Traveling to Cancun and looking for some fun things to do during your stay? Explore the best cenotes near Cancun!
These incredible natural attractions are formed by underground caverns that have collapsed in on themselves. Located inland, they are often surrounded by lush jungle and provide beautiful turquoise pools in which you can swim, snorkel, dive, and more.
Each of the top cenotes in Cancun is unique – some fully open, some partially underground, and some almost completely covered.
The easiest way to reach the best cenotes near Cancun is via a rental car as all are easily accessible by road. The next best option is to use the small public mini-vans known as Colectivo, which leave Cancun from a parking lot close to the ADO bus station.
In this guide, you’ll find the best cenotes around Cancun and the features that make them so special. I’ve included directions to each and the cost of admission to help you plan your visits.
Ruta De Los Cenotes
Rather than just one cenote, this is a series of more than 10, which you’ll find dotted in the jungle on either side of a 20 km road near Puerto Morales.
The start of the route is just a 30-minute drive from Cancun and because there are so many cenotes to see along the way, this is the perfect area to explore if your time in Cancun is short.
There are several cenotes here I particularly recommend visiting.
One is Cenote Las Mojarras. This is one of the larger open-air cenotes and has two zip-lines, plus a platform for jumping from two different heights.
Cenote La Noira is a cave cenote with a zipline and jumping platform, but many people visit this one just to see the bats that live inside!
Cenote Siete Bocas is another must-see. ‘Siete Bocas’ translates to ‘7 mouths’, referring to its 7 entrances to the caverns taking you to the underground river. Some have ladders, and some are just openings that you jump through.
Cenote Selvatica is located in Selvatica eco-park, which offers a range of activities including ATV rides, bungee swings, and extensive zip lines.
The cost of visiting Ruta De Los Cenotes depends on which cenotes you choose to visit and the activities you do.
It is best visited by car – which gives you the freedom to move around – or as part of a tour which includes some of the activities. If you choose to drive, just take Federal Highway 307 from Cancun to Puerto Morelos.
There is a very good map on the west side of the highway showing you exactly where to find all the different cenotes.
Cenote Yal Ku
This beautiful cenote is quiet, unspoiled, and very different from others in the region. It is located close to Akumal, a peaceful town with lovely white beaches and a coral reef.
The open-air cenote is abundant with sea life and has the greatest diversity of fish in the area. Perfect for snorkeling, it has shallow waters and leads directly to the Caribbean Sea.
The current is mild, so visibility is excellent, and in addition to the wide variety of fish, you can see turtles and rays.
An excellent spot for families, the cenote is well preserved and no food, drinks, alcohol, or music are allowed.
The cost of admission to Cenote Yal Ku is 300 pesos per person.
It is located at the end of the road to Akumal and is best reached by car, with the drive taking around 1.5 hours. If you use the Colectivo, you will need to stop at Akumal and take a taxi from there.
Staying In Cancun?
Make sure to book a stay in one of the best hotels in Cancun.
Best hostel: Mayan Monkey Hotel & Hostel
Best mid-range hotel: Stay Tropical Downtown Studios
Best luxury hotel: Hyatt Ziva Cancun
Casa Cenote
Part of Nohoch Na Chich – the largest underground cave in the world – Casa cenote is quite beautiful.
It is located close to a beach (well worth visiting whilst you’re there) and surrounded by mangroves and lush vegetation. The turquoise waters are crystal clear and only 6 meters deep, so this is a great place for families.
The lighting effects are incredibly pretty and you can experience a Halocline – the change in temperature and salinity where fresh and saltwater meet.
A popular diving destination thanks to its underwater caverns, this is also a great area for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and kayaking.
Admission to Casa Cenote is 120 pesos.
It takes around 1 hour 40 minutes to reach it from Cancun by car via Federal Highway 307. Should you choose to travel by Colectivo, travel first to Playa Del Carmen then take a second Colectivo towards Tulum.
Once you reach the Casa Cenote drop-off point you will have a 20-minute walk along a dirt road.
Coba Cenotes
Some of the Yucatan’s most important Mayan ruins are located here – so what better way to cool off after visiting them than by taking a refreshing swim in one of Coba’s cenotes.
There are 3 cenotes to explore.
Multum-Ha is underground and has a small opening in the roof, illuminating the platform over the blue water below.
Cenote Choo-Ha is accessed by a wooden staircase and opens up into a stunning underground cave, high-ceilinged and dotted with stalactites and stalagmites.
Tamcach-Ha is reached through a rock fissure, where a spiral staircase takes you down to the cave itself. There are a couple of high wooden platforms here for more adventurous visitors and a lower concrete platform for gentle access to the water.
It costs 100 pesos for admission, and that covers all three cenotes.
It takes about 2 hours to reach them by car from Cancun, driving first to Tulum and then taking the Highway QROO 109.
Whilst it is possible to take the Colectivo to the Coba ruins, you would need to take a taxi to visit the cenotes, so it makes sense to make this excursion via car.
Cenote Calavera
With a name that translates to ‘Skull Cenote’ and a nickname of the ‘Temple of Doom’, this unique cenote is a ‘Cántaro’, where the narrow opening widens out to the larger cenote below.
It has three sinkholes that look a bit like two eyes and a mouth (hence the name), and it is ideal for thrill-seekers, as you can jump off a cliff to access it! Alternatively, you can opt for the ladder at the edge for a more leisurely descent!
One thing to note is that there is no dry spot inside this cenote – it is filled with water, so you can’t stand anywhere.
Despite its location right outside of Tulum, this is one of the lesser-known cenotes and tends to be very quiet, so it is ideal if you want to dodge the crowds.
It costs 100 pesos to visit Cenote Calavera and a further 100 pesos to dive.
It is easily reached in 2 hours by car but the journey via Colectivo is a little more complicated. You would first need to travel to Playa Del Carmen and then take another Colectivo to Tulum. From there, you can take another Colectivo or taxi in the direction of Coba.
Cenote Suytun
This is one of the best cenotes near Cancun for beautiful photos you will want to share!
It has a surreal atmosphere, illuminated by rays of sunlight shining through the roof onto the cenote below. What makes it particularly spectacular is its stone path that takes you along to a round platform surrounded by an azure pool.
This is a perfect cenote for swimming or simply floating and gazing up at the stunning stalactite formations above.
Located around 2 hours and 45 minutes from Cancun, it is easily reached by car, or you can take the ADO bus to Valladolid and then a taxi.
Final Thoughts On The Best Cenotes Around Cancun
It is not easy to pick the best cenotes in Cancun as there are so many to choose from, but I hope that this list of my favorites has inspired you. Whether you plan to snorkel, swim, or simply relax, I hope you enjoy your time at these beautiful natural attractions.
Visiting cenotes is one of the things that should be on your Mexico bucket list.
Want more Mexico travel inspiration? Read one of the following blog posts:
