The Riviera Maya is a prime destination for a family adventure vacation with some of the world’s most gorgeous beaches, Mayan ruins, amazing reef, and thousands of cenotes dotting the peninsula. A cenote is basically a giant sinkhole in the ground resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock. Most cenotes in Mexico are filled with fresh water, making them ideal swimming holes. We’ve uncovered 18 top cenotes for kids in Mexico, with tips on where they are located, cost (adult pricing), and other helpful tips!
1. Dos Ojos Cenote (Tulum)
The very first cenote we ever visited back in 2016 just happened to be Dos Ojos, which is world famous for being the largest underwater cave system! Dos Ojos means “two eyes” and describes it’s two pools of water: one super blue for snorkeling and the other is dark for diving! We didn’t dive here, but we did snorkel and let’s just say it was amazing! The clarity of the water is astounding and there are incredible stalagmites and stalactites everywