The Yucatán peninsula was originally under the ocean and the region's limestone foundation is made up of fossilized coral beds. The rivers in this area are underground. Parts of the limestone weakened over time and collapsed, leaving sinkholes filled with water. These caverns and caves are known as cenotes (seh-NO-tays).
The water that gathers in these subterranean cenotes is crystal clear with a pleasant temperature of 78°. The stalactites and stalagmites that form inside the cenotes are natural works of art. Holes in the ceiling allow the sunlight to filter into the cenotes. Stalactites of blood red limestone seem to drip down the walls into strange green pools of glowing water. Roots from trees hang from the ceilings of the mysterious caves.
Cenotes were once the only resource for fresh water in the local Yucatan jungle. They were the sacred places of the Maya for that reason, but also because they represented the entrance to the underworld. In the Yucatan there are over 3000 cenotes, with only 1400 actually studied and registered.
Several cenotes are located within an hour or two of Puerto Aventuras. All cenotes are different. Some are below stone overhangs, others are open ponds. You can take a swim in them to cool off or bring your snorkel to explore underwater. There are scores of cenotes in the Tulum area that are safe and easy to access.
Casa Cenote: Located just 15 minutes south of Cancun. The cenote is easy to get in and out of and the calm, clear waters are fun for kids.
Taj Cenote: Located just south west of Playa del Carmen, the Taj Cenote is a good location for those who are very comfortable with their swimming skills. You have to swim five meters under a submerged, rock wall to enter the Taj Cenote. Once past the wall, you come up for air in a large open cave where light enters from two holes in the ceiling.
Calavera Cenote: Located 3 kilometers from Tulum, this cenote is the most dangerous cenote in the area. Calavera is easy enough to get into, but you have to jump. Getting out can be a problem because of the ten foot drop from the cenote rim to the water, so bring a rope.
Grand Cenote: Located 4 kilometers west of Tulum, on the road to Cobá, is a collection of several cenotes on the edge of a large oval depression. These cenotes offer a nice shady place to take a quick swim in the green and blue water.
Car Wash Cenote: Located 7 kilometers west of Tulum is a fun cenote for swimming, and snorkeling. You can drive right up to the cenote where there is a diving platform on the edge that makes swimming a breeze.
Cenote Cristal: Located 4 kilometers south of Tulum, on the way towards Chetumal, are two cenotes, one on the left side of the highway and one on the right side. The larger of the two pools is about an acre in size and usually not over run with tourists.
Cenote Azul: Located well south of Tulum, approximately 20 miles north of Chetumal, this spectacular cenote is in a beautiful garden setting. This large cenote is 500 feet across and almost 200 feet deep. Snorkeling the rim is quite interesting, but the bottom can only be seen by scuba diving.
Dos Ojos: Located on the highway between Akumal and Tulum is also a cenote located in the jungle. The cenote is surrounded by incredible rock formations and filled with crystal clear blue water.
