71 cenotes · down to 119 m (390 ft) · 30 suitable for an intro team
Cave diving in the Riviera Maya
- Cenotes71
- Max depth119 m (390 ft)
- Water temperature23–25 °C (73–77 °F)
- Dive centres29
Now in Riviera Maya (Quintana Roo, Mexico)
good (30–60+ m)11.8 mm of rain in the past 7 days.
- WarningIsla Álamos
Diving and fills
Dive here with
8 more who guide here
- Xico Dive CenterGuided dives · Training · Rental · 23 kmWebsite ↗
- Underworld TulumGuided dives · Training · 41 kmWebsite ↗
- Mexico DiversGuided dives · Training · 98 kmWebsite ↗
- Cave Quest (Tulum)Guided dives · TrainingWebsite ↗
- Cozumel Abyss DiversGuided divesWebsite ↗
- Dive Cenotes Mexico / Actun Pro TulumGuided dives · TrainingWebsite ↗
- Pluto DiveGuided dives · Training · RentalWebsite ↗
- Scuba Alux (Playa del Carmen)Guided dives · Training · FillsWebsite ↗
Fills nearby
- Cave CCRTrimix and CCR support
- Zero Gravity'Mixed gas fills' — ask which mixes exactly (trimix, O₂, sorb)
- Pro Dive International (Catalonia Riviera Maya)Air and nitrox (alu 80/12 L); no trimix, O₂ or CCR support
Why come here
Beneath the jungle between Playa del Carmen and Tulum lies a network of cenotes and cave systems, some of them huge: Ox Bel Ha has 496.8 km of surveyed passage and Sac Actun 379.6 km. The water is about 24–25 °C all year, and around late morning light beams fall through the caverns. There is something for every level: open-water divers may only join a guided cavern tour (a full-cave guide, at most four divers, daylight zone only), intro-to-cave routes come next, and full cave divers have kilometres of decorated passage. Puerto Aventuras sits right in the middle.
Rules differ per owner or ejido and change quickly, fees are paid in cash and most cenotes are open only in daytime. Several cenotes are closed to divers, including Gran Cenote, Regina, Shoam and Caracol, and the Tren Maya has damaged some others: ask your dive centre about the current situation.
Don't miss
- Dos Ojos: two round cenotes side by side with two cavern lines: the Barbie line through wide, bright passages cut by beams of light, and the darker Bat Cave line to a dry air dome where bats hang.
- Tajma Ha (Taj Mahal): for certified cave divers only: rooms such as Sugar Bowl, Esmeralda and Chinese Garden, where beams of light fall in between March and September.
- Angelita: a short walk through the jungle brings you to an open shaft where, halfway down, a brown cloud of hydrogen sulphide lies on a debris cone with tree branches poking through, as if a river flowed beneath you; going below the cloud means planning deco and gas for a bottom near -60 m.
- Car Wash (Aktun Ha): from an open basin a cavern loop of about 185 m runs at 13–15 m depth, and deeper in the system lies the Chamber of Ancients, where researchers found hearths some 10,500 years old in 2020.
On a rest day
- Tulum ruins: A walled Maya city on cliffs about 12 m above the Caribbean Sea.
- Cobá: A Maya city between two lagoons, about 47 km from Tulum, with the roughly 42 m Nohoch Mul pyramid and raised causeways (sacbeob) running into the jungle.
- Sian Ka'an: The biosphere reserve south of Tulum, a World Heritage Site since 1987, with tropical forest, mangroves, lagoons and a barrier reef.
- Akumal: The bay between Playa del Carmen and Tulum where green sea turtles come to feed on the seagrass and you can watch them while snorkelling. Nearby is Cenote Santa Cruz, a swimming cenote with clear water and rock formations.
