Binge Nature Lists

Cenote Ik Kil

A 60-metre-wide open cenote near Chichen Itza, 40 metres deep and lined with hanging vines and waterfalls, Ik Kil was used for Maya sacrificial rituals and is now the most visited and photographed cenote in Mexico. The swim from the stone staircase platform into the warm turquoise water surrounded by waterfall-draped walls is one of the most dramatic natural swimming experiences in the world.

Gran Cenote, Tulum

The most accessible cave-diving cenote in the Riviera Maya, Gran Cenote's system of stalactite and stalagmite chambers connected by crystal-clear underwater passages reaches 97 metres of mapped cave and is one of the finest snorkeling experiences in Mexico without scuba gear. The resident freshwater turtles who share the pool with swimmers are the most reliably encountered wildlife in any Mexican cenote.

Dos Ojos Cenote System

Part of the Sistema Ox Bel Ha — the world's longest underwater cave system at over 268 kilometres of mapped passages — Dos Ojos (Two Eyes) is accessible to both snorkelers in its open lagoons and certified cave divers in its inner passages. The Barbie Cave chamber within Dos Ojos, where crystal-clear 25°C water meets stalactites at 12 metres depth, is the most otherworldly naturally illuminated space in Mexican caves.

Cenote Sagrado, Chichen Itza

The Sacred Cenote of Chichen Itza, where Maya priests made offerings of jade, gold, and human sacrifices to Chaac the rain god, yielded over 30,000 artefacts when drained and excavated in the early 20th century by Edward Thompson. Though now closed to swimming due to its archaeological significance, the view from the rim over the 60-metre-diameter circular pool and the offerings recovered from its depths make it the most historically significant cenote in Mexico.

Cenote Suytun

A semi-open cenote near Valladolid whose circular stone platform appears to float in the centre of a perfectly still underground lake illuminated by a circular shaft of light from above — creating one of the most photographed natural light installations in the world. The theatrical morning light beam that strikes the platform between 11am and 1pm makes Suytun the most Instagram-famous cenote in the Yucatan.

Cenote Zaci, Valladolid

An urban open-air cenote in the center of Valladolid, used as the city's public swimming hole for generations and surrounded by the vegetation growing down the cenote walls, Zaci is the most authentic example of cenote culture as it functions for Mexican families rather than international tourists. The adjacent restaurant serving Yucatecan food overlooking the cenote pool creates a uniquely local experience.

Rio Secreto Underground River

A semi-flooded cave system near Playa del Carmen, Rio Secreto is traversed by guided tours wading and swimming through 620 metres of crystal formations — stalactites, stalagmites, and selenite crystals — in a river of perfectly clear 24°C water. The natural acoustics of the cave chambers create an overwhelming sensory experience that cave guides use to play traditional Maya instruments.

Cenote Azul, Bacalar

A roadside open cenote near Bacalar in Quintana Roo that is the most genuinely local Mexican cenote experience — favored by Bacalar families over the tourist-oriented cenotes of Tulum, featuring a natural water park with a rope swing, a high dive platform, and depths that become turquoise, blue, and finally black as the water deepens. The freshwater spring feeding it maintains a constant 26°C temperature year-round.

Cenote Aktun Chen

A jungle cave system near Akumal whose main cenote contains a 90-metre vertical stalactite — the longest in Mexico — and whose cave fish and blind cave crustaceans represent one of Mexico's most important subterranean biodiversity reserves. The natural park surrounding it adds a zipline and animal sanctuary to make it the most family-oriented cenote park on the Riviera Maya.

Cenote Calavera, Tulum

Known locally as Temple of Doom for its three holes in a rocky dome through which brave swimmers jump into the 18-metre-deep pool below, Cenote Calavera is the most adventurous cenote experience in Tulum and the departure point for guided dives into the connected Sistema Sac Actun. The cenote's three circular openings resembling a skull give it its Day of the Dead nickname.