Cenote diving · Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya
Nine guided cavern routes from Playa del Carmen, from 3,000 MXN for two dives, with a maximum of four divers per guide. Open Water divers start at Chac Mool, Dos Ojos or Dreamgate; Advanced divers add El Pit, Angelita and the Hells Bells of Zapote.
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A diver in the light beams of a deep cenote. The cenotes are rain water filtered through limestone, so visibility is measured in tens of metres.
Small groups, a cave diver guide, honest route advice. Based in Playacar, Playa del Carmen. Read our Google reviews
Choose your cenote
Every route is two dives inside the daylight zone with a certified cenote guide, on a fixed guideline, with no overhead beyond the reach of natural light. Full cave diving is a separate activity for cave certified divers, and we do that too.
Open WaterChac Mool and KukulkanThe closest cenote park and the perfect first cenote: wide caverns, an air dome, a halocline and the Kukulkan light show at midday.See the route
Open WaterChikin HaThe easy second cenote: a quiet park, bright shallow passages and one of the strongest haloclines near Playa.See the route
Open WaterPonderosa and Tajma HaAn open jungle cenote with fish, turtles and a fine halocline, then the decorated rooms and Sugar Bowl light of Tajma Ha.See the route
Open WaterDos OjosThe famous one near Tulum: the sunlit Barbie Line and the darker Bat Cave, two dives on the same system.See the route
Open Water, good buoyancyTaak Bi Ha and Taak Be LuumTwo quiet, heavily decorated caverns next to Dos Ojos, lit by your torch rather than the sun.See the route
Open Water, good buoyancyDreamgateThe most decorated cavern in the region: curtains of stalactites on the upstream and downstream lines, for divers with excellent buoyancy.See the route
AdvancedEl Pit and Nicte HaThe deep cathedral: colossal light beams down to the hydrogen sulphide cloud at El Pit, then the shallow water garden of Nicte Ha.See the route
AdvancedAngelita and Car Wash or Casa CenoteThe underwater river: a 30 metre descent to the sulphide cloud and its island of fallen trees, then an easy second dive south of Tulum.See the route
AdvancedZapote (Hells Bells) and Maravilla or Kin HaThe Hells Bells: hollow bell formations hanging over a sulphide cloud near Puerto Morelos, unique in the world.See the routeWhich cenote for which certification
| Route | Certification | Depth | Price for two dives | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chac Mool and Kukulkan | Open Water | 12 m | 3,000 MXN | A first cenote, families, photographers at midday |
| Chikin Ha | Open Water | 12 to 15 m | 3,200 MXN | Newly certified divers, a quiet park |
| Ponderosa and Tajma Ha | Open Water | 12 to 14 m | 3,200 MXN | A halocline and formations in one day |
| Dos Ojos | Open Water | 10 m | 3,400 MXN | The classic, two very different lines |
| Dreamgate | Open Water, excellent buoyancy | Under 10 m | 3,400 MXN | Formations, experienced recreational divers |
| Taak Bi Ha and Taak Be Luum | Open Water, good buoyancy | Under 10 m | 3,400 MXN | Quiet, decorated caverns |
| El Pit and Nicte Ha | Advanced | 30 m | 3,800 MXN | Light beams and depth, then a shallow garden |
| Angelita and Car Wash or Casa | Advanced | 30 m | 3,800 MXN | The sulphide river, a bucket list dive |
| Zapote and Maravilla or Kin Ha | Advanced | 30 m | 3,800 MXN | Hells Bells, unique in the world |
Not certified yet? The Open Water course takes three days and opens the Open Water routes. Certified but not Advanced? The Advanced Open Water course can include a cavern dive and opens El Pit, Angelita and Zapote.
The cenotes are one of four kinds of diving at Xibalba Divers MX in Playa del Carmen, alongside the reefs, the bull sharks and Cozumel.
The day
Pickup times move with the season and the route. We confirm yours the day before.
Cenote water is rain water that has filtered through layers of limestone, so the visibility is measured in tens of metres and the water sits at 24 to 26°C all year. A cavern dive follows a fixed guideline through the part of the system that daylight still reaches, at recreational depths and with a certified cenote guide leading a group of four at most. You see stalactites and stalagmites, columns, light beams, haloclines where fresh and salt water meet, and in places the fossils in the rock.
Cave diving goes past the daylight zone into the systems themselves and needs a full cave certification, technical equipment and its own planning. If that is you, see the cave diving page: one set of doubles is 5,000 MXN, two sets 7,000 MXN.
What divers say
Two guests with their own photos, then every verified review, updated automatically.
★★★★★
“We went diving with Humann in February on a recommendation. We did two dives with him at Dos Ojos, and it was fantastic. Communication was quick and easy, everything went smoothly, and you could tell Humann knew what he was doing.”
Isabel S. · Google review, translated from German
★★★★★
“If you are looking for a safe dive center and cool dive spots, Humann (Xibalba) is the perfect choice. Top notch equipment is a given here.”
Dirk B. · Google review, translated from German
Good to know
What divers ask before they book their first cenote with us.
Open Water is enough for Chac Mool and Kukulkan, Chikin Ha, Ponderosa and Tajma Ha, Dos Ojos, Dreamgate and Taak Bi Ha. El Pit, Angelita and Zapote reach 30 metres and need Advanced Open Water or equivalent. Dreamgate also asks for excellent buoyancy because the formations are close on every side.
3,000 to 3,800 MXN per diver for two guided dives, with transport from Playa del Carmen, tanks, weights and the cenote entrance fee. Rental equipment is 500 MXN per day, and the camera fee is paid on site.
Yes. Most cenote landowners charge 300 to 500 MXN for cameras, GoPros included, paid at the entrance. The money goes to the local community that maintains the site.
24 to 26°C all year, because the cenotes are fed by rain water that has filtered through limestone. Most divers are comfortable in a 5 mm wetsuit for two dives, and one comes with the rental equipment.
Four at most. The guide leads on a fixed line, you stay in the daylight zone, and there is nobody waiting behind you at the narrow points.
Cavern diving stays where natural light reaches, on a guideline, within recreational limits, and is open to certified recreational divers with a cenote guide. Cave diving goes beyond the light zone and needs a full cave certification and technical equipment. We offer both; see the cave diving page for certified cave divers.
Yes, for hotels in Playacar and downtown Playa del Carmen. Pickups run in Playa only, so if you stay in Puerto Aventuras, Tulum or Cancún you come to Playa for the start of the day.
Your certification card, swimwear, a towel and a dry change of clothes, plus cash for the camera fee if you bring one. Arrive rested and hydrated: the cenotes are shallow, but two dives and a walk down the stairs are a full morning.
Next step
Send your dates and certification level and we recommend the right route, confirm the price and lock in the day, usually within a few hours.
Keep exploring
Reef divingFun dives in Playa del CarmenTwo tank reef mornings ten minutes from the beach: turtles, wrecks and walls.
SeasonalBull shark divesObservation and feeding dives with the bull sharks of Playa del Carmen, November to February.
CoursesLearn to diveOpen Water to Divemaster with small groups and a cave diver instructor.