All 71 cenotes
8 closed not shown ·
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'Fake' Mayan Blue (Regina-systeem)Entry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Aerolito de Paraíso (Cozumel)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 27 m (89 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| AngelitaEntry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 60 m (197 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Calavera (Temple of Doom)Entry or dive feeSidemount · Cavern | 19 m (62 ft) | Sidemount | Cavern |
| Calimba (Kalimba)Sidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Sistema Camilo (Cenote Muchachos)Not known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Car Wash (Aktun Ha)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 21 m (69 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| Casa Cenote (Manatí)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 8 m (26 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Caterpillar (Muyil)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Full cave | 29 m (95 ft) | Backmount | Full cave |
| Chac MoolEntry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 14 m (46 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| Chan Aktun Ha (Regina Backdoor)Entry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Chan Hol (Toh-Ha)Entry or dive feeSmall cylinders / no-mount · Full cave | 15 m (49 ft) | Small cylinders / no-mount | Full cave |
| Chikin Ha (X'Tabay)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | – | Backmount | Cavern |
| Chun-YaEntry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| La ConchaEntry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 12 m (39 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Coop One (K'oox Baal)Permission neededEntry or dive feeBackmount · Full cave | 14 m (46 ft) | Backmount | Full cave |
| Corazón del ParaísoEntry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo, Punta Sur, Cozumel)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 41 m (135 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Dos OjosEntry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 10 m (33 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| Dos PalmasEntry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave | 10 m (33 ft) | Backmount | Intro to cave |
| Dos PisosEntry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 24 m (79 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| El Toh (Balun Actun)Entry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Galaxian (Muyil)Entry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Hatzutz ActunEntry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | 24 m (79 ft) | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Ho-Tul / Cuzan NahSidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Isla ÁlamosEntry or dive feeSmall cylinders / no-mount · Full cave | – | Small cylinders / no-mount | Full cave |
| Jailhouse (Las Palmas)Permission neededEntry or dive feeBackmount · Full cave | 29 m (95 ft) | Backmount | Full cave |
| Jardín del Edén / PonderosaEntry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 16 m (52 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| Kim Ha (Tarantula)Entry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 27 m (89 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Kin HaEntry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 30 m (98 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| KukulkanEntry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 15 m (49 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| Laguna Kaan LuumBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 80 m (262 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Maravilla (Chim Chan Luub)Permission neededEntry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 30 m (98 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Mayan Blue (Escondido)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave (first section) | 24 m (79 ft) | Backmount | Intro to cave (first section) |
| MinotauroEntry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave (first section) | 18 m (59 ft) | Backmount | Intro to cave (first section) |
| Monkey DustEntry or dive feeBackmount · Full cave | 24 m (79 ft) | Backmount | Full cave |
| Naharon (Cristal)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave | 18 m (59 ft) | Backmount | Intro to cave |
| Nai Tucha (K'oox Baal / Tux Kupaxa)Permission neededEntry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave (first section) | 15 m (49 ft) | Backmount | Intro to cave (first section) |
| Naval (Parque Tankah)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 13 m (43 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Nicte-HaEntry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 10 m (33 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| Nohoch Nah ChichEntry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 72 m (236 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| Nohoch Pek / Muk K'in (Muyil)Entry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 20 m (66 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| La OrquídeaEntry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 45 m (148 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Otoch Ha (Nariz)Entry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 14 m (46 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| OutlandPermission neededEntry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Pedrín FenómenoPermission neededBackmount · Full cave | 17 m (56 ft) | Backmount | Full cave |
