Why Visit Tulum’s Cenotes?
One of the main reasons I chose to visit Tulum was for its magical cenote adventures—and I can confidently say it was my favorite part of the trip.
Cenotes are natural sinkholes formed when limestone collapses, revealing crystal-clear groundwater. The Yucatán Peninsula is home to over 10,000 cenotes, many of which hold deep cultural, geographical, and historical significance.
With so many to choose from, picking which ones to visit can feel overwhelming. So here’s a guide to the seven cenotes in Tulum I personally visited—along with honest reviews, pricing, hours, and tips.
🧭 Quick Cenote Planning Tips:
- Explore at least one open-air, one cavern, and one semi-open cenote for variety.
- Visit early in the day and on weekdays to beat the crowds.
- Bring cash—most cenotes don’t accept cards.
- Pack your own snorkel gear for better hygiene and savings.
- Group nearby cenotes in the same outing. What worked for us is going to 2-3 cenotes in the morning and doing other activities in the late afternoons and evenings each day.
- Bring reef-safe sunscreen to reapply in between cenotes. It’s mandatory to rinse off before entering the cenotes to protect fragile ecosystems.
- Rent a car if possible—Tulum taxis are *pricey* and most of the cenotes are a 5-30 minute drive outside of the center.
🌿 1. Gran Cenote
Best for: Families, snorkeling, turtles, swimming
Type: Semi-open cenote
Entry Fee: 500 MXN (~$25 USD)
Hours: 8 AM – 5 PM
If you only have time for one, Gran Cenote offers the full package. This semi-open cenote is surrounded by lush jungle and has caves, clear water, and shallow swimming areas.
It’s incredibly photogenic and even more magical in person. We visited during the low season and had it almost to ourselves—more turtles than tourists! There are lockers available for your belongings to rent, but since there were hardly any other people, we just stashed our stuff on the side.
💡 Note: Life vests are mandatory, so no free diving here, but luckily there’s still plenty to enjoy at the surface level.
Pro Tip:
Swim through one of the cave tunnels to reach another open-air pool—an epic photo spot! Or walk 50 feet past the stairs to reach it.
💀 2. Cenote Calavera (Temple of Doom)
Best for: Cliff diving, photography, GoPro content
Type: Semi-open cenote
Entry Fee: 250 MXN (~$15 USD)
Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
Cenote Calavera is a unique cenote experience—it resembles a giant skull with eye sockets you can jump through! Despite it being the smallest one on the list, it’s definitely worth a visit for those feeling adventurous.
The jumps are just high enough to get your heart racing, but not too much. Children were also jumping in, so it’s a fun experience for all ages. If you don’t feel like jumping in, you can climb down the ladder and swim around as well or chill on the swing down in the cenote.
For those super adventurous types (and who happen to be PADI cave-certified divers), Cenote Calavera is a popular dive site. You’ll see warning signs though for scuba divers that make you think twice about this dive, as it’s not for the faint of heart.
💡 Tip: GoPros require an extra fee, but waterproof phone pouches are allowed in for free.
🌈 3. Laguna Kaan Luum
Best for: Instagram photos, nature lovers, chill vibes
Type: Open-air lagoon with deep cenote center
Entry Fee: 300 MXN (~$18 USD)
Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
This vibrant lagoon cenote is absolutely stunning from above, which you can check out from the wooden observation tower. You’ll see a deep blue circle in the center of a mint-green lake—thanks to a 262-foot deep cenote feeding the shallow lagoon.
Despite the vastness of the lagoon, you can only swim in a roped off area, which is still pretty large. The actual cenote in the center is off limits and only accessible by experienced divers with guides. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty to do and see with swings, docks, and photo ops galore.
Snacks and coconuts are sold on-site in designated areas, as food is not permitted in the lagoon, and shaded areas provide a nice break from the sun.
🐊 4. Casa Cenote
Best for: Beginner divers, snorkeling, wildlife encounters
Type: Open-air cenote connected to mangroves
Entry Fee: 150 MXN ($9 USD) for swimming, 500 MXN ($30 USD) for divers
Casa Cenote is a peaceful, open-air cenote footsteps from the ocean that winds through mangroves. Casa Cenote was actually once known as Cenote Manati because manatees used to frequently swim in from the ocean via underground tunnels into the cenote. Now it is a rare sight, but there is a chance for cool wildlife sightings like crocodiles! Yup, you read that right. There are crocodile night dives in Casa Cenote, but we were lucky enough to encounter one during the day.
