Riviera Maya (Quintana Roo) · about 24 km from Tulum
Caterpillar (Muyil)
- Max depth29 m (95 ft)
- CertificationFull cave
- Water temperature≈ 24–25 °C (75–77 °F)estimated, no reports yet
- SpecialExperienced divers
Diving and fills
Dive here with
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Fills nearby
- Third Dimension DivingEAN32, HP O₂, deco gases and any trimix (booster); Sofnolime 797 and Intersorb; prefilled trimix bailout for rent
- ProTec TulumAir, EAN32, O₂ up to 200 bar, trimix on request (booster); Sofnolime 797 always in stock
- Ko’ox Diving (Tulum)Air, nitrox, O₂ and helium mixes (He about US$2/cf)
What it looks like
Cave diving Mexico - Cenote Caterpillar Cenote Caterpillar Cave Diving in Mexico Cenote Caterpillar CCR ISC MEG 2013 Cave diving Mexico: Cenote Caterpillar
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Videos and posts
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Cave diving Mexico - Cenote Caterpillar Cenote Caterpillar Cave Diving in Mexico Cenote Caterpillar CCR ISC MEG 2013 Cave diving Mexico: Cenote Caterpillar
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Other people's footage, not advice: how someone else dives here says nothing about what suits your team. Dive within your training.
The dive
Well-preserved remains of ancient bears (feet, claws) have been found in the cave. Among other passages you swim through 'Ho Lee Sheet', and traverses to Xulo and Bobcat are possible.
Part of Sistema Caterpillar. Also in this system: Xulo / Dzulo (Cueva Golondrinas)
Profile and sections
Well-preserved remains of ancient bears (feet, claws) have been found in the cave. Among other passages you swim through 'Ho Lee Sheet', and traverses to Xulo and Bobcat are possible.
Sistema Caterpillar has four cenotes (La Bajada, Bobcat, Escamas, Dzulo/Xulo). It was first explored by Sebastian Kister and Rick Hakin; by 2014 the system was ~13.5 km, later about 28 km (QRSS 2019). Sistema Caterpillar: 28.3 km surveyed, down to -29 m (QRSS, Jan 2025).
Practical: this info is from 2016 (PSAI), so check current arrangements.
- Depth and profile
- Max about -27/-29 m
- Configuration
- Unknown in detail; backmount and sidemount are used
- DPV: DPV possible
- Huge Ho Lee Sheet tunnel is scootered, but other parts are small, low and decorated; stages have caused damage
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Goes down to 29 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
Side road off Hwy 307 south of Muyil to a quarry. Pay beforehand in Muyil at the Diconsa shop opposite the ruins entrance (ejido Chuyaxché). No cavern: all Muyil caves are full cave.
Around Caterpillar (Muyil)
Fills3 fill stations · nearest 24 km
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 of backmount, sidemount, CCR cylinders, Suex scooters and stages. In Tulum (Mayapax neighbourhood, west of the 307).
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 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.
Ko’ox Diving (Tulum)
Tulum
Air, nitrox, O₂ and helium mixes (He about US$2/cf)
Daily 7:30–21:00
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.
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News
All (5)
Nearby
Articles about cave diving that name a place within 25 km of this site, but no cave by name. They're not necessarily about this site.
- A Diver Found a Skeleton at Least 8,000 Years Old Hidden 26 Feet Underwater in a Flooded Cave in Mexico ↗
- Cave-divers find trapped spearfisher alive after 15 days ↗
- Cave diving is fraught with danger, but the reward is sights like nothing else on Earth ↗
- INAH files legal complaint for diver damage to underwater archaeological site in Tulum cave ↗
- A Diver Found 8,000-Year-Old Human Remains Deep Inside an Underwater Cave ↗
Access and rules change: check what applies locally right before your trip. Source: GDELT Project and the news feeds of diving magazines. Search for more news ↗ Searched automatically, last on 11 Nov 2026.
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