| Cenote Puerta Maya (Sistema Ah Kax Ha)Permission neededSidemount · Cavern | 24 m (79 ft) | Sidemount | Cavern |
| Sac Be HaPermission neededEntry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Sac Pepem (Muyil)Permission neededEntry or dive feeNot known yet · Full cave | 15 m (49 ft) | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Siete BocasEntry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 30 m (98 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Taak Bi HaEntry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave | 30 m (98 ft) | Backmount | Intro to cave |
| Taak Bi LuumEntry or dive feeSidemount · Cavern | 7 m (23 ft) | Sidemount | Cavern |
| Tajma Ha (Taj Mahal)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave (first section) | 15 m (49 ft) | Backmount | Intro to cave (first section) |
| The Pit (El Pit)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 119 m (390 ft) | Backmount | Cavern |
| TortugaEntry or dive feeBackmount · Full cave | 28 m (92 ft) | Backmount | Full cave |
| Tres Estrellas (K'oox Baal)Permission neededBackmount · Full cave | 13 m (43 ft) | Backmount | Full cave |
| Vaca HaEntry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 27 m (89 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Xulo / Dzulo (Cueva Golondrinas)Entry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 27 m (89 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Xunaan-HaEntry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | 27 m (89 ft) | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Yaakun (Godzilla's Void)Not known yet · Full cave | 90 m (295 ft) | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Yax Chen (Ox Bel Ha)Sidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Zacil-Ha (Luke's Hope)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Full cave | – | Backmount | Full cave |
| Zapote (Hells Bells)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 54 m (177 ft) | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Map
Dive centres and fill stations
29 dive centres, fill stations and instructors
Cave CCR
Bahía Akumal 31, Puerto Aventuras
Trimix and CCR support
Mon–Fri 8–18, Sat–Sun 8–17
Rental: OC backmount/sidemount, CCR and scooters
Rental of OC backmount/sidemount, CCR and scooters; official JJ-CCR service centre. Also Cozumel trips.
Zero Gravity
Carretera 307 km 269,5, Puerto Aventuras
'Mixed gas fills' — ask which mixes exactly (trimix, O₂, sorb)
Daily 7:30–19:00
Rental: Dive equipment
Nearest centre. Rental and servicing, also lodging. Arranges access to Otoch Ha (Nariz) and La Concha.
Pro Dive International (Catalonia Riviera Maya)
Avenida Xcacel Lt1 Mz18, Puerto Aventuras
Air and nitrox (alu 80/12 L); no trimix, O₂ or CCR support
Daily 8–17, including public holidays
Training: PADI
Guided dives: Dos Ojos, Chac Mool
Rental: Complete dive sets (ScubaPro, Cressi), cave gear too
Resort centre on the beach of hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, with sister bases at Allegro and Royal Hideaway Playacar. Mainly reef and cenote dives (Dos Ojos, Chac Mool); also sells a two-dive cave excursion for certified cave divers — ask beforehand which caves and which requirements. Not a tech centre.
Under the Jungle
Carretera 307 km 264, Xpu-Há
Trimix and Sofnolime 797 for CCR; confirm exact fill options beforehand
Unknown — email (reply within 24 h)
Rental: Cave gear (price lists on the site)
Per their own site based at Cenote Tajma Ha (km 264, coordinates from the site). Rental of cave gear (2026/2027 price lists on the site), Shearwater, XDeep, Razor dealer. Supports independent divers. CCR: cave CCR card + unit card, shakeout dive first. info@underthejungle.com
Akumal Dive Center
Carretera 307 km 104, Akumal
Nitrox; trimix and CCR courses on the site — ask about O₂/He fills
Daily 8–17
On the beach at Akumal. Since 1975; mainly reef and cenote diving, tec offer via course pages. Not to be confused with the Akumal Dive Shop next door.
Dive Rite Mexico (ZOTZ)
Carretera Federal 307, Mz. 293 Lt. 1, Col. Ejidal, 77710 Playa del Carmen
Air, nitrox (EAN32, EAN50), oxygen and trimix (trimix on quote)
Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00, Sat 8:00–14:00, Sun closed
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, Sidemount, CCR, Trimix · NSS-CDS, TDI
Rental: Twinset with backplate/wing, regulators, stage rig and CCR (Dive Rite O₂ptima)
Official Dive Rite store in Mexico. Cave courses from cavern to full cave, also sidemount, stage, scooter, trimix and CCR cave. Guided cave dives on open circuit (at least Intro to Cave) and CCR (CCR Cave), at most 3 divers per guide; the centre can't guarantee specific caves in advance.
