Don’t have time to read it now? Save it for later!

If you are heading to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico you have to check out the most unique part about the area- the cenotes! These are my top picks for best cenotes in Yucatan!

There are thousands of different cenotes to explore and swim in, but since most of us don’t have many months to spend cenote hopping, here are my top 4!

Get ready to swim beneath vines, walk out on an ancient pathway and dive to the depths- this is an adventure of a lifetime! 

Disclaimer: This blog post includes affiliate links- if you purchase from these links I get a small kickback- at no cost to you!

What Are Cenotes?

So what are cenotes anyways? Cenotes are not a common occurrence anywhere in the world besides the Yucatan, where there are over 7,000 and more being discovered each day! 

Cenotes are essentially caves which are filled with water. Many of these caves have had their ceiling cave in and then they become open cenotes! 

These cenotes have become amazing diving and swimming sites in the modern day, but they were discovered long ago by the Mayans who thought they were the entrances to the underworld!

Types Of Cenotes

There are four main types of cenotes. The distinction really comes from if the cenote (or cave) still has it’s ceiling in tact.

Open Cenotes- the cave ceiling has collapsed entirely and the entire cenote is open to the sky. These look more like lagoons or swimming pools than caves.

Semi-open Cenotes- the cave ceiling has partially collapsed but there is still much in tact. These cenotes have large walls and an opneing at the top where sunlight gets in.

Closed Cave Cenotes- these cenotes are completely closed off in a cave besides a few cracks in the ceiling.

Diving Cenotes- these cenotes are also completely closed off in a cave but have very deep water great for scuba diving.

Are Cenotes Safe To Swim?

Cenotes are safe to swim in and many are amazing for diving! Scuba divers come from all over the world to dive in these unique natural cave systems. 

As for normal swimmers and snorkelers it is best to wear a life jacket, which is generally provided by the owners of the cenote as they can be really deep. 

How Deep Are Cenotes In Tulum?

Cenotes range from 3.5 ft deep to 130 ft deep and I am sure much much deeper! 

How Much Does It Cost To Visit A Cenote?

While initially I thought cenotes were free, I was completely wrong.

Cenotes at this point in time are almost all privately owned and you are charged per person to enter the cenote. The cenotes on this list range from $7.70 USD to $18 USD per person.

The Yucatan Peninsula Cenotes, Mexico

The Yucatan Peninsula is unlike anywhere else in the world in that it has thousands (over 7,000 and counting!) cenotes bunched close together. This is because there is a huge underground cave and river system that many of these are connected to! 

There is also the largest cave system here- the Sistema Sac Actun which reaches 217 miles is home to over 226 cenotes alone. 

READ MORE: Check Out My Ultimate Tulum Travel Guide

How To Get To The Best Cenotes In Yucatan

Getting to the cenotes will either require a car or a tour bus. The cenotes are spread out far and wide over the Yucatan Peninsula and some will require as much as a 2 hour drive in between them. 

There are many cenote tours which will take you and a bus full of others to different cenotes throughout the day. There are many different types of these tours and you can pick and choose based on which cenotes you want to see or if you are mainly focused on snorkeling or scuba diving. 

Can You Visit Cenotes Without A Tour?

Yes you can see the cenotes without a tour! For the cenotes I am recommending here I would actually say it is best to rent a car and go on your own! This allows you to either get there early or wait out the tour buses so you can have the cenotes at quieter times.

What To Bring To Visit The Best Cenotes In Yucatan

To head to the cenotes you won’t need to bring very much. Here is a list of everything I brought with me!

• A swimsuit- I love One One Swimwear– enter the code LIANA26654 for 15% OFF
  

• A Microfiber Towel

• Sandals- Chacos are my favorite adventure sandal!
  

• A Swimsuit Cover

• My Camera- go-pro is great for underwater photography unless you have a
  

• A Snorkel Set– Mask and Snorkel

• A Waterproof Phone Holder

 #1. Cenote Suytun

Location

Cenote Suytun is located 1 hr 15 mins Northwest of Tulum. It is quite close to the Chichen Itza Pyramids so you can easily do those together in a day!

Google Maps Link: Cenote Suytun

Entrance Fee

Cenote Suytun costs $200 pesos per person (roughly $10 USD) and you are provided with a life jacket.

Cenote Suytun Hours

This cenote is open from 9 AM to 4:30 PM

If you are coming from Tulum or Cancun beware this is in a different time zone so it would be an hour behind. 10 AM in Tulum is 9 AM here.

Experience

Entering Cenote Suytun feels like you are walking onto an Indiana Jones movie set. This is easily one of the best cenotes in Yucatan.

After descending down a couple flights of stairs into a rock tunnel you pop out to an amazing scene! Stalagmites drip from the ceiling, and a long platform juts out into the center of the aqua blue water. 

Pro Tip

This cenote has becomes even more special in the month of May and June with light pouring in from the top and illuminating the platform with a spectacular light ray.

Sadly, we came in December and the light was far off to the side due to the angle of the sun. If you do come at the right time of year- remember 11 am-1 pm is the best time to go to get the light ray. 

