Skip to content
What to do inPlaya del Carmen Find a tourTours

Where to swim, and the tours worth it:Cenotes near Playa del Carmen

The best cenote tours from Playa del Carmen, picked by locals: jungle buggies with a cenote swim, cenotes paired with Tulum or Chichén Itzá, and the cenotes you can easily visit on your own.

6 picks, all rated 4.5★ or more. Updated October 2026.

Jungle buggy ride with cenote swimTop rated10–20 min away

Jungle buggy ride with cenote swim

Muddy, loud and a lot of fun. Three hours, so you still get the afternoon on the beach.

4.8 (555)3 hours
From$105See dates
Tulum ruins, cenote and Akumal turtle swimLocal's pick50 min away

Tulum ruins, cenote and Akumal turtle swim

Three classics in one day and no 5 am start. Our first pick for a first visit, kids included.

4.6 (342)8–10 hours
From$109See dates
Buggy drive to a cenote and Mayan village10–20 min away

Buggy drive to a cenote and Mayan village

A longer buggy day with a visit to a Maya community. Good pick for groups of friends.

4.8 (402)5 hours
From$115See dates
Chichén Itzá, Valladolid and cenote, with buffet lunchMost booked2–3 h away

Chichén Itzá, Valladolid and cenote, with buffet lunch

Departs from Playa. A long day, but the cenote swim and the colonial stop in Valladolid break up the drive.

4.5 (989)12 hours
From$93See dates
Cobá and Chichén Itzá ruins with a cenote swim2–3 h away

Cobá and Chichén Itzá ruins with a cenote swim

Two great sites in one day. Cobá is jungle-wrapped and far less crowded than Tulum.

4.6 (706)12 hours
From$96See dates
Cobá, Tulum ruins and Cenote Mariposa, with lunch50 min away

Cobá, Tulum ruins and Cenote Mariposa, with lunch

Jungle ruins at Cobá, the cliffside temple at Tulum and a swim in Cenote Mariposa, all in one day.

4.5 (100)12 hours
From$77See dates

Why most cenote tours here come as a combo

Most cenote tours near Playa pair the swim with something else: a jungle buggy ride, the ruins at Tulum or a full day at Chichén Itzá. That works in your favor. The cenote is the best part of a hot day, and a combo takes care of transport, entrance and timing. If you only want cenotes, skip the tour and go on your own. We explain how below.

Which tour to pick

  • Short on time: the 3-hour jungle buggy with a cenote swim. You are back by lunch.
  • First visit to the Riviera Maya: Tulum, a cenote and the sea turtles at Akumal in one day.
  • You want the big pyramid: Chichén Itzá with a cenote stop. A long day, and worth it once.
  • Traveling with friends: the longer buggy day with a visit to a Maya village.

Cenotes you can visit on your own

Highway 307 south of Playa is lined with cenotes, and several are a short taxi or colectivo ride from 5th Avenue. You pay the entrance at the gate, usually in cash.

  • Jardín del Edén, Cristalino and Cenote Azul: open-air cenotes next to each other, about 20 minutes south. Clear water, fish and spots to jump in. Go early to beat the tour groups.
  • Dos Ojos: a famous cave cenote between Akumal and Tulum, about 45 minutes away. Best with a snorkel guide, and a classic for cave divers.
  • Gran Cenote: just outside Tulum town, with wooden walkways and small turtles in the water. Very popular, so arrive at opening time.
  • Ruta de los Cenotes: a road inland from Puerto Morelos, about 40 minutes north of Playa, with a string of quieter jungle cenotes.

Before you swim

  • Skip sunscreen and bug spray before you get in, or use biodegradable products. Most cenotes ask you to shower first to protect the water.
  • Bring cash for the entrance, lockers and life jackets.
  • Water shoes help on rocky steps and ladders.
  • Cenote water stays cool all year, so a short wetsuit is nice in winter.
  • Mornings are quieter. Tour groups tend to arrive around midday.

Questions we get asked

Do I need to know how to swim?

Not for most cenotes. You can rent a life jacket at the entrance, and many cenotes have platforms and stairs into the water.

Are cenotes safe for kids?

Open-air cenotes with stairs and platforms are great for kids who are comfortable in the water, with a life jacket. Save cave cenotes and high jumps for older kids.

What exactly is a cenote?

A natural sinkhole where the limestone ground collapsed and exposed the groundwater below. The Yucatán Peninsula has thousands of them, and the ancient Maya considered them sacred.

Should I bring my own snorkel gear?

If you have it, yes. Most cenotes rent gear, but your own mask will fit better.