Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Year-round · None current · 24–25°C
- Current
- None
- Water temperature
- 24–25°C
- Visibility
- 20–60m: Inside the cavern, 30m+ is routine and operators report 50-60m at sites like Dos Ojos.
- Experience
- Cavern and cave are different things and the line matters.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident year-round at Casa Cenote and Carwash; sightings depend on where the animal happens to be that day rather than any season.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Roosts are occupied year-round.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident year-round in the open and shallow sections.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident and abundant year-round in the shallows.
See all 7 species
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsEasy. Fly to CUN. Typical trip $$–$$$.
Route overview
Easy
Day trips from a coastal base, about 1.5h from the airport.
Airport options
CUN
Cancun International Airport
Main international arrival airport; about 1 hour by road to Playa del Carmen, 1.5-2 hours to Tulum
TQO
Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport
Opened December 2023; about 30-40 minutes from Tulum town, limited route network compared with Cancun
CZM
Cozumel International Airport
Secondary option; requires the Cozumel-Playa del Carmen ferry, mainly useful if combining with Cozumel reef diving
Typical trip cost
$$–$$$
$2,000–4,000 to over $4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Cenote diving is sold per dive or as a two-tank day, not by the week.
- Guided dives commonly run about $85-130 USD each; a two-tank cenote day from Tulum or Playa del Carmen typically lands around $160-225 USD including guide, tanks, gear, transport and entrance fees.
- Pickups from Cancun, or trips to farther sites like Angelita, push toward $250-300.
- Cenote entrance fees are charged separately at the gate by the landowner or ejido and run roughly 250-500 MXN (about $14-29 USD) per cenote: Casa Cenote around 250, Chac Mool around 300, Dos Ojos around 350, The Pit around 500.
- Large cameras usually cost an extra 150-500 MXN.
- Check whether the quoted price includes entrance fees; operators split on this.