04 Jun Popular Cenotes in Mexico and Which to Visit
The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico has about 6,000 cenotes total according to Google, all diverse and unique in their own way. Some are sink holes in the ground, others inside a cave, some are small and exclusive and others absolutely massive. But their beautiful blue water is something usually seen across the board and is absolutely breathtaking to witness. They are Mexico’s hidden gem! Well – some of them are.
Only a handful of cenotes are known by tourists (including me for that matter) and there are hundreds left unknown or only familiar to locals. But the ones that are known and easily accessed have completely blown up on social media which in some cases has resulted in overtourism.
Because of this, many cenotes, although stunning in appearance, are actually not worh the experience because of the crowds that follow. In this blog post, I address these more popular cenotes, my favorites that I’ve been to, what I know about others, and which to visit, or skip!
Cenote Zaci
Worth the Visit
When I visited Cenote Zaci I was shook by the beauty. The entrance to this cenote is a small stone stairway that leads into what seems like a cave. The cave then opens up to encase this massive cenote. It feels like walking into a whole new world.
PRICE: Entrance to get in is only 30 pesos which is not even $2 USD.
ACTIVITES: Perfect for a refreshing swim, great for a photo (have a wide lens), you can cliff jump, or just walk around the cave and admire the stature. This is a fun one, I spent an entire afternoon here!
# PEOPLE: There were other people around, but definitely not overcrowded and only handful of people in the water in the middle of the day.
LOCATION: Cenote Zaci is located literally in the city of Valladolid, and can be walked to. That’s actually how I found it, I stumbled upon it touring the town!
Cenote Palomitas
Probably Worth it but Out of the way
Photos of Cenote Palomitas look absolutely incredible! The only problem is, it’s a little out of the way. Which is exactly why I never got to seeing it. But it is a major item on my next trip to Mexico and could be on yours too!
PRICE: Entrance to get in is about 100 pesos (~$5 USD).
ACTIVITES: You can swim here and and get some awesome photos. The cenote is inside a cave surrounded by stalactites and is noteworthy for the beam of light that shines through at a certain time in the day.
# PEOPLE: This is an off the beaten path cenote and therefore will have less tourists.
LOCATION: Can be found on Google maps and is about a 40 minute drive from Valladolid.
Cenote Ik Kil
Not Worth It
Unfortunately Ceenote Ik Kil, possibly one of the most popular cenotes seen on social media, is not worth the visit in my opinion. Although beautiful in photos, it is completely over run by tourism in real life. So despite the natural beauty, this was my least favorite cenote to visit. However, if you don’t mind a crowd and are just looking for a swim, it might be worth your visit.
PRICE: The entrance fee is 70 pesos (~$4 USD) but life jackets to swim will be extra.
ACTIVITES: Swimming here is the most popular activity. If you want an epic photo as seen on social media, you’ll have to come very early morning and even then possibily photoshop people out.
# PEOPLE: This cenote is constantly lined with people in lifejackets ready to jump in. I did not swim, and even looking down from above, I was being elbowed by people.
LOCATION: This cenote is 40 minutes from Valladolid and just 5 minutes from Chichen Itza.
Cenotes y Cabañas Suytun
WORTH IT
Cenote Suytun is another Instagram famous place with a ton of tourism. But this cenote IS worth it! Although you need to visit at the right time to avoid the constant tour buses full of people, it’s totally worth the planning and the wait. When I visited I was in absolute awe and felt like I was in an underworld! The cave is eery, and yet majestic with a cathedral like feel – espeically when you stand on the platform and look all around you!
PRICE: The entrance fee is 70 pesos (~$4 USD) but life jackets to swim will be extra.
ACTIVITES: Many people swim at the cenote, but in my opinion the water looked pretty murky and I would have to be paid to put my face in it. Instead, this cenote is better enjoyed just by admiring, and it’s a great photo opportunity!
*Photo Tip : If you don’t want anyone in your photos, you’ll either have to come early morning, or around 4pm when tours are stopping. This is what I did and had the place relatively to myself. However, if you would like the sunbeam in your photo (popular as seen on social media), then you will have to go in the middle of the day, but wait around for in between tour groups when less people are in the cave.
