The price varied a lot according to the cenotes diving bundles we were offered. Compared to the entire cost of the trip, it wasn’t making a big difference. I don’t know if I will ever come back to that region of Mexico, so I wanted to choose with my heart. I never recommend placing budget restrictions high on the criteria list when we are only talking about two digits. What’s your budget for scuba diving cenotes? Although the visibility is perfect, you don’t see the same things as scuba diving cenotes will take you a lot further in the caverns than snorkelling. If you have time for snorkelling cenotes in Tulum, you may want to avoid diving at the same place. Will you have a chance to snorkel another cenote later? If you have time to experience both, I’d love to know what you think. Again, I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer. Was I wrong? Some local scuba divers rated these ones as the best cenotes for scuba diving in Tulum. That’s the typical image I had of cenotes diving in Tulum.ĭark and gloomy can be fun too, but it sounded less spectacular to me. I loved the darkness of the cavern with the light suddenly breaking through. There’s no right or wrong answer and it’s completely a personal point of view, again. Do you prefer a dark & gloomy experience when you dive the cenote? Or more light? Gran Cenote in Tulum This, combined with the halocline, was the primary influence to make our choice. I also love the idea of having the jungle all around. I found the particularity of cenotes diving was to go through a cavern with enormous stalactites. We didn’t want to focus on marine life as we also planned to snorkel in cenotes where we would see fish. It will also save you time to do other things in Tulum (like visiting Sian Ka’an Reserve for example, or Coba Pyramid), instead of spending two hours debating in the dive shop! There is no right or wrong answer to the question. So it is a good idea to think about it prior to going to the dive shop. However, they also tend to push you to choose the ones that are easier to access for them. The guides at the dive shops will be able to help you select the cenotes matching your envies. I know it’s tempting to say “all of the above”.īut unless you have several days for scuba diving cenotes in Tulum and Playa del Carmen, you’ll need to pick your favourite. Some cenotes are better than others for seeing haloclines, and Tajma Ha was excellent for that.Īnd have you ever dived into a sulphur cloud? If you like the idea, The Pit Cenote (advanced divers only), the cenote Angelita and cenote Zapote have one. I had never seen one before, so I made sure we could experience this. So, d o you prefer rock formations? Vegetation? Marine life?Īlso, have you heard of halocline? It is the phenomenon when salt and fresh water meet and do not mix. That’s why it’s hard to choose “the best cenote for scuba diving”, as you will see very different things. Scuba diving at Casa Cenote near Tulum/Playa del Carmen You don’t just go cenote diving: you choose a scuba diving site.Īnd cenotes are very different from one to another. I wish I knew we were diving with Nitrox before as I would have been interested in reading the documentation to better learn about it – and get certified. But be careful: if there is an accident, you will probably not be covered by your travel insurance if you dive with a gas you are not certified for. They didn’t ask us about diving with Nitrox and we weren’t certified for it. Also, some other cenotes are suitable only for divers with peak buoyancy as the rock formations that decorate the cenotes are very fragile.Īlso, be prepared to need excellent buoyancy (as you’ll have rocks all around), kick like a frog and maybe dive with Nitrox (especially if you plan to do multiple dives over a few days). Hence, you must be at least an advanced scuba diver to access them. Some cenotes, like The Pit or Zapote, are deep (>18 metres). As I could not see any open-air area, I had sensations similar to cave diving but with fewer risks – which I was very happy about! We still went to very obscure areas where we were surrounded by rocks. Honestly, I think that’s enough for a vast majority of recreational scuba divers. It means you will always be within 60m of an open-air area. If like us, you do not have the cave certification and do not intend to get it, then you will be limited to scuba dive in caverns.
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