DIVING IN
MAYAN LANDS
There’s one place that every diver visiting the Yucatan Peninsula must visit, a magical, bewitching, mysterious place: the famous cenotes.
Hidden in the midst of verdant jungle, protected by exuberant wildlife, enchanted by the murmur of birds, these freshwater wells have so many stories to tell. These natural oases not only offer some of the world’s finest diving, but also enchant us with their cultural and historical interests. Your guide will explain the archaeological, anthropological, paleontological and geological treasures that the cenotes contain.
Discover the Mayan underworld
The cenotes offer us a real journey into the guts of the Yucatan Peninsula, for a moment of serenity, lulled by the melody of the forest. It’s no coincidence that the ancient Mayas believed them to be sacred passages to Xibalba, the Mayan underworld.
Whether you’re a recreational diver or a technical “full cave” diver, Sayab Trip will take you in small groups to the most beautiful caves and caverns in the region: to the most famous cenotes such as Dos Ojos, Chac Mool, El Eden, Dreamgate, Tajma Ha, Angelita, Zapote and many others, but also to the most secluded, best-hidden and most secret: Orquidea, Maravilla, Tak Be Ha….. and a few others whose names we won’t mention here.
You can even discover some incredible cenotes, guardians of numerous relics, on our 5-day diving tour of the Yucatan.
For “Cave” or “Intro to Cave” dives reserved only for tech divers certified “Intro to cave” or “full cave” (TDI, IANTD,…), please email us for more information.
ADVICES
You must be certified as a diver and show proof of certification, except for Casa Cenote. Level 1 or Open Water is the minimum requirement.
the guide reserves the right to decide on the cenote according to your experience.
the minimum age for cenote diving is 15.
water temperature is around 24°C/76F all year round.
snorkel and gloves are not permitted.
if you haven’t dived in a few months, we recommend you do a few open water dives beforehand.
PRICE
For 2 dives from Riviera Maya: $2,600 MXN per person
Included
- transportation from Riviera Maya
- full cave guide
- torch rental
- weights
- 2 blocks
- water, drinks, snacks
- picnic lunch
Not Included
- Equipment rental: $400 MXN (Mexican pesos) per person for the day. We offer equipment rental for every 3 days of diving purchased.
- Entrance fees to cenotes, allowing you to choose the destination with your guide, according to your experience and preference. Prices vary from 250 to 600 mxn, depending on the cenote, and are set by the owner.
- Photo rights. Cenote owners reserve the right of entry and photography. This price can vary from 300 to 600 mxn. It is sometimes even forbidden to take photos in some cenotes.
Caverns of the Riviera Maya
Cenote Kukulkan
This cenote, of which there are many photos, is superb for its grapes of light. The “curtain” of sunbeams entering the clear blue water, its fossils, crystals and wide passages make this cenote accessible to divers of all levels.
Cenote Chac Mool
Its play of light, its halocline (the boundary between fresh and saltwater) offering interesting optical effects, its different chambers, its air dome and its many stalactites make this a complete cenote suitable for all levels.
Entry level: Beginner
Cenote Tajma Ha
A superb halocline: the boundary between fresh and saltwater, offering interesting optical effects, numerous shell and coral fossils, a host of superb concretions (stalactites, stalagmites, etc.) and the passage through several cenotes.
A dive at Tajma Ha leaves no one indifferent.
Cenote El Eden (Jardin del Eden)
Perhaps the most beautiful halocline in the area, breathtaking light effects and numerous fossils of coral, shells and sea urchins testify to the time when this superb site was a huge coral reef.
A superb cenote open to divers of all levels.
Cenote Casa Cenote
Have you ever imagined what goes on in and under a mangrove? A clear-water mangrove full of life, light and happiness: that’s Casa Cenote, also known as Cenote Manatí. All levels are welcome here, with an average depth of 4m/12ft and wide, open passages. However, it’s advisable to control your buoyancy so as not to disturb the sediment on the bottom. This is the cenote where you’ll see the most life: Guppies, Mollys, Cichlids, juvenile barracudas and tarpons, but also turtles, crabs and why not a Morelet’s crocodile, a permanent resident for several years.
Cenote Aktun Ha / CarWash
Water lilies, pottery, columns, fish, turtles…. This underwater garden is a delight for divers with good buoyancy skills. Sometimes blue, sometimes green, sometimes red, this underwater meadow will leave no diver and certainly NO photographer indifferent. If paradise were a cenote, it would surely be called Aktun Ha.
Cenote Dos Ojos
The popularity of Dos Ojos is well established: outstanding visibility, thousands of concretions, each more beautiful and impressive than the last. Two different routes are available: Barbie Line and Bat Cave: one more open, the other darker, giving us the chance, halfway through, to ascend into an air dome inhabited by several species of bat. A shallow dive not to be missed.
Cenote Dreamgate
Two different itineraries in what is surely THE most decorated cenote in the area, with thousands of concretions and almost total darkness for a real journey into the guts of the earth.
For this cenote, you need to have at least level 2 and a very good buoyancy and fin kick management due to the fragility of the site.
Cenote El Pit
It would be impossible to say exactly how many photos of the Pit have won competitions around the globe, and it would surely be too difficult to do it justice with a short text, so let’s just say that: ray of light, pottery, halocline, sulfur cloud, stalactites, and a few other surprises will be there. A dive you’ll never forget.
Cenote Angelita
So many photos have made it famous, with its famous cloud of sulfur at 30m/100ft and the branches coming out of it: a Tim Burton movie you say? It’s clearly a unique setting that you’ll discover here.
Cenote Zapote
Also known as Hell’s Bells and it’s certain that its bell-shaped formations will leave no one indifferent. Formations that grow underwater? Yes… don’t worry, your guide will explain why. Just remember one thing: if in the world of diving, cenotes are exceptional…. In the world of cenotes, Zapote is exceptional! It’s beautiful, it’s impressive, it’s unforgettable!
Discover our diving CIRCUIT
A 5-day, 4-night tour to explore lesser-known and less-frequented cenotes than the famous Riviera Maya cenotes. Cenotes for experienced divers, full of archaeological and anthropological remains, punctuated by encounters with Mayan families, visits to splendid archaeological sites and colorful colonial towns, not forgetting the discovery of Yucatec gastronomy. 5 days of diving and sightseeing in the heart of the Yucatan and its secrets.
BOOK A DAY OF DIVING
Tell us when you want to explore the Mayan underworld!
Select one or more cenotes that interest you from the list and indicate the dates of your stay.
We will contact you to organize an unforgettable diving day in the cenotes of the Riviera Maya.