Cenote Diving

Cenotes are natural sinkholes formed over millions of years when limestone bedrock collapsed, revealing vast networks of underground rivers and caves beneath the Yucatan Peninsula. The word "cenote" comes from the Mayan word dzonot, meaning "sacred well." The ancient Maya considered cenotes to be portals to Xibalba, the underworld, and used them for ceremonial offerings and as vital freshwater sources.

Today, the Yucatan Peninsula is home to over 6,000 known cenotes, making it the largest concentration of underwater caves on Earth. These geological formations are part of the world's most extensive underwater cave systems, including Sac Actun (370 km) and Ox Bel Ha (270 km). Naturally filtered through limestone, cenote water offers visibility that often exceeds 100 meters—among the clearest diving conditions found anywhere in the world.

Cenotes are classified into four main types based on their geological stage of development:

What makes cenote diving truly unique is the combination of ancient geological formations—stalactites and stalagmites formed when the caves were above sea level during the last Ice Age—with phenomena like haloclines, where fresh and saltwater layers meet, creating mesmerizing visual distortions. Water temperature remains constant at 25°C (77°F) year-round, and conditions are calm with no currents, making cenotes among the most comfortable and predictable dive environments in the world.

Learn more about the geology and history of cenotes →

Planning a cenote diving trip requires understanding three key areas: certification requirements, what equipment you need, and when to go. Here is everything you need to prepare for your cenote diving adventure in the Riviera Maya.

Certification Requirements

The certification you hold determines which cenotes you can explore. Here is a quick overview of what each level unlocks:

Not certified yet? No problem. Our Try Scuba experience requires zero experience—you will dive with an instructor in a controlled cenote environment. Or get your Open Water certification with us and include cenote dives as part of your training. See full certification requirements →

Equipment — Everything is Included

You do not need to bring any dive equipment. Our cenote diving packages include full scuba gear: BCD, regulator, 5mm wetsuit, tanks, weights, fins, mask, and primary dive light. For cavern dives, we also provide secondary backup lights and surface marker buoys for safety. Advanced and technical divers can discuss specialized configurations with our team in advance. You only need to bring your certification card, swimsuit, towel, and a change of clothes. See the full equipment guide →

When to Go — Year-Round Diving

Unlike ocean diving, cenotes are unaffected by weather, currents, or seasonal changes. Water temperature stays constant at 25°C (77°F) throughout the year, and visibility remains exceptional regardless of the season. That said, the best period for combining cenote and ocean diving is October to April, when Caribbean sea conditions are calmest. Morning dives (8-10 AM) offer the most dramatic light beams in semi-open cenotes like El Pit and Jardín del Edén. Learn about the best time to dive cenotes →

What a Typical Day Looks Like

We pick you up from your hotel in Playa del Carmen between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. The drive to most cenotes takes 30-60 minutes depending on the location. After a thorough briefing on cenote-specific techniques (buoyancy, light discipline, formation awareness), you complete two guided dives of 40-50 minutes each with a surface interval between them. Entrance fees, equipment, snacks, water, and underwater photos are all included. You are back at your hotel by early afternoon, leaving time for the rest of your day.

Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is the undisputed global capital of cenote diving. No other place on Earth offers such a dense concentration of accessible underwater cave systems—over 6,000 cenotes scattered across the limestone shelf, connected by hundreds of kilometers of subterranean passages. Three of the world's five longest underwater cave systems are found here: Sac Actun (370 km), Ox Bel Ha (270 km), and Dos Ojos (80+ km).

The Riviera Maya corridor, stretching from Cancun to Tulum, provides the easiest access to the most iconic cenotes. Most dive sites are within a 30 to 60-minute drive from Playa del Carmen, making it possible to combine cenote diving with reef diving on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second largest reef system in the world—on the same trip or even the same day.

What sets cenote diving apart from any other diving experience is the unique combination of factors you will not find anywhere else: water clarity exceeding 100 meters of visibility, ancient geological formations created during the Ice Age when these caves were dry, the halocline phenomenon where fresh and saltwater layers meet creating surreal visual effects, constant year-round temperature of 25°C, and the absence of currents, waves, or weather-related disruptions.

Whether you are a newly certified diver looking for your first unforgettable underwater experience or a seasoned technical diver exploring some of the longest cave systems on the planet, the cenotes of the Riviera Maya deliver something that ocean diving simply cannot replicate.