GoDiveMEX
Calle 6 Norte esq. Calle Diagonal 55 Sur, Mz 12 Lt 2, Ejido, Playa del Carmen
Nitrox, trimix and oxygen
Daily 7:30–19:00 (InDEPTH business directory)
Training: GUE, IANTD, TDI
Rental: Equipment, cylinders and SUEX scooters
Recreational and technical dive centre in Playa del Carmen with gas blending, scooter rental, gear storage and classrooms; you can join local research and exploration projects there.
Dive Mike
Calle 8 Norte esq. 25 Avenida, 77710 Playa del Carmen
Training: SDI, PADI, IANTD, CMAS
Guided dives: Chikin Ha (X'Tabay), Dos Ojos, Chac Mool, Angelita, Zapote (Hells Bells), Gran Cenote
Dive centre in Playa del Carmen with guided cenote dives; courses with SDI, PADI, IANTD and CMAS.
Jaguar Divers (Playa del Carmen)
Calle 42 Nte and Avenida 60, 77712 Playa del Carmen
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, Sidemount · TDI, PADI
Guided dives: Vaca Ha, Xulo / Dzulo (Cueva Golondrinas), Minotauro
Rental: Full gear (US$50 a day with a guided cave dive)
Guided cave dives in small groups (32% nitrox and entrance fees included); big caves such as Vaca Ha for backmount, narrower ones such as Xulo and Minotauro for sidemount.
Xico Dive Center
Calle Flamingos esq. Calle 40 Norte, Zazil-Ha, 77720 Playa del Carmen
Training: PADI
Guided dives: Chac Mool, Dos Ojos, Chikin Ha (X'Tabay), The Pit (El Pit), Nicte-Ha, Zapote (Hells Bells), Kin Ha, Angelita, Car Wash (Aktun Ha), Taak Bi Ha, Taak Bi Luum, Dreamgate, Nohoch Nah Chich
Rental: Gear for rent with a tour
PADI 5 Star centre in Playa del Carmen. Guided cavern tours in the daylight zone: Chac Mool, Dos Ojos and Chikin-Ha from Open Water, the others from Advanced Open Water.
ProTec Tulum
Av. Satélite / Calle Tun-Kul, Tulum
Air, EAN32, O₂ up to 200 bar, trimix on request (booster); Sofnolime 797 always in stock
Daily 8–19
Rental: CCR, scooters, sidemount and doubles
Rental of CCR, scooters, sidemount and double cylinders; CCR room for 14 units. ProTec Playa merged into Tulum in 2026. Keys for Xa'ay Ha (Chi Keen) and Doggi/Style (Muyil) are collected here.
Axolot Diving – Training & Expeditions
Calle Alamo, Tulum
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, Sidemount · TDI
Rental: Technical diving equipment
Cave and tech diving school in Tulum, founded in 2024. Courses from cavern and intro to cave up to full cave, plus sidemount, cave DPV and multi-stage/cave deco; according to the InDEPTH business directory it certifies through TDI. Also runs technical diving expeditions, among them to Madagascar, Narvik and Bikini.
Ko’ox Diving (Tulum)
Tulum
Air, nitrox, O₂ and helium mixes (He about US$2/cf)
Daily 7:30–21:00
Rental: Cave gear
Fills CCR, stage and double cylinders; cave gear for rent. Card payment accepted. The site also lists a Puerto Aventuras branch (Hwy 307 km 269.5, 7:30–21:00), but it is not on Google Maps — ask whether it exists and fills.
Third Dimension Diving
Calle Chemuyil Mz 14 Lt 01, Mayapax, Tulum
EAN32, HP O₂, deco gases and any trimix (booster); Sofnolime 797 and Intersorb; prefilled trimix bailout for rent
Unknown — call
Rental: Backmount, sidemount, CCR cylinders, Suex scooters and stages
Rental of backmount, sidemount, CCR cylinders, Suex scooters and stages. In Tulum (Mayapax neighbourhood, west of the 307).
