One essential thing to do when visiting Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Chichen Itza, or pretty much anywhere in the Yucatan region of Mexico, is to go cenote diving. Therefore, I’ve asked the travel bloggersphere for their recommendations on the best cenotes in Mexico, from the Gran Cenote in Tulum to the Ruta de los Cenotes along the Riviera Maya.
And they didn’t disappoint! Here are the 7 best cenotes in Mexico:
What is a cenote?
A cenote is a deep sinkhole that connects to the sea or a lake through underground rivers. They’re very common in the Yucatan area of Mexico.
Cenote Boca del Puma, La Ruta de Los Cenotes
By Emily Scott
Cenote Boca del Puma is just one stunning natural pool of many along La Ruta de Los Cenotes in Puerto Morelos, which is between the Riviera Maya resorts of Cancun and Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan region.
La Ruta de Los Cenotes is an approximately 20km dirt road winding through a series of cenotes, each more beautiful than the last. You can take a guided tour, but we opted to rent a car for the day and drive ourselves (bring cash to pay entry fee to each cenote – they range from free up to 10USD).
Exploring La Ruta de Los Cenotes turned out to be one of our favorite travel experiences ever!
It’s hard to choose a favorite cenote from La Ruta de Los Cenotes, but Cenote Boca del Puma is definitely a contender. Its secluded location made us feel like we’d discovered a secret sanctuary in the forest. The brilliant green water, rock ledges to jump from, and (bonus!) rope swing on a zipline make it the perfect spot to frolic in the sun. Definitely one of the best cenotes in Mexico.
Emily blogs at Two Dusty Travelers and you can follow her travels on Instagram.
Yokdzonot Cenote, Chichen Itza
By Stella Jane
The Yokdzonot Cenote near Chichen Itza is just a 20-minute drive from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, so you’d think it would be overrun with tourists. Thankfully it seems that most travelers pass this charming spot by, as on the day I visited the only people at Yokdzonot Cenote were my group of eight and an elderly French couple.
I visited the Yokdzonot Cenote as part of the Gray Line Merida tour of Chichen Itza so I didn’t have to pay the admission fee, but the last time I checked it was 70 Mexican pesos per person. There is a good restaurant on the premises too.
The story behind the opening of the Yokdzonot Cenote to tourists is pretty incredible. Over a decade ago, a group of local Mayan women decided to work together and convert an abandoned cenote into an eco-tourist destination.
They spent two years renovating Yokdzonot and it was finally opened in 2007. Now, it’s one of the best cenotes in Mexico, not only for the refreshing blue-green waters and outstanding photo ops, but also for giving something back to the local community.
All you have to do is head to Calle 20 S/N between 27 and 29 Yokdzonot, Yaxcabá, Yucatán, México and go for a swim!
Stella blogs at Around the World in 24 Hours and you can follow her travels on Instagram.
Gran Cenote, Tulum
By Eloise
Gran Cenote is one of the best cenotes in Tulum, and it lives up to its name and reputation. Surrounded by lush jungle, the large cenote has a few cavern entries and arches easily accessible by anyone willing to refresh in the water.
At Gran Cenote, there’s no need to be a scuba diver to contemplate the beautiful geological formations. Snorkelers will even have a peek at the incredible light effect breaking the obscurity when the cavern opens up.
Despite the number of visitors, the water of the Gran Cenote has stayed crystal clear. We had the lovely surprise to find cute little turtles hanging around. All this makes it one of the best cenotes in Tulum, especially for snorkeling, as well as one of the best cenotes in Mexico.
Plus, Gran Cenote is very easy to access. It’s only a 15-minute drive from Tulum, on the way to Coba. We gave a lift back to Tulum to backpackers who caught the ADO bus on the way up. If you like exercising, you could even go there by bike, as it’s a 10km ride return.
The entrance fee was 150 pesos. We avoided the crowd from the tours by visiting it at before it closed at the end of the day (last entry was at 4.15pm).
Eloise blogs at My Favourite Escapes and you can follow her travels on Instagram.
Cenote Zací, Valladoid
By Ingrid Truemper
Cenote Zací provides a tranquil oasis in the heart of Valladolid, which is near Chichen Itza. Named for the Mayan settlement demolished to build the colonial city of Valladolid, it features in a fascinating local Mayan legend.
Try to get to Cenote Zací when it opens at 8:30 am. At that hour, you should have it virtually to yourself and can appreciate its serene beauty. However, keep an eye out for swallows, bats, and the black eyeless catfish that inhabit the cenote’s waters!
