Best Cenotes in the Riviera Maya

Best Cenotes in the Riviera Maya – 2022

La Ruta de los Cenotes 

La Ruta de Los Cenotes are the best cenotes near Cancun. They are all along one road, which is located just off the main highway (Carretera Cancun-Tulum, Highway 307), heading west from the beach town of Puerto Morelos.

There are about 50 cenotes along the Ruta de Los Cenotes. Below are the three cenotes included in La Ruta de Los Cenotes that I think are the best.

Cenotes Zapote

Parque Cenotes Zapote is an eco-park that includes four cenotes, two open and two cave cenotes. Each Cenote has different activities, like jumping platforms, ziplines, and snorkeling. Still, you can also enjoy ATV rides on the ATV Tour.

Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, ATVs, ziplines 

Cost: $40USD 

Hours: 9am-8pm

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, life jackets, lockers

Cenote Siete Bocas 

This Cenote is called Siete Bocas because it has seven different access points you can enter from. You can climb down through a ladder into its underground caverns, zipline in, or jump from a cliff. This is a deep-water cenote popular with divers and swimmers.

Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, diving 

Cost: $300 pesos ($15USD) 

Hours: 9am-4:30pm

Facilities: Restrooms, life jackets

Cenote La Noria 

Cenote La Noria is a beautiful, natural cenote with crystal clear water so you can see fish swimming beneath you. It’s in a cave, so you can admire the stalactite rocks hanging above.

Best for: Swimming, snorkeling 

Cost: $200 pesos ($10USD) 

Hours: 9am-4:30pm

Facilities: Restrooms, life jackets

Cenote Azul 

Cenote Azul is one of the most beautiful cenotes in Playa del Carmen. It is popular with locals and visitors alike.

This Cenote is famous because it has the perfect crystal clear blue and is surrounded by lush plants and jungle vegetation. It’s great for swimming and snorkeling and for taking great photos. There’s also a jumping platform for those who want to dive in.

Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, photos 

Cost: $120 pesos ($6USD) 

Hours: 9am-5pm

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, life jacket rentals

Cenote Jardin Del Eden or Cenote Ponderosa

Jardín del Eden Cenote is just like the name says. This Cenote is an otherworldly secret garden paradise located in the Yucatan jungle.

You could easily spend an entire day swimming, snorkeling, and jumping in off the dive platforms in this big open Cenote.

Cenote Jardin del Eden is just a few minutes from Cenote Azul, so you can visit both and see which one you prefer.

Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, photos 

Cost: $200 pesos ($10USD) 

Hours: Sunday-Friday, 8am-5pm 

Facilities: Restrooms, snack bar, life jacket rentals.

 Cenote Cristalino

Cenote Cristalino is another beautiful one located near Cenote Azul and Cenote Jardin del Eden.

This adventure cenote has a 3m (12-foot) dive platform and a cave. When visiting this Cenote, don’t miss the opportunity to swim through the 20m long (65-foot) cave. There are also a few separate pools here and plenty of places to lounge around them.

Best for: Swimming, jumping, diving 

Cost: $150 pesos ($7USD) 

Hours: 8am-6pm. 

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, restaurant, life jacket rentals.

Gran Cenote 

Gran Cenote, located 15 minutes from Tulum, is one of the most photograph-worthy cenotes. 

The Gran Cenote gets quite crowded. Its famous staircase will often have a line of people waiting to take photos on it.

Best for: Photos, swimming, relaxing 

Cost: $300 pesos ($15USD) 

Hours: 8am-4:30pm

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, changing rooms, life jackets, and locker rentals. 

Cenote Zacil-Ha

Located near Tulum, Zacil-Ha Cenote is the true definition of a swimming pool/open cenote. There are plenty of places you can dive or jump in and ziplines for the more adventurous.

This is a very popular cenote among all types of travelers. After swimming, enjoy the hammocks, two regular swimming pools, and lounge chairs by the water.

Best for: Photos, swimming, relaxing 

Cost: $100 pesos ($5USD) 

Hours: 9am-5pm or 10am-5pm.

Facilities: Restrooms, small restaurant, showers, regular swimming pools, lounge chairs, shaded palapas, and cabanas to rent for the night.

Cenote Dos Ojos 

Cenote Dos Ojos is one of the world’s best diving spots for cave divers. There are two cenotes here: Ojo Azul, an open cenote with bright blue water, and Ojo negro, a completely dark cave cenote that you need a guide to enter.

This is a very crowded Cenote with people posing for photos, families with small kids, and groups of divers.

Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, diving, photos 

Cost: $350 pesos ($17USD) 

Hours: 8am-5pm.

Facilities: Restrooms, lockers, showers, mask/snorkel rentals, and two restaurants.

Casa Cenote 

Casa Cenote is unique. It is a mix of freshwater and saltwater. In fact, it used to be known as Manati Cenote, as manatees once lived there. They’re all gone now, but there’s plenty of other wildlife to see underwater, including fish and turtles.

Here you can swim, kayak, paddleboard, snorkel, and dive. Divers especially love Casa Cenote because its underwater cave system goes directly out to the Caribbean Sea.

Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking 

Cost: $150 pesos ($7USD) 

Hours: 9am-5pm 

Facilities: Restrooms, lockers, kayak rentals, and snorkeling gear rentals

Cenote Calavera 

Calavera Cenote, located near Tulum, has three holes. One large hole and two smaller ones. A skull shape appears when you’re underwater, and the sun’s shining in all the holes simultaneously.

The larger hole has a ladder and a rope swing, and you can jump into the water from all holes, as the water’s deep enough.

 Best for: Photos, diving, quick swim 

Cost: $100 MXN pesos ($5USD) 

Hours: 9am-4pm

Cenote Calavera Facilities: Restrooms and chairs to sit on.

 Cenote Suytun

Cenote Suytun is located entirely underground in a cave, with large stalactite rock formations hanging from the ceiling. There is a small opening above the Cenote, so a single light beam shines in, and a circular platform is in the center.

This Cenote isn’t large, though it’s popular, and due to its closeness to Chichén Itzá Mayan Ruins and Coba, many combine the ruins and the Cenote on a day trip.

Best for: Photos, quick swim 

Cost: $150 pesos ($8USD) 

Hours: 9am-5pm

Facilities: Restroom, changing room, showers, restaurant, life jacket rental

Cenote Ik-Kil (Chichen Itza Cenote)

This is considered one of the best Cenote in Yucatan. It is only about 10 minutes from Chichen Itza, so you can combine a visit to the ruins and the Cenote on a day trip.

Best for: Photos, quick swim 

Cost: $80 pesos ($4USD) 

Hours: 8am-5pm

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, changing rooms, lockers, life jackets, restaurant, bar, and a gift shop