Underworld Tulum
Río el Playón Mz 526 Lt 1, Calle 19, Col. Tumben Kaa, Tulum
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, CCR, Trimix · SSI, NSS-CDS, TDI, IANTD, BSAC
Guided dives: Angelita, Car Wash (Aktun Ha), Casa Cenote (Manatí), Corazón del Paraíso, La Orquídea, Taak Bi Luum, Chac Mool, Chan Aktun Ha (Regina Backdoor), Chan Hol (Toh-Ha), Chikin Ha (X'Tabay), Xa'ay Ha (Chi Keen), Chun-Ya, Coop One (K'oox Baal), Dos Ojos, Dos Palmas, Dreamgate, Pedrín Fenómeno, Jailhouse (Las Palmas), Laguna Kaan Luum, Mayan Blue (Escondido), Minotauro, Monkey Dust, Naharon (Cristal), Nicte-Ha, Nohoch Nah Chich, Jardín del Edén / Ponderosa, Tortuga, Taak Bi Ha, Tajma Ha (Taj Mahal), The Pit (El Pit), Nai Tucha (K'oox Baal / Tux Kupaxa), Vaca Ha, Xulo / Dzulo (Cueva Golondrinas), Yax Chen (Ox Bel Ha), Sistema Camilo (Cenote Muchachos), Yaakun (Godzilla's Void)
Training centre with guided cenote dives. Cave: Cavern, Intro Cave, Full Cave, Stage Cave, Cave DPV and Cave CCR. Tech: Intro Tech, Advanced Nitrox, Deco Procedures and Trimix (OC and CCR). Recreational: all levels. Everything at diver and instructor level, so also instructor courses, and Human Factors in Diving. Also offers accommodation for divers. No fills for visitors.
Mexico Divers
Av. Francisco I Madero SM1 M20 L10, Centro, Isla Mujeres
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Sidemount · SDI, TDI, PADI
Guided dives: Dos Ojos, Jardín del Edén / Ponderosa, Chikin Ha (X'Tabay), Chac Mool, Car Wash (Aktun Ha), Calavera (Temple of Doom), The Pit (El Pit), Angelita, Dreamgate, Tajma Ha (Taj Mahal), Gran Cenote
Dive centre on Isla Mujeres that runs cenote trips to the mainland from there: guided cenote dives and cavern, intro-to-cave and sidemount courses (SDI, TDI, PADI).
Cave Ha Diving Center
Playa del Carmen / Puerto Aventuras
EAN32/50, O₂, custom trimix (O₂/He analysis); Sofnolime 797 (1 kg about US$20)
Unknown
Rental: JJ-CCR and Fathom MK2.5, doubles and stages
No fixed address on the site: call or email. Rental of JJ-CCR and Fathom MK2.5, doubles, stages (price list on the site); guided cave dives for certified divers. Gases are listed for their own tours/courses — ask about walk-in fills. a.vronski@cave-ha.com. No Google listing found.
Cave Quest (Tulum)
Calle Tabachín, Tulum
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, Sidemount · TDI
Guided dives: Dos Ojos, Car Wash (Aktun Ha), Nicte-Ha, The Pit (El Pit), Angelita, Casa Cenote (Manatí)
Guided cenote, cave and reef dives from Tulum; also known as Dive Mexico Caves.
Cozumel Abyss Divers
Marina Caleta, Cozumel
Guided dives: Aerolito de Paraíso (Cozumel)
Dive centre on Cozumel with guided cave dives in Cenote Aerolito de Paraíso, the island's only cave.