The visibility is great, and the mangrove roots create a surreal underwater landscape. Casa Cenote is a pleasant, chill dive site for all scuba divers, especially newer ones, since it isn’t that deep.
If you want to check out Casa Cenote, I highly recommend booking a dive with Koox! We did the one cenote dive and one ocean dive package with them. They offer a mix of dives, snorkeling tours, and scuba discovery dives.
🌌 5. Cenote Sac Actun
Best for: Guided snorkeling, cave exploration, bucket list moments
Type: Underground cave system
Entry Fee: 800 MXN (~$40 USD)
Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
Tour Required: Yes (includes gear + guide)
Cenote Sac Actun is part of the longest underwater cave system in the world, spanning over 215 miles. It’s easily one of the most awe-inspiring cenotes you’ll ever visit.
You can only explore it with a guided tour, but it is well worth it. The hour-long guided snorkel tour takes you through caverns, tunnels, and the “Tree of Life.” While it’s a snorkel tour, most of the magic is above the water: massive stalactites, glowing light shafts, and ancient rock formations.
I wish I could explore it on my own and spend a day inside just floating and meditating about life. I understand though the need for a guided tour, since the environment is so delicate and unsupervised humans ruin everything. You get inches away from stalactites that took thousands of years to form as you pass through the caverns in narrow tunnels!
💡 Tips:
- Pay with credit card to get a small discount (~$37 USD total). I know, it doesn’t make sense, but somehow there is a discount for card payments.
- No lockers, so don’t bring valuables if you don’t have a rental car you can stash them in.
🕯️ 6. Cenote Taak Bi Ha
Best for: Crystal-clear water, free diving, tranquil vibes
Type: Cavern cenote
Entry Fee: 350 MXN (~$18 USD)
Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
This was hands-down my favorite cenote of the entire trip.
Cenote Taak Bi Ha feels like a hidden underground world. It’s far less crowded than Sac Actun, but just as stunning—and you have way more freedom to explore without a guide or life vest.
I snorkeled under stalactites, watched bats fly overhead, and even saw scuba divers’ flashlights flicker through the cave underwater while freediving. Unlike Cenote Sac Actun, there is SO MUCH to see under the water, so bring (or rent) a snorkel! It’s enclosed, magical, and fully disconnected from the outside world.
We had no idea a rainstorm happened while we were inside until we walked out to soaked ground and a wet car.
✨ 7. Cenote Vesica
Best for: Wellness seekers, luxury lounging, spa day vibes
Type: Upscale wellness cenote club
Entry Fee: 500 MXN (~$26 USD) + 500–1000 MXN food & drink minimum
Hours: 9 AM – 6 PM
Cenote Vesica is less about swimming and more about the experience. It’s completely different from all the other cenotes on this list.
This luxury wellness club built around a cenote offers a full-day escape with massages, yoga, delicious food, and a peaceful atmosphere. Think barefoot luxury meets jungle sanctuary.
For the full review (and it deserves one), check out my complete guide to Vesica Tulum here.
✅ Final Cenote Tips for Tulum
- Most cenotes close around 5 PM with last entry by 4 PM.
- Plan your day around cenote proximity to avoid wasting time driving.
- Taxis in Tulum are extremely overpriced—renting a car is the best way to explore.
- Rinse off all sunscreen and lotion before swimming to protect the fragile cenote ecosystems.
- Bring your own snorkel and waterproof phone pouch.
- Don’t try to squeeze in too many cenotes in one day—two or three per morning is the sweet spot.
🌎 Why You Should Visit Tulum’s Cenotes
Whether you’re cliff jumping, floating in an ancient cave, or sipping agua frescas at a cenote social club, cenotes offer an unforgettable glimpse into Mexico’s natural beauty and Mayan history. Each one is unique, and each offers a moment to pause, breathe, and connect with the world around you. Do yourself a favor and try to see as many as possible during your time in Tulum.