The entrance fee for Cenote Zací is 30 pesos (US$1.60) and includes a wristband for all-day access, so you can return later for a refreshing dip to cool off from the afternoon heat.
Ingrid Truemper blogs at Second-Half Travels. Follow her on Facebook.
Cenote Dos Ojos, Playa del Carmen
By Janine DeVault
Cenote Dos Ojos (two eyes), is so named because there are two cenotes you can swim in. They are connected by an underground cave, which you can swim through if you pay for a diving excursion.
There is also a third cenote in this area, called the Bat Cave — you can guess how it got its name! It was the least crowded of the three cenotes (surprise, surprise!), and we enjoyed swimming there too.
This was my first ever cenote experience and I thought it was incredible! The water was very refreshing (too refreshing, at first) and super clear. With my snorkel I was able to see all kinds of incredible underwater rock formations, and even a few fish.
The second cenote of Cenote Dos Ojos is much deeper, and larger than the first, and the stalagmites below the surface were unlike anything I’d ever seen before. My snorkel limited me from going too deep, but I bet this place is even more magical if you are a diver.
Cenote Dos Ojos is located about 40 minutes south of Playa del Carmen, by car. The turn off was clearly marked by signs that read “Dos Ojos Cenote Park.” There are numerous cenotes within the park, so you must specify at the ticket booth which ones you wish to visit, and pay accordingly. The entrance fee for Cenote Dos Ojos is $350 MXN (including snorkel equipment).
Janine blogs at Janine in the World and you can follow her travels on Instagram.
Cenote Ik Kil, Chichen Itza
By Kat
Ik-Kil Cenote is a popular stop on the way to or from Chichen Itza. I was inspired to visit Ik-Kil after seeing photos of it on Instagram and I was delighted to discover that it was even more beautiful in real life! I took a day tour from Cancun that included a stop at Ik-Kil.
Ik-Kil is 40m deep, and jewelry and bones have even been found at the bottom of the cenote by archaeologists.
After taking a quick shower, I walked down the staircase to the cenote. Some people were lining up to jump off a platform into the cenote, but I climbed down a ladder instead. The water was cool and refreshing. I enjoyed floating on my back and taking in the scenery- the long vines dangling from above and the clear blue sky. I could see and feel black catfish zipping past me.
It was such a relaxing and special experience!
Kat blogs at Memoirs of a Globetrotter and you can follow her travels on Facebook.
Cenote Azul, Bacalar
One of the best cenotes in Mexico that I visited during my month in the Yucatan was the gorgeous Cenote Azul in Bacalar, a lakeside town a few hours south of Tulum.
At the south end of the costera (coast highway), which is around three km south of Bacalar’s city center, the Cenote Azul is a 90m-deep natural pool with bar and restaurant. It’s walkable from the centre, or you can rent a bike or hire a taxi to go there.
The waters are crystal clear, so you can snorkel or dive with the fishes. It’s one of the largest, deepest and cleanest cenotes in the Yucatan. I spent a few hours at Cenote Azul, but I could have easily spent the whole day there. The restaurant is reasonably priced and the cost of entry is 25 pesos (though there are no lockers).
I highly recommend a visit to Lake Bacalar if it isn’t already on your Yucatan itinerary. There are so many things to do at Bacalar Lagoon, including stand-up paddleboarding, seeing the Cocalitos (the ‘largest organism on Earth’) and swimming in the some of the best cenotes in Mexico, some of which are actually within the lake.
The Best Cenotes in Mexico
Is this the definitive list of the best cenotes in Mexico, or did we miss your favourite cenote off the list? Let us know by commenting below, sharing on social media, or pinning for later.
For more Mexico adventure, read Things to do in Bacalar, The Best Mexico City Bookstores For Books In English and A Tale of Two Earthquakes in Mexico City.
Recommended Read: I’ve committed to making my bathroom and travel toiletry back zero waste and plastic free. Plus, many zero waste toiletries come in solid form, so they’re perfect for your backpack or hand luggage, as well as better for the planet and for you.
Thanks so much for letting me part of this post Amy! It was fun to write, and now I have a handy to-do list of cenotes to visit over the next few months!
So gorgeous! The water is so so blue! Do you know anything about how one would go about diving there?
This is such a cool post! I’m heading to Mexico next month and planning to go to a cenote!