Diving in cenotes in Mexico

On the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, you can dive in cenotes, a network of caves found here. These caves or cavities have largely been under water for thousands of years. More than 65 million years ago, the entire Yucatan Peninsula was under water. During the last ice age, the sea level dropped, leaving behind a huge plateau of soft and porous limestone. The bedrock in this plateau is originally volcanic but the top layer of limestone from ancient coral reefs we can explore today and there we can dive in these caves or cenotes.

Whether you are trained for this type of diving or not, you can try cenote diving while in Mexico. A clearly different experience and type of diving. Diving that tickles and can lead to a lifelong addiction. Many who have dived in cenotes continue for a long time to come.

What is a cenote?

A cenote is a cave whose roof has collapsed, opening a window to the world above ground. Here you can see down through the dense undergrowth of the jungle and down into the underground rivers that pierce large parts of the Yucatan Peninsula. To dive in cenotes, you need an Open Water certificate or equivalent. You must have logged about 20 dives and have good control over your balance. The guide who is with you during the dive into the cenote always has "full cave" training. Some cenotes are also suitable for swimming and snorkeling.

When you go diving here, you start from the immediate area, for example Akumal, Tulum or Playa del Carmen. Here you are close to around 50 different cenotes. Some of them you will be able to dive and explore while others are considered far too advanced and require you to have more or significantly more training.