Photography Tips

To get the photo they do line up a queue of people so you will only have a minute or two to take your photos when it is your turn– plan your compositions ahead of time so you are prepared!

The lighting conditions can be quite difficult so you will want a lens that has a low aperture for low light conditions (1.4 or 2.8) and a camera you can pump the ISO up on.

I used a 35mm for my close up shots on the platform and a 14-24mm 2.8 for the wide angle shot.

Check Out My Tulum Wall Art!

#2. Cenote Ik Kil

Location

Located 2 hrs and 6 mins Northwest of Tulum this cenote is the farthest away on the list. Although, it is the closest to Chichen Itza!

We got here first thing in the morning and then hit the other cenotes on our way back to Tulum.

Google Maps Link: Cenote Ik Kil

Entrance Fee

It is $150 pesos per person and you get access to the cenote + a life jacket and locker space. You are not allowed to bring anything down to the cenote besides a cell phone- not even a towel, so you will be thankful for the locker. 

Cenote Ik Kil Hours

Cenote Ik Kil is open from 8AM to 3 PM

Experience

My favorite cenote! Cenote Ik Kil is truly a surreal experience- vines drip down from the ceiling and birds frolick around the top. You can jump in and float under the vines while vibey music plays from the speakers. 

Pro Tips

This is one of the most popular cenotes so I would highly recommend getting there at opening time (8am) to beat the rush of people. By the time we left at 10am tour buses had pulled up and the area was swarmed with people. 

If you are also doing Cenote Suytun these two make a great day trip together as they are in the same area. Add in Cenote Oxman for the trifecta!

Photography Tips:

I found this to be a really hard cenote to take photos of, the lighting was really harsh on either end. If you have time I would say your best bet is try to HDR and stack your images. If not just protect for your highlights and do your best to pull the shadows up in post!

I used a 14-24mm f 2.8 lens for all of these shots- a wide lens was essential to getting everything in the shot as this is quite a large scene.

READ MORE: Check Out These 11 Unique Things To Do In Tulum

#3. Cenote Dos Ojos

Location

Cenote Dos Ojos is located 30 mins NE of Tulum on your way to Playa Del Carmen.

Google Maps Link: Cenote Dos Ojos

Entrance Fee

Entrance fee is $350 pesos or roughly $21 USD per person making it the most expensive cenote on this list. You also need to pay extra to bring in any camera gear.

Cenote Dos Ojos Hours

Cenote Dos Ojos is open from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Experience

Dos Ojos has become a world famous cenote for scuba diving- and for good reason! The name “dos ojos” means “two-eyes” and comes from the fact there are two sinkholes right next to eachother connected with an underwater corridor. 

The water is ridiculously clear and the abundance of natural light makes for some stunning light rays and great underwater visibility. 

Even just snorkeling here we were able to see beautiful light rays! The water color itself- a bright aqua blue is another thing to marvel at. 

Pro Tip

You can hire a guide to take you scuba diving here or take a beginner course and advance to be able to dive here. 

We brought our own snorkeling gear and just swam around in one of the main sinkholes. I would love to come back with my scuba certification just to dive here! 

Photography Tip

While they do charge for professional cameras (something I found a bit ridiculous for just a couple of snaps) we did sneak in a small camera for a couple shots in the corner and found it wasn’t patrolled heavily at all.

We used a 24mm for these shots but I wish we had brought an even wider lens to get the full scene in.

If you can this is also a magnificent cenote for underwater photography and a go-pro or underwater housing would have been awesome to have! You get unreal light rays through the water when the light hits the cenote.

The above photo is a screen grab from a phone video- I wish we could have gotten some photos too!

A UNIQUE STAY: Beachfront Villas In Tulum -Zorba Tulum

#4. Cenote Calavera

Location

Cenote Calavera is by far the closest cenote to Tulum, only 7 mins out of town!

Google Maps Link: Cenote Calavera

Entrance Fee

The entrance fee to this cenote is $250 pesos per person or around $12 USD per person. To bring a camera in it was another $200 pesos. I opted to just bring in my cell phone to record videos and snap a coupe of photos. 

Cenote Calavera Hours

Cenote Calevarea is open from 9 AM to 5 PM

Experience

I had the most fun at Cenote Calavera while in Tulum. It was great to be able to swing from the swing and hangout in the water- but the best part (and the part not pictured here- sorry 🙁 was the smaller holes off to the side of this main opening! 

There were two other holes that dropped into the cave and you could pencil jump into them– from the side it looks like you just disappear into nothingness! In reality you drop about 5-10’ into the cave and pop up to see little bats staring back at you! 

I thought that I would have a problem with bats- but they were actually so cute! 

Photography Tips

Since they wouldn’t allow me in without paying for my camera I opted to just use my phone in RAW instead.

If I had brought my camera in I would have been happiest with a 24-70mm lens to be able to capture an array of scenes.

Pro Tip

I would recommend getting there as early as possible to avoid the crowds as this is really close to the main strip in Tulum.

READ MORE: Check Out These 20 Photos To Inspire You To Visit Tulum Mexico

Best Cenotes In Yucatan Conclusion

I hope this tour of the best cenotes in Yucatan gave you some great inpiration for your next trip to Tulum!

Other Destinations In Mexico!