Destination Riviera Maya Cavern Diving Page
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Cave Diving
The Riviera Maya is known for its many subterranean rivers and "cenotes", formed by the filtering of rain water through the limestone, the earth's main component in this region, making this zone ideal for that unique and exciting type of diving known as cave diving.
Cavern and Cave dive trips
There is no area in the world with as many underwater caves as the Mayan Riviera in the Yucatan Peninsula's Caribbean coast.
Just across the waters from Cozumel and 45 miles south of Cancun, Playa del Carmen is the perfect place to base your vacation for a memorable cave diving experience.
Cenotes, found only in this part of the world, are freshwater pools in the jungle with access to these vast underground cave systems.
The word "Cenote" is pronounced, say-no-tay and is derived from the Maya "Dzonot", which means sacred well.
Cenotes have no current and crystal-clear freshwater.
The water temperature is 78ºF/25ºC and the average depth is 35ft/10m.
All this makes for a very easy and comfortable diving experience. One that you will never forget!
Cavern and cave dives include:
* transportation to and from Playa del Carmen dive shop
* certified cave dive guide (maximum 4 divers per guide)
* tanks
* weights
* BCD
* regulator
* dive lights
* cenote entrance fees
* mostly operators would give you refreshments - snack or sandwich
Cavern and cave dive locations:
Cenote Angelita
Location: 17 Kilometers South of Tulum; opens daily from 10 to 5
Facilities: None
Distance from gear up to water: 5 min walk through the jungle
The name means "little angel" and there may not be a better way to describe this magical dive site.
This atypical cenote does nothing else but go straight down 200ft/60m. Fresh water with unlimited visibility makes up the 100ft/30m and a mystical layer of hydrogen sulfate separates salt water in the other half.
This layer in the middle appears as a dense cloud from the top and strange colored hue from the bottom.
A once in a lifetime dive!
Cenote Car Wash
Location: About 37 miles south of Playa del Carmen, then five miles inland on the highway to Coba; opens daily from 9 to 5
Facilities: Restrooms, parking area, lunch area (no restaurant), gear tables
Distance from gear up to water: 15 feet
Divers enter the water through the roots of large trees, which, like in a fairy tale, take you to a strange and different world.
Here you can do both cavern and cave dives.
The cavern dive starts as you enter through roots and continues into a large decorated gallery.
Rooms and galleries are found in the cave system both upstream and downstream.
Ask your cave guide about the Room of Tears, Adriana's room, the White Room, the Drain, and many more.
Cenote Chac Mool
Location: Just 14 miles south of Playa del Carmen; opens daily from 10 to 5
Facilities: Restrooms, restaurant, gear tables, parking area.
Distance from gear up to water: just down the stairs at either entrance.
This is one of the most popular dive locations on the coast. Chac Mool has something for everyone from speleotherms and airdomes on the cavern tour to long penetration cave dives in both directions, with a maximum depth of 45 feet.
Fascinating visual effects are created where salt and freshwater come together.
Combine this dive with any other dive along the coast and you will see why guides always recommend Chac Mool as a must do cavern dive.
Cenote Dos Ojos
Location: 30 miles south of Playa del Carmen then 2.5 miles down dirt road at Ejido Jacinto Pat entrance. Opens daily from 10 to 5.
Services: Restrooms, nearby restaurant, snack bar, parking area
Distance from gear up to water: 1min walk down well built stairs (easy)
This location is comprised of two circular cenotes placed very near each other.
Dos Ojos —Spanish for ‘two eyes’— is known for its multiple shallow cavern dives giving divers plenty of bottom time to enjoy this fully decorated system. Cave divers can plan many different cave dives with their guides in this massive cave system.
There are also large snorkeling areas with stalactites and stalagmites everywhere and easy access for all the family.
The people at IMAX movies enjoyed this location to shoot footage for the newly released Journey into Amazing Caves.
Cenote Nohoch Nachich
Location: About 30 miles south of Playa del Carmen
Facilities: Restrooms, restaurant, gear tables
Distance from gear up to water: 250 meters
Here is one of the most sought after cave diving locations in the world.
Access is a little on the rough side, but that just makes this jungle adventure complete. This is a cave divers’ dreamland and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest cave system in the world.
Cenote Ponderosa And Coral Cenote
Location: About 15 miles south of Playa del Carmen; open daily from 10 to 5.
Facilities: Restrooms, shaded lunch area (no restaurant), parking area, gear tables.
Distance from gear up to water: An easy walk down the stairs to a platform
Ponderosa is a very large and exceptionally beautiful cenote, home for a wide variety of aquatic life. You can take a short walk from here to Coral Cenote just down a path and see another large collapse with just the sides underwater and a large island in the middle. There are also many cave dives that connect to nearby cenotes and make fascinating traverses. Snorkeling is excellent with plenty of area to explore. If you take a walk around the jungle, you will find many fossils of corals and shells throughout the jungle floor.
Cenote Taj Mahal
Location: 16 miles south of Playa del Carmen; open daily 10 to 6
Facilities: Restrooms, restaurant, gear tables.
Distance from gear up to water: 1min walk down stairs (easy)
Cenote Taj Mahal is one of the dives you must do while visiting the Riviera Maya.
Guided Cavern dives take you down a string of light zones creating a dazzling underwater laser-like show as divers penetrate into the layer of saltwater below the fresh.
Keep your eyes open during this dive, decorated with stalagmites and stalactites, and you will find many shell and coral fossils amongst the rocks.
Gran Cenote
Location: About 37 miles south of Playa del Carmen, then 2.5 miles inland on the highway to Cobá; opens daily from 10 to 5
Facilities: Restrooms, no restaurant, but a nearby store selling sandwiches and other snacks, gear tables, parking lot.
Distance from gear up to water: Very short walk and down stairs (easy)
The name does say it all.
This large cenote is one of the most popular diving and snorkeling areas in the Riviera Maya.
Huge stalagmites, stalactites, and columns are yours to be seen by just sticking your face into the water.
Cavern divers can enjoy this circular shaped cenote dive as they tuck behind and swim through this underwater wonderland. Cave dives are also possible. Gran Cenote is one of the most rewarding snorkeling areas for adventurers of all ages and skill. The whole family can find something to do in the water here.
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