Deep Dark Diving (Playa del Carmen)
El Pedregal, Playa del Carmen
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, CCR · TDI
Rental: Recreational and tech gear, sidemount harness, lights, scooters (US$70 a day) and Liberty CCR (US$80 a day)
TDI cave training from Cavern to Full Cave, Stage, Deco and DPV Cave; Liberty CCR courses, also in the cenotes. Contact by email only.
Deep Exposure Dive Center (Cozumel)
10 Avenida Sur 215, Cozumel
Air, nitrox, oxygen and trimix; sofnolime for sale
Not stated — ask
CCR support: oxygen, booster and sorb
Training: Trimix, CCR · TDI
Rental: Doubles, stage cylinders, tech gear and CCR (Inspiration, Evolution, Prism II; oxygen and air diluent included)
Guided cave tours on Cozumel (one dive of 90 to 120 minutes) and on the mainland (two dives), doubles included; also guided trimix dives.
DeepDiveMexico (Playa del Carmen)
Avenida 75 between 24 and 28, Playa del Carmen
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, Sidemount · TDI
German-speaking dive centre: TDI Cavern, Intro to Cave, Full Cave and sidemount courses, and cenote dives.
Dive Cenotes Mexico / Actun Pro Tulum
Akumal, Riviera Maya
Training: Cavern, Full cave, Sidemount · IANTD, SSI
Guided dives: Minotauro
Dive centre in Akumal: cavern, cave and sidemount courses, guided cavern and cave dives, and through Actun Pro Tulum (actunprotulum.com) instructor courses for cave and technical diving (IANTD, SSI).
Elite Divers International (Playa del Carmen)
Ejido Sur, Playa del Carmen
Training: Full cave, Sidemount, CCR · GUE, IANTD, TDI
Guided cave dives between Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Muyil (also stage, CCR and DPV), with pick-up at your stay in Playa del Carmen; Intro to Cave at least.
Just Dive Now (Playa del Carmen)
Avenida 34 #8, Playa del Carmen
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, Sidemount · TDI
Dive centre with Cavern, Intro to Cave and Full Cave courses, and cenote dives around Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
Pluto Dive
Calle 40 between 5th and 10th Avenue, Playa del Carmen
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, Sidemount, CCR · IANTD, TDI
Guided dives: Dos Ojos, Tajma Ha (Taj Mahal)
Rental: Dive equipment
Dive centre in Playa del Carmen with cavern and cave courses up to full cave, plus sidemount and CCR (IANTD, TDI). Guided cave dives only for divers with a full cave certification (or equivalent), overhead experience and good trim and gas planning. Also reef, cenote and shark dives.
Precision Scuba Diving (Tulum)
Carretera 109, Tulum
Training: Cavern, Sidemount · TDI, SDI, PADI
Guided cave dives for certified cave divers (sidemount or doubles with EAN32, from US$210 a day for one diver) and cavern dives from Tulum.
Scuba Alux (Playa del Carmen)
C. 21 Sur, Ejidal, 77716 Playa del Carmen
Per the IANTD register nitrox, technical EANx, trimix and oxygen
Mon–Sat 8:00–19:00
Training: Intro to cave, Full cave, CCR · IANTD
Guided dives: Chac Mool, Dos Ojos, The Pit (El Pit), Angelita, Taak Bi Ha
Cave dives from Intro to Cave level and cavern dives for OW and AOW divers; the head instructor teaches IANTD technical cave.
XOC-Ha / Bespoke Diving Services
41 Calle Iguana, Solidaridad
Training: CCR · TDI
Rental: Two cottages for cave divers at the dive centre
Bed & breakfast for cave divers with guided cavern and cave dives: up to two dives of 60 to 120 minutes a day, or one longer CCR, stage or deco dive; CCR try-dives and ISC Megalodon training.
Order: partners first, clearly marked as partner; then dive centres by distance from Puerto Aventuras and independent instructors by name. Not a recommendation: check what they offer yourself.
