Cenote Hopping: Adventuring in the Yucatán

It’s difficult to convey the magic of cenotes, ancient limestone sinkholes dotting Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula filled with still, cerulean water. They are all completely different, making cenote hopping a number one priority anytime I am visiting the Riviera Maya.

A little about the region.

The Riviera Maya is a coastal region on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo. Major tourist destinations have popped up in this area because of the crushed coral beaches, clear water and excellent snorkeling and diving. Plus, it’s a day trip away from some of the most beautiful and impressive Maya ruins in Mexico, including the incredible Chichén Itzá.

You will likely recognize the names Cancún (resort central), Tulum (eye candy for lifestyle and travel influencers) and Playa del Carmen (known for its pedestrian strip right off the beach). Further inland, towards many of the ruins, such as Ek’ Balam, Cobá and Chichén Itzá, there are more cenotes to be found. 

For cenote enthusiasts, tourists flock to Tulum as it is close to many of the well-known sites, including Dos Ojos and Cenote Azul, and has a large hotel zone. However, my humble piece of advice is to look elsewhere for cheaper lodging. The charming and affordable town of Puerto Morelos, 45 minutes north of Tulum, is also close to many incredible cenotes. 

Why Cenotes? What kinds of activities can I do?

The possibilities are endless. Some cenotes are geared for adventuring – whether that’s through the air or beneath the crystal-clear waters. Others are excellent for a full day of relaxing in the shade of the jungle trees while going for dips in the refreshing water. Some have multiple pools, caverns and cliffs. Others are more like lakes. The famous Río Secreto features an underground river. Cenotes offer it all.

When is a good time to visit? How should I get there?

Cenotes can be tricky to get to. We’ve rented a car every time we’ve visited (we’ve had our fair share of adventures including being stopped by the police and almost running out of gas). But you can also book a tour or take a taxi or colectivo (public vans) to get around.

The drawback of going with a tour is that you aren’t allowed a lot of time at each cenote. And cenotes are meant to be explored, enjoyed, savored. It’s all about slowing life down and connecting to nature. Losing track of time is part of the experience.

Bringing me to another issue: crowds. You don’t want to be sharing the sun dappled waters with fifty screaming Americans and Canadians in orange life vests. For timing, to avoid crowds and get the most out of your stay, go early. Mexico is slow to rise, and the tours don’t arrive until 10am or later, in my experience. Getting to the cenote before mid-morning allows you to have some tranquility – plus some snaps for Instagram without hordes of snorkelers in the background.

The more popular cenotes (Azul, Dos Ojos) will get crowded quickly. But Cenote Verde – we had the whole place to ourselves for the first thirty minutes. Same in Cenote X’Canche.

How Much Does it cost? What about food?

Prepare to pay anywhere from 100 – 350 pesos for most cenotes. Most cenotes will allow you to bring in picnics and your own water (alcohol is sometimes prohibited). There are some cenotes that have restaurants or snack stands and don’t allow outside food.

Great! Where should I start?

Here’s a roundup of the best cenotes I have visited, with an added list of ones I want to visit but haven’t gotten the chance yet. 

Cenote Verde

Cenote Verde was the first cenote I visited, so it’s no surprise it’s a favorite. It’s not as large as some of the others but it features all the fun: cliff jumping, clear waters, a zipline and a jungle atmosphere. Verde is located on the Ruta de Cenotes near Puerto Morelos. Changing rooms and restrooms are available, but that’s about it in terms of amenities. When we arrived, the cenote was empty except for the people working there. There is nothing so satisfying as diving into the completely calm, tranquil waters of your own personal cenote.

The zip line into the cenote here is free and there are also two places to jump off of (I opted for the shorter jump). In addition, there is a wooden staircase descending down to the water, for those who aren’t interested in an airborne route. As a nice touch, there is a rope extending across the cenote to hang onto and relax in the deep water.

Cenote Jardín del Edén

Named one of the best cenotes for snorkeling and diving, Jardín del Edén has a lot of magic to offer. You’ll find this cenote north of Tulum, just before Cenote Azul. Drive down the jungle road and get out and pay before continuing on through the gate to a large, shady parking area. There is a drink stand and outdoor massage as well as restrooms.

This cenote is larger than Verde. It has a main pool with a jumping cliff (you have the option of jumping from a wooden deck or from the cliff itself), but there is also a deck with benches on the opposite side with a staircase leading into the shallower end. Huge underwater rocks covered in soft, slippery emerald green plant life make this cenote’s colors especially stunning. If you remain still on one of the shallow rocks, tiny silvery fish will gather and nibble at your feet and toes.

Not only that, there is much to explore if you have snorkel gear. Many deep underwater caverns and grotto-like pools offer unique swimming and snorkeling experiences. Groups of divers will arrive in tours and disappear into the depths of the caverns for long periods time. It was easy to spend our entire day savoring the water, colors and sun.

Cenote Azul

Just after Jardín (blink and you’ll miss it) is Cenote Azul, one of my personal favorites. In fact, I think Azul is tied with Jardín for the best cenote. Both are expansive and filled with secret, hidden pools, caverns and rivers, though Azul may have Jardín beat in that respect. One of my favorite parts of visiting Azul was finding a deep, blue pool all to ourselves in the jungle.

Parking and crowds can be intense at Azul. When we arrived in late morning, it was already packed, and we had to park outside the gate near the road. Arriving early gets you into the parking lot and affords you some time to beat the majority of the crowds. Azul comes equipped with a snack stand and drinks, but we were able to bring in our picnic without issue. Azul is well-kept with clear paths and bridges circling through the manicured jungle, hidden pools, and open swimming areas. The water is shallow and aqua. Fish and verdant greenery dot the main swimming area. A bridge of rocks separates the more shallow, snorkeling area with the deeper swimming hole, where there is a fantastic cliff jumping spot. Surrounding the main pool are lots of smaller pools in the shade of the jungle in which to swim and explore.

Even with the crowds, exploring Azul was pure magic.

The beauty of Azul is worth the crowds.

Cenote X’Canche

Close to the ruins of Ek’ Balam towards the interior of the peninsula is X’Canche. It is a bit of a trip to access, as you can’t drive directly to the cenote itself, but the journey is part of the magic. You can walk through the jungle or rent bikes to speed down the dirt road. A mile into the jungle is the cenote. Like Verde, X’Canche is surround by cliffs and can only be accessed by a wooden staircase. However, this cenote is much deeper than Verde and has lots more activities: rock rappelling, ziplining over the cenote as well as into the cenote. There’s also a rope swing and cliff diving area. There are lockers, changing rooms and bathrooms as well as picnic tables and a small restaurant.

Again, the cenote was deserted when we arrived (it was a bit of a cloudy day), which made it feel like we were discovering a hidden cavern. Once you climb down the steep, wooden staircase, there is a path at the edge of the water that encircles the entire cenote, and some space to leave bags and snacks.

The water was (very) deep, cold and peppered with small, obsidian fish darting between our legs. I dove into the empty water and swam laps around the circular pool. We took advantage of the rope swing, but the zip-lining and rappelling cost extra so we skipped those activities.

Next time, I am looking forward to checking out Río Secreto (an underground river) as well as the popular Dos Ojos near Tulum. Cenotes are one of my favorite parts about traveling in the Yucatán; I can’t wait to return and explore more.