# PEOPLE: This cenote has tour groups coming in and out all day and also holds some ceremonies. At the beginning and end of the day is when you can find less people.
LOCATION: This cenote is only 15 minutes from Valladolid.
Cenote Dos Ojos
Maybe Worth It
Cenote Dos Ojos is a pool-like cenote with pristine blue water. It’s perfect for swimming and not too far outside of Tulum. But although beautiful, this is one I opted out of during my limited time in Mexico. My reasons for opting out were that it was a little out of the way in my plans, it’s a great place to swim but after swimming in other cenotes it didn’t seem too special to me, and it was more expensive than other options.
So if you have limited time and have a long list of cenotes you want to visit, this probably is not the best one to single out. However if you’re vacationing in Tulum or Akumal and you want to witness a cenote and swim in clear blue water, then Dos Ojos is your chance!
PRICE: Entrance fee is 200 pesos (~$10 USD).
ACTIVITES: Swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving (for those with proper certifications).
# PEOPLE: Gets crowded with people during the day.
LOCATION: 30 minute drive north of Tulum.
Gran Cenote
Maybe Worth It
Gran cenote is similar to Dos Ojos in that it is a stunning pool of crystal clear blue water and the perfect place to swim. However, my reasoning for not visiting this cenote was the same as Dos Ojos. While a nice place to swim, it did not seem unique after swimming in other cenotes so it did not make my cut. It also becomes overcrowded during the day and it is one of the more pricey ones. However, because of how conveniently close it is to Tulum, if you are only staying in Tulum while in Mexico, then I think this cenote is a must see! Just be sure to go in the morning if you want less people around.
PRICE: The entrance fee is 200 pesos (~$10 USD)
ACTIVITES: Swimming and opportunity for cute photo but for no one in it, you would have to come first thing in the morning.
# PEOPLE: This is definitely a very popular cenote because of how close it is to Tulum and it becomes crowded during the day.
LOCATION: Only a 10 minute drive from Tulum’s center.
Cenote Calavera
Worth It
I love Cenote Calvera! It’s such a bizarre place because the cenote is essentially a sink hole. You walk down a path and out of seemingly no where there’s three holes in the ground where this small blue pool hides. Although one of the smaller cenotes, this one was so impessive!
So in my opinion, this cenote is definitely worth the visit. It’s in Tulum (you could ride a bike here), it gets an A+ for the uniqueness factor, and if you go at either at the beginning or the end of the day then there aren’t too many people.
PRICE: The entrance fee is 100 pesos (~$5 USD).
ACTIVITES: Swimming and jumping in!
# PEOPLE: I wouldn’t say this is an overly crowded cenote but it is known and growing in popularity. Because cenote Calvera is so small in size, it might feel over crowded. Therefore like most cenotes, if you want it to yourseld you should come in the morning, I went in the last hour of being open thinking there would be less people and there wasn’t.
LOCATION: Only 5 minutes outside of Tulum’s city center, it’s possible to even rent and ride a bike here if you’re staying in Tulum.
FUN FACT: Cenote Calvera literally means “Skull Cenote” and it is also named “The Temple of Doom.”
Tips for visiting all Cenotes
No matter which cenotes you decide to visit, there are some things to keep in mind:
- Bring cash! Almost all cenotes have an entrance fee, and although cheap, it’s essential you rememberer to have cash as it’s the only method of payment.
- If you want to avoid crowds, go in the morning or at around closing.
- Ask locals for recommendations! There are tons of cenotes besides the ones I’ve mentioned and no one knows where to find them better than someone who lives there. Whether it’s someone from your hotel, your airbnb host, or a tour guide, they usually know.
Now that you know where to find them, go enjoy Mexico’s hidden gems!
For more things to do and tips for traveling Mexico, check out related blog posts and the Mexico destinations page!
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Marysa
Posted at 14:35h, 04 JanuaryI have been to all of these except for Palomitas. So many great options! Another memorable one is taking the horse carts in Cuzama, but when we went, the black flies were awful. Cenotes are a must when visiting the Yucatan.