Exploring Dos Ojos Cenotes

Cherish and enjoy the tranquil beauty, stunning pathways of fossil filled ornate stalagmite and stalactite caves and exceptionally crystal-clear water of the Dos Ojos Cenotes.

(Image is from a Trip Advisor Review)

What Is A Cenote?

A cenote is a natural pit that is formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock that results in water filled sinkholes. In addition to this, following on from the collapse of bedrock, rainwater accumulates in the remaining pool as well as from underground rivers which more sinkholes may be connected to. The term cenote is more typically associated with the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and were used as water supplies and occasionally as locations of sacrificial offerings by ancient Mayan civilizations.

Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico (Image is from Google Images)

Dos Ojos Cenotes

This beautiful system of underwater caves is located in north Tulum, Caribbean coast of the Yucatan peninsula in the Quintana State in Mexico.

Dos Ojos Cenotes is a combination of two different cenotes which are connected by a passage that spans 400m long. As a separate system it is one of the largest underwater cave systems in the world and boasts a 119m deep cave passage and the temperature of the water is a comfortable 25 degrees through the year.

The Dos Ojos Cenotes are popular snorkelling and cavern diving sites and are open to professional and non-professional divers. Most of the cavern dives included 2 dives a day, each dive which is 45 minutes long with 60-minute intervals. Visitors can also divulge into an adjacent cave which is known as the ‘Bat Cave’ which is also another snorkelling area. The water visibility is exceptionally transparent resulted from rainwater being filtered through limestone and lack of soil in the area due to the limestone being very pure. Visitors are urged to be very careful while swimming as the rock formations and the ecosystem are very fragile.

Top left and bottom left images are from Trip Advisor and the top right and bottom right images are from Google Images

Facilities Provided At Dos Ojos Cenotes:

· Changing areas, lockers for rent and bathrooms

· At the entrance of the main cenote, there is a large wooden area with stairs that enables people to use stairs to enter the water. Visitors are advised to be careful of the shallow rocks below.

· Life jackets which are included with the ticket

· Snorkelling gear which is available for rent.

· Tickets can be upgraded to a guided diving or snorkelling tour however it is recommended for visitors to go with a reputable diving school

· Free parking and a restaurant on site (however due to more choices of restaurants in Tulum, visitors should consider heading to town for food)

· Massage areas

Beach Part of Tulum (Image is From Google Images)

Prices:

· Opening times are between from 8.00AM — 17.00PM everyday

· Although there are many tour guides offered online, it is cheaper to book tour guides locally. Entrance fee itself for Dos Ojos Cenotes is 200 pesos (£7.25) with an additional 100 pesos (£3.63) to rent snorkelling equipment. Only cash is accepted if paying for entrance physically at Dos Ojos Cenotes.

· Price for diving tours and snorkelling tours are more expensive however with prices ranging from £28.68 depending on group size (Tulum and Cenotes Tour available for online booking here) to diving tours costing £128.24

Tours And Activities To Explore Dos Ojos Cenotes Are Available At:

Image is From Trip Advisor

· Cenote Dos Ojos Tours and Activities (Viator)

· Cenote Dos Ojos (Trip Advisor)

· Locally bookable tours

How to Get There:

Tulum (Image is from Google Images)

· By colectivo (shared bus), take one from Tulum, highway 307 going north, towards Playa del Carmen. Shuttle buses pass every few minutes and the shuttle will take you to the entrance and costs around 40 pesos (£1.44) from Tulum.

· You can also get a colectivo from Playa del Carmen costing around 30 pesos (£1.08) on Calle 2 Norte between Av..10 and 15. It would then be 1.25 miles walk to the Cenote Dos Ojos from the entrance on the highway.

· Make sure to take comfortable shoes and a hat and other accessories for hot weather as it can take around 30 minutes to walk to Dos Ojos Cenote from the entrance and the ticket booth. Try to avoid going midday if you are using the colectivo option.

· Book a taxi from Tulum which should cost around 200 Pesos and take around 20 minutes. Taxis will leave you at the entrance so do not forget your comfortable shoes, hat and hot weather accessories.

· Cars are available to rent for a day also

· You can also book a private driver for the day, but this is much more expensive and prices for this option can range from £71.54-£107.31.

Items You Should Bring With You:

· Swimwear.

· Biodegradable sunscreen — do not use regular sunscreen before entering the cenotes as this will affect the water in turn affecting the home of the various life forms that inhibits the cenotes.

· Although snorkelling gear is available for rent, if you are planning to snorkel in other nearby cenotes or spend time at the nearby beach, bring your own snorkelling gear and goggles.

· Water bottle

· Accessories for hot weather such as a summer hat

· Camera

Dos Ojos Cenotes is an unmissable stunning area of natural beauty located in northern Tulum where the tranquil, translucent blue water and beautiful passages of unique rock formations need to be on your bucket list.