What are the best cenotes to dive?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

ironmule

Registered
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Hi,

We are going to spend 2 weeks around Cozumel/Playa Del Carmel/Tulum/Chichen Itza from 9 Nov to 23 Nov.
We would like to scuba-dive 3-4 cenotes during our stay.

Could you please list what are the best cenotes to dive? And which dive shop to go with?

Thanks.
Olivier
 
pick up a copy of Steve Gerrards guide to the cenotes of the Rivera Maya. He gives a good rundownon the various systems on the mainland.
 
It sounds like you'll be doing Cavern tours. I've worked with 4 different shops/outfits -- two based on Cozumel and two based south of Playa. All 4 people are excellent guides:

Dennis Weeks -- Aquanauts - Puerto Aventuras

German Yanez -- Yucatech - Cozumel -- He will come over and guide on the mainland

Mateo of Aldora Divers -- [http://www.aldora.com/]Aldora Divers - Cozumel[/url] -- Mateo will also come over and guide on the mainland

Zero Gravity -- The three owners of ZG have been known to do cavern tours -- my very first tour was by Danny Riordan of ZG. HOWEVER, this is the GUE shop in Mexico and I believe they will ONLY take out GUE trained divers (well, I was taken out because I'd had training with a GUE instructor but NOT a GUE class)
 
Well, Peter's given you a list of who; I'll give you a list of where.

My favorite cavern tour of the ones I did was Dos Ojos, with Grand Cenote close behind. Taj Maha was great for the halocline effects, as well. The cavern in NoHoch is amazing, too, although I'm not sure where the tours go (I was cave diving there). Chikin Ha has a nice, fairly extensive cavern as well, and very nice facilities.

Although there is no such thing as a BAD cavern dive, I was less taken with Ponderosa and Chac Mool. The open water at Ponderosa is beautiful, though.

We're coming in on the 21st for a week of cave diving -- Maybe we'll run into you there!
 
Add "The Pit" at Dos Ojos to the list. Quite experience. We walked the last 1/4 mile while the 4wd carried gear and tanks, held onto a small tree at the edge, stepped off for a 30 ft fall leaning head forward slightly to avoid bumping the first stage. The guide lowered my camera and his, we grouped and dropped down to a lovely chemocline where bacteria feeding on sulfur from rotting trees reflected a purplish glow in the sunrays. Sorry my camera didn't capture that, but here are some bones I shot at 139 ft down - click for full size....

5 Dive-08.jpg

Back on the surface, a couple of climbed the wall with the aid of rope, then used a rope hoist to remove kits. A shot from the surface...

5 Dive-21.jpg

It was discovered by cave divers exploring from Dos Ojos.
 
Thanks to all for your valuable advises.
Is Tulum an appropriate 'base' to explore the Cenotes together with enjoying peaceful beaches?
 
I think you'll find more peaceful beaches if you stay in Aventuras Akumal. Aventuras Akumal is south of Akumal and north of Tulum. Mostly small ex-pat hotels and condos. Try Riviera Maya Hotels, Resorts, Rentals: Mexican Caribbean Vacation for a listing of condos they represent in Aventuras Akumal.

Aventuras Akumal is also more centrally located to the cenotes that have been suggested.
 
IMG_0124.jpg

Cant remember the name of cenotes we dove last year other than we had to fairy across from cozumel to the main land definetly a must do for all. This is a pic of our group on the way back up thought it was kind of cool
 
We finally dove Dos Ojos x2 and Dream Gate x2.
Beautiful experience.

Thanks for your advises.
Olivier
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom