The best cenotes in Tulum

#1 · Semi-open cenote

Gran Cenote

Gran Cenote (sometimes called Cenote Grande or the Great Cenote) is Tulum's most famous cenote: a semi-open pool linked by a short cavern to a second opening, with crystal-clear water, stalactites, turtles and wooden platforms. It is part of the Sac Actun cave system. Despite the name it is not huge: the swimming area is reported at about 140 m².

Best for: First-time visitors, Snorkeling, Families

Entry: 500 MXN per adult (cash) (checked 2026-10-03)

#2 · Cave cenote

Dos Ojos

Cenote Dos Ojos ("Two Eyes") is two neighboring cenotes joined by an underwater cavern passage of about 400 m, part of Sistema Dos Ojos, which explorers connected to the Sac Actun system in 2018, making it part of one of the longest flooded cave networks in the world. It sits inside Parque Dos Ojos, which also manages other cenotes such as El Pit, Cenote Jaguar, Nicte-Ha and Misterio Maya. It is famous among snorkelers and cavern divers.

Best for: Snorkeling, Cavern diving, Photography

Entry: 400 MXN basic entry (life jacket incl.); guided Bat Cave snorkel ~800 MXN; locker 50 MXN (checked 2026-10-03)

#3 · Semi-open cenote

Cenote Calavera

Cenote Calavera (Spanish for skull), also called the Temple of Doom, is a small semi-open cenote with three holes in its limestone roof that look like a skull from above. Visitors jump about 3 m through the largest hole into deep, clear water, and cave divers come for its halocline. It is part of the Sac Actun cave system.

Best for: Adventure, Jumping, Divers

Entry: 250–300 MXN (sources differ); photo/video permit about 200 MXN extra (checked 2026-10-03)

#4 · Open cenote

Casa Cenote

Casa Cenote, also known as Cenote Manatí, is a long, river-like open cenote that snakes through mangroves at Tankah Bay, just across a dirt road from the Caribbean. Fresh groundwater meets salt water from the sea here, making it popular for snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding and beginner cenote dives.

Best for: Snorkeling, Beginner divers, Kayaking and paddleboarding

Entry: About 650 MXN general entry (one 2026 source; prices have risen, confirm at the entrance) (checked 2026-10-03)

#5 · Open cenote

Cenote Zacil-Ha

Cenote Zacil-Ha (also spelled Zazil-Ha) is a small, round open cenote about 8 km from Tulum on the Cobá road. It is shallow and almost pool-shaped, with a small zipline that drops you into the water, wooden sun decks and a separate swimming pool, which makes it one of the easiest cenotes near Tulum for families and relaxed swimmers.

Best for: Families with kids, Relaxed swimming, Non-confident swimmers (life jackets available)

Entry: Reported at 300–400 MXN per person, cash only (sources differ; one says a life jacket is included) (checked 2026-10-03)

#6 · Open cenote

Cenote Car Wash (Aktun Ha)

Cenote Car Wash (also written Carwash), officially Aktun Ha, is a large, pond-like open cenote on the Tulum–Cobá road. The surface pool is full of water lilies, green algae, fish and turtles, and a dark cavern zone with stalactites makes it one of the most popular beginner cavern dives near Tulum. It got its nickname from local taxi drivers who once washed their cars with its water.

Best for: Cavern divers, Snorkelers who like plants and fish, Quieter swims

Entry: 400 MXN foreign visitors (checked 2026-10-03)

#7 · Open cenote

Cenote Cristal

Cenote Cristal, also called Cenote Naharon or "Crystal Cenote", is a large open cenote in the jungle about 6 km south of Tulum on Highway 307. It has clear water, wooden platforms around the edges and a jumping ledge, and it is usually quieter than the famous Cobá-road cenotes. The ticket office also sells a combo ticket for Cenote Escondido, directly across the highway.

