I have traveled to eastern Mexico on many occasions to dive on the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, and the mainland area known as the Riviera Maya. I was lucky to travel to Isla Mujeres (see my review) and the Riviera Maya (another review) in January 2020 just before the world was hit with covid19. The Yucatan peninsula is dotted with over 6000 cenotes, or sink holes, many of which are diveable. There's a large concentration of cenotes along the Riviera Maya in the areas of Playa del Carmen, Akumal, and Tulum. Dive operators in any of these cities can take you cenote diving.
Many of these cenotes have very interesting names, such as Taj Mahal, Dream Gate, Ponderosa, Garden of Eden, Temple of Doom, Carwash, Dos Ojos, and Pet Cemetery. Even though these are underwater caves, sport divers can dive them without a Cave Diver certification. The dives are called cavern dives, and even though most have an overhead, you will never lose sight of the entrance. The cenotes are essentially fresh water, but because of their connection via underwater rivers, in some of the cenotes salt water will seep in and cause a phenomenon called a halocline. This is a mixing of fresh water and salt water, and because of the density difference between the two, a zone of the mixed water causes an ethereal effect while passing through it. It looks as though everything seems out of focus. You will find a halocline in many of the cenotes. At least two different cenotes, Angelita and El Pit, have another phenomenon that appears like a cloud below you after entering the water. These are actually clouds formed by hydrogen sulfide gas caused by decaying leaves and other plant materials. You can penetrate the clouds and drop down under them for a totally different experience. At least one of these two is a must-do dive. Many of the cenotes are adorned with stalactites and stalagmites, leftovers from ancient times when they were filled with air.
Expect the water in the cenotes to be much cooler than the ocean. I was comfortable in a 3mm wetsuit, but my buddy was cold, although she does get cold much easier than I do. You also won't see much in the way of critters. The fish consist mostly of smaller, fresh water species like mollies, catfish, tetras, cichlids, etc. In many cenotes you will see an underwater sign consisting of a skull and crossbones with warnings: “Do not continue beyond this point. Certified cave divers only”. Many people believe that these cenotes are all joined by underwater rivers and cave divers have penetrated some caves for miles.
Most, if not all, of the cenotes that I have dived (well over a dozen) require an entrance fee, which was included in the price, along with transportation, lunch, and a cave certified guide. Some are more developed than others, with picnic tables, restrooms, gear changing tables and other amenities. These will attract more swimmers and tourists, but they never interfere with the dives because you make a partial penetration.
If you're looking for a new scuba experience, travel to the Riviera Maya and try Cenote diving. You won’t be disappointed!
