about 20 minutes drive from Tulum Town). Not spectacular, but a nice place to cool off and to escape the harsh Mexican sun and the only cenote bar Tulum has to offer. Other cenotes like Laguna Kaan Luum are only a few feet deep and perfect for non-swimmers. It is a well-kept cenote but not too commercialized. Its super clean and right in the center of Aldea Zama; which is an area of Tulum a lot of Ex-Pats live. If youre into a bit of adrenaline, there are small cliffs from where you can jump into the water, and you can also practice snorkeling (the crystal-clear waters are perfect for this!) Tulum Cenotes | Turquoise Tulum Hotel Have you seen those amazing half-underwater and half-above-water photos? The 2019 horror movie 49 Meters Down: Uncaged popularized the idea that there are man-eating sharks in Cenotes. Some of the most interesting fish are the Cichlids, and they can be viewed in abundance here, darting around the mangrove roots. Some of the cenotes along the Carretera that runs between Playa del Carmen and Tulum are accessible by taking the colectivo from Tulum. Its still not a budget option, I know, but Tulum and Riviera Maya are way more expensive than the rest of Mexico. This type of underwater caves is the most mysterious one, and some of my favorite cenotes are in this category. Some other awesome options [], 30 Fun Things To Do in Cancun, Mexico in 2023 - Every Steph, [] and avocado toast. How to Choose the Best Snorkel Gear on the Market! But you cannot visit this cenote without an approved guide. Its located down Carretera Tulum Boca Paila just before the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Kaan at the. 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! Below, I have posted some of my favorite photos from the cenotes near Playa del Carmen.