On this list, or should you be? Get a free partner card →Where to stay
Find a place near Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, Tulum
Villages that work well as a base for the caves in this region. Find a place for your team:
- Puerto MorelosBooking.com ↗
- Playa del CarmenBooking.com ↗
- Puerto AventurasBooking.com ↗
- AkumalBooking.com ↗
- TulumBooking.com ↗
The links to Booking.com are affiliate links: if you book through one, DiveTripPlanner earns a small commission. You pay the same.
Practical info: rules, fills and emergency numbers
Emergencies
- SSS hyperbaric chamber Playa del Carmen +52 984 188 6486 (24/7, about 25 min). SSS Cozumel +52 987 878 6161, Costamed Cozumel +52 987 872 5050. DAN +1 919 684 9111 or +52 557 100 0540 (Spanish).
Access and rules
- Guides: not mandatory for certified full cave divers (CREER), but recommended for the first dives. Open-water divers may only come along on a guided cavern tour: a full-cave guide, max. 4 divers per guide, daylight zone only. CREER rates the cavern routes from level 1 (starter) to 4 (expert). Rules differ per owner/ejido and change quickly; the Dos Ojos park (ejido Jacinto Pat) has its own guide scheme.
- Register the free CREER Cave Pass in advance (photo, cave card, nitrox card): faster access at cenotes and rental shops — creer-mx.com/cave-pass
- Keys/arrangements: Xa'ay Ha and Doggi closed (no key at ProTec any more); Outland via Nohoch Nah Chich; Jailhouse via a shop in Tulum (blue walls, 20.2082, -87.4669); Sac Be Ha via the owner in Tulum; Otoch Ha/Concha via Zero Gravity; Muyil caves are paid at the Diconsa opposite the ruins. At remote cenotes (Muyil, Nohoch road) leave someone with the car.
Closed or restricted
- The Tren Maya (section 5) runs over dozens of cenotes; some are damaged or closed — ask your dive centre about current status.
- Closed to divers (Sept 2026, opencaves.info/CREER): Gran Cenote, Regina, Shoam, Caracol; Pet Cemetery restricted; Dreamgate cavern only.
Fees and opening hours
- Fees: roughly 200–600 MXN per diver per day; bring cash (pesos). Many cenotes are only open in daytime (about 8:00–17:00); start early. Eden/Ponderosa and Chikin Ha are closed on Saturdays.
Water and season
- Water: about 24–25 °C all year. January: dry season, best visibility, fewer crowds. Light beams in the caverns around late morning/midday.
Getting around
- Cozumel (one cave): drift dives along the reefs (Palancar, Columbia, Santa Rosa), park fee 225 MXN per person per day, cash. Only cave: Cenote Aerolito de Paraíso, guided only (via Cozumel Abyss Divers), 4.5–21 m, halocline. Ferry from Playa del Carmen about 45 min; ask whether you may bring your own cylinders — otherwise rent on the island.
Rest day
- Swimming cenotes without cave diving (day off): Cristalino, Azul, Kantun Chi, Yax-Muul, Atik, Zemway, Casa Tortuga, Xcacel, Chaak Tun (snorkel tour), Aktun Chen (dry cave), Tankah, Yax-Kin, Kapen Ha, Santa Cruz, Choo-Ha/Tamcach-Ha/Multum-Ha (Cobá), Boca del Puma, Verde Lucero, La Noria, Las Mojarras, Popol Vuh.
News
News articles that mention one of the caves in this region, collected automatically and not checked by us.
- Cave next to Nohoch Nah Chich cenote collapses ↗
- The 2026 InDepth State of Cave Exploration ↗
- 'PANCHITO' SUFFERS GENTRIFICATION: French tourist injured after attack by popular crocodile at Casa Cenote, Tulum ↗
- Mexico's Cenote Angelita Hides a Ghost Cloud Beneath Sacred Waters ↗
Access and rules change: check what applies locally right before your trip. Source: GDELT Project and the news feeds of diving magazines.
Searched automatically, last on 11 Nov 2026.
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