Best for: Relaxed swimming, Jumping, Budget trips, Families (easy water access)

Entry: Reported at 150 MXN per cenote or 300 MXN for Cristal + Escondido together, cash (source updated January 2025; one site lists a lower combo price, so confirm at the ticket office) (checked 2026-10-03)

#8 · Cave cenote

Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich

Nohoch Nah Chich is a cave cenote north of Tulum and one of the historic entrances to the Sac Actun system, famous among cave divers for its decorated passages. Visitors can snorkel in the cavern area with a guide.

Best for: Guided snorkeling, Cave diving (certified)

#9 · Cave cenote

Cenote Sac Actun (Pet Cemetery)

Cenote Sac Actun is a guided cavern snorkel and dive site north of Tulum, on the same access road as Dos Ojos. Its Pet Cemetery section, named for animal bones found in the cave, is one of the most decorated passages of the Sac Actun system.

Best for: Guided cave snorkeling, Cavern diving

#10 · Open cenote

Cenote Jaguar

Cenote Jaguar is an open cenote inside Parque Dos Ojos north of Tulum, with a zipline, two jumping platforms and easy snorkeling among small fish.

Best for: Families, Jumping

#11 · Open cenote

Cenote Dos Palmas

Dos Palmas is a calm cenote just past the Dos Ojos entrance north of Tulum, with turtles, a small Maya village experience and access for cave divers.

Best for: Quiet swim, Cave diving

#12 · Open cenote

Cenote Tankah

Cenote Tankah is a quiet jungle pool in the Tankah area north of Tulum. It is separate from nearby Cenote Encantado, a mangrove lagoon used for kayaking, and from Casa Cenote on Tankah Bay.

Best for: Quiet swim

#13 · Open cenote

Cenote Corazón del Paraíso

Corazón del Paraíso is a heart-shaped open cenote south of Tulum with turtles, a jump platform and occasional sightings of small crocodiles reported by visitors.

Best for: Swimming, Photos

#14 · Open cenote

Xel-Há Cenotes

Xel-Há park north of Tulum has protected cenotes (Paradise and Adventure) that are for viewing, plus a cave cenote where controlled water activities are allowed.

Best for: Families on a park day

#15 · Open cenote

Cenote Escondido

Cenote Escondido ("the hidden one", also called Mayan Blue) is a long, river-like open cenote in the jungle just south of Tulum, across the road from Cenote Cristal. It is calm and lightly developed, with simple platforms and a rope swing.

Best for: Quiet swim, Snorkeling, Cavern diving

#16 · Open cenote

Cenote Angelita

Cenote Angelita ("little angel") south of Tulum is famous among divers for its underwater "river": a white cloud of hydrogen sulfide at about 30 m, with tree branches poking through, that looks like a river flowing at the bottom of the cenote.

Best for: Advanced divers

#17 · Cave cenote

Cenote Taak Bi Ha

Cenote Taak Bi Ha (also written Tak Be Ha, "hidden water") is a fully underground cave cenote reached through the Dos Ojos park area north of Tulum. Lit walkways show off dense stalactites over crystal-clear water, and it is part of the Sac Actun cave system.

Best for: Cave formations, Snorkeling, Cavern diving

#18 · Open cenote

Cenote Nicte-Ha

Cenote Nicte-Ha is a small open cenote with water lilies inside Parque Dos Ojos, north of Tulum. It is shallow, quiet and popular with photographers and cavern divers.

Best for: Quiet swim, Lily pads, Cavern diving

#19 · Cave cenote

The Pit Cenote

The Pit (El Pit) is a deep vertical cenote inside Parque Dos Ojos, north of Tulum, known for sunbeams cutting through clear water, a halocline and a hydrogen sulfide cloud. Its depth of about 119 m makes it one of the deepest known cenotes in Quintana Roo.

Best for: Advanced divers, Light beams

#20 · Open cenote

Cenote Yax Kin

Cenote Yax Kin is a quiet open cenote in the jungle on Highway 307 north of Tulum, shallow at the entrance and deeper across the pool, with camping available.

Best for: Quiet swim, Camping