Which cenotes in Tulum are best for…taking incredible photos? A luxurious afternoon with friends? Cave adventures?
No worries–we’re here to help you choose. While our peninsula has thousands of cenotes of all shapes and sizes (a recent land survey found over 10,000 in nearby Solidaridad alone!) some stand out for their natural beauty, peace, and amenities. And…relax…honestly, cenotes are so gorgeous that whichever you choose, it’s sure to be a wonderful experience.
First, some history and geology fun facts:
The Yucatan peninsula is basically the opposite of a desert: below our towns and jungles lies a vast, interconnected network of pure fresh water. These are our cenotes and underground rivers. Thanks to the limestone that makes up the ground here, rain water has filtered through the stone for millions of years, getting ultra-purified on its way into this huge aquifer.
Lying under Tulum’s Selva Maya jungle, we are blessed with the two longest underwater cave formations in the world! (Sac Ak Tun and Ox Bel Ha, at 369 km/230 miles long, and 285 km/177 miles long.)
This giant supply of very pure water is a big part of what made the Maya culture flourish here, so it’s no surprise they considered cenotes sacred portals to another world. When you swim in their clear, refreshing waters, you’ll start to understand their magic, too.
A quick word about types of cenotes:
Wherever water has made the stone ground completely collapse, we have open air cenotes, where you can swim in sunkissed crystalline waters, and float watching the clouds pass by.
Where these pockets of water are still partially or completely underground, we have semi-open and cave cenotes. Semi-open cenotes make for great photos, with giant rays of sunlight filtering in through the cracks in the ceiling. And cave cenotes are incredible adventures, if you scuba through with a certified guide.
All three types are amazing to visit, so get ready for a beautiful experience you’ll remember forever.
Before You Go
Eco-care: Please remember that at all cenotes, the water is very pure. So before you enter, any sunblock (even natural-ingredient based), hair oil, chemical lotions, or repellent should be washed off thoroughly. These substances can badly damage the ecosystem and aquatic life if they get into the cenote waters. Let’s come together to care for Mother Nature!
Temperature: Cenote water is the antidote to the strong heat of Tulum summers. No matter how hot it is outside in the surrounding town and jungle, cenotes are always cool and refreshing. Cave cenotes may be even cooler. So if you get cold easily, consider bringing a light wetsuit, mainly if you plan to visit semi-open or cave cenotes.
Our 4 Favorite Tulum Cenotes
FOR LUXURY AND NATURAL BEAUTY: Visit our Tuuch Cenote Club, where you can immerse yourself in our azure waters and lounge on Balinese beds on our spacious deck, surrounded by the birdsong of the Selva Maya forest.
Some things you can do here:
Visit with a Daypass to soak up the glamorous yet natural vibes for a few hours.
Stay overnight at Shibari Tulum’s luxurious sustainable suites, some of which open right onto the cenote.
Sample cutting-edge Global-Local cuisine at ATTA Restaurant on the banks of the cenote.
Enjoy a soothing massage at our Kan Spa.
For a truly special experience, book an Underwater Photography Session to unleash your inner mermaid. We promise you’ll treasure these photos for years to come.
Or, join in our Cenote Ceremony. In this blessing ceremony, connect to Mother Earth and Maya ancestral wisdom through our cenote’s sacred waters. The pure water washes our minds, bodies, and spirits, returning us to a state of peace and connection.
Daypass Hours: 11 am to 6 pm daily. Find more information on Daypasses here or call: +52 984.980.0177
Find more information on our services and ceremonies here.
TO VENTURE INTO THE EARTH’s HEART: About 20 km north of Tulum, you’ll find Dos Ojos, part of a park containing 5 different cenotes, including semi-open and cave cenotes. The name means “Two Eyes,” because the main Dos Ojos area is made up of two large cenotes (the “eyes”) connected by a long passageway.
You can just swim or snorkel here in the semi-open part, but the main draw is scuba diving through the ancient, magical caves and deep sinkholes (up to 118 meters or 387 feet!)
You’ll enter a magnificent underwater universe, where you can gaze at stalagmites and stalactites in cathedral-like cave domes, and swim through crystalline turquoise waters among the cave fish and shrimp. Diving through sacred pristine waters gently lit by filtered sunlight, you’ll feel in awe of Mother Nature’s timeless beauty.
A few pro tips for your visit:
Wear comfortable shoes to visit because you will need to walk about 15-20 minutes from the road to reach the cenote.
Come early (8:00 am) to enjoy the cenotes pre-rush hours.
Bring your natural sunblock and repellent (to use only *after* you’ve finished swimming and diving, and are walking through the jungle path.)
If you have Open Water diver certification, you can dive in many of Dos Ojos’ caverns, even without previous cave experience. You can hire a guide through Dive Dos Ojos or numerous other local companies.
Dos Ojos is open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Entrance in 2023 is currently 400 pesos (cash only), with an extra cost if you hire a diving guide.
FOR LOUNGING IN SHALLOW WATERS: Just a few kilometers south of Tulum, Laguna Kaan Luum is a beautiful multi-hued lagoon with a deep cenote at the center, surrounded by Tulum’s lush jungle. You can laze about in crystal-clear shallow waters around the edge of the cenote, or scuba dive in the depths.
It’s a great place to free yourself from the typical lifejackets you need at many cenotes, because the water in the lagoon area is only about 1-2 meters deep (3-6 feet). So float, relax, and let the jade-green waters wash off your cares. You can also sunbathe on some piers and lounge in hammocks.
In the center, the cenote is really deep (80+ meters!) so it’s roped off for safety reasons, and reserved for divers only (again, you’ll need a guide, which our hotel staff can help arrange.)
As with all local cenotes and lagoons, this place has a very delicate ecosystem, so it’s essential to follow the lagoon guidelines: go sunblock and repellent-free, the alcohol you can bring is limited, and please be extra careful to leave the surroundings even better than you found them (pick up any trash, and take care not to trample plants!)
With that in mind, you’ll find this is a place of great peace and stunning beauty with a chill vibe you’ll want to return to again and again.
Laguna Kaan Luum is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Entrance in 2023 is currently 300 pesos.
FOR A LOW-KEY, FUN EXPERIENCE: Located just a 15-minute trip outside Tulum on the way to Coba, Cenote Zacil Ha is a little sparkling pool of clear waters set into the middle of the jungle.
We’re fans because:
If you come early, it’ll feel more secluded than some of the bigger touristy cenotes.
It’s a great place to play: For just 10 pesos extra, you can zipline across the cenote and splash down into the water below. There are also platforms you can use to jump into the cenote. Cannonball!
It has a lot of features other cenotes lack: a small restaurant, a lifeguard, changing rooms and showers, and two (non-cenote) swimming pools.
Bonus: there is a cavern for divers, which connects to nearby Cenote Carwash and holds beautiful tear-shaped stalactites.
While it’s not as awe-inspiring as some of the bigger or deeper cenotes, Zacil Ha is a great place to have fun with friends and enjoy a relaxed few hours before or after you visit the Coba archaeological site.
Zacil Ha is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. (In peak seasons, it sometimes opens at 9 am.)
Entrance in 2023 is currently 200 pesos.
Wherever you go in our beautiful cenote-blessed region, we’re sure you’ll have an amazing time.
Come enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty and reconnect to these sacred waters at Shibari Tulum, where we can help you arrange the cenote visit of your dreams. For information on Daypasses or the hotel, call +52 984.980.0177 or email us at reservaciones@shibaritulum.com
