3 Cenotes to Visit While in Tulum (2022)

Tulum is located in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico which is known for it’s cenotes. What is a cenote? A cenote is a natural sinkhole that exposes groundwater. There are different types of cenotes including open, cavern, and semi-open. Cenotes are popular for swimming, diving, and snorkeling

In September 2022 I visited Tulum for the first time and was most excited to explore cenotes. I visited 3 very different cenotes which I have detailed below.

Things to know before visiting a cenote:

All cenotes have showers onsite for rinsing off before going in the cenote in an effort to preserve the water
Sunscreen is not allowed
Many cenote entrances are very casual and not particularly built out. There is generally not staff present other than at the entrance
Most cenotes don’t have lockers

Cenote Cristal

Cenote Cristal is an open cenote just a few minutes outside Tulum town. This was the first cenote I went to and I was pleasantly surprised how laid back it was, even on a Saturday. The water is very clear and there are large ropes you can stand on so you don’t have to tread water. This cenote is also pretty deep, so much so that there were scuba divers exploring an underwater cave while I was there.

Cenote Cristal also has a wooden platform you can jump off which was super fun! When you feel like taking a break from the water there are hammocks and picnic tables to hang out at.

Cost: 70 MXN pesos ($3-4 USD)

Getting to Cenote Cristal

To get to Cenote Cristal, take the Cancun – Chetumal/México 307 west of Tulum Town and look for a sign on the right side of the road just a few minutes from the edge of town. There is a small parking lot and ticket booth at the entrance.

If you don’t have a car you could still get to Cenote Cristal via a short taxi ride from Tulum town, by bike, or local transportation.

Tips

Bring a picnic
Bring goggles
Remember to rinse off before jumping in

Cenote Cristal diving board — Jumping off the wooden platform at Cenote Cristal

Cenote Cristal in Tulum — Cenote Cristal

showering at Cenote Cristal — Cenote Cristal shower

Gran Cenote

I was skeptical about Gran Cenote because it is very popular and relatively expensive. However, it exceeded my expectations and I now understand why it gets so much attention!

Gran Cenote is a semi-open cenote with both cave and open areas. There is a lot of wildlife with turtles swimming in the water, hundreds of bats sleeping and flying around the caves, and iguanas basking in the sun. The grounds have several picnic tables and a big lawn for lounging and picnicking.

Gran Cenote is more regulated than other cenotes with a turnstile gate to enter, life jackets required, and optional snorkel gear with your entrance ticket. There are also lockers you can rent to store your belongings.

Cost: 500 MXN pesos (~$25 USD)

Getting to Gran Cenote

To get to Gran Cenote take the 109 north of Tulum town. After a few minutes Gran Cenote will be on the right with a dirt parking lot.

If you don’t have a car this would be a short taxi ride from Tulum town.

Tips

Don’t be discouraged by the popularity of Gran Cenote
Bring a blanket and picnic to enjoy on the lawn
Bring an ID for renting snorkel gear (mainly if you want to see turtles swimming underwater)
You could easily spend hours here
Remember to rinse off before jumping in

Gran Cenote in Tulum — Floating in Gran Cenote

showers at Gran Cenote Tulum — Showers at Gran Cenote Tulum

Turtles at Gran Cenote in Tulum — Turtles at Gran Cenote

Cenote Choo Ha

Cenote Choo Ha is a cavern cenote which blew my mind! After driving in seemingly the middle of nowhere, I came upon the entrance to the cenote which is marked with an unassuming staircase descending into the earth. The steep staircase takes you into the ground and opens up to a beautiful underground cavern full of stalactites. The cenote is lit which human-made lighting, otherwise it would be completely dark.

The water in cenote Choo Ha was really clear and refreshing, though not particularly warm. There are a couple ropes in the water in the deeper part of the cenote to grab on to. I thought swimming in this underground oasis was a really neat, unique experience, however we did not stay super long because frankly being underground is not particularly warm or pleasant for an extended amount of time.

Cost: 100 MXN pesos (~$5 USD)

Getting to Cenote Choo Ha

Cenote Choo Ha is about 1 hour from Tulum, or 10 minutes from the Coba ruins. I recommend planning a day to visit both the ruins and cenote as I personally would not go out of my way just for the cenote. From Tulum, take the 109 north of Tulum town for about 30 miles, then follow signs at the roundabout for Coba. From Coba, continue on the road for another 10 minutes until you see a sign for Cenote Choo Ha on the left.

If you don’t have a car this would be a long taxi ride from Tulum town. Other options to visit Cenote Choo Ha are to go as part of a tour or local transportation.

Tips

You don’t need that much time here
I wouldn’t go out of my way as awesome as it was
The cave aspect is cooler than the swimming part

entrance to Cenote Choo Ha Tulum — Entrance to Cenote Choo Ha

Cenote Choo Ha Staircase Tulum — Cenote Choo Ha Staircase

Cenote Choo Ha's giant stalactites — Cenote Choo Ha’s giant stalactites

Final Thoughts

If I had to choose one cenote of these three to visit, it would be Gran Cenote just because you get so many experiences in one with all the wildlife, caves, and open air. However, I am so glad I visited all three because it’s neat how different they all are in appearance and vibe. Having a rental car made it easy to visit all of these cenotes, but there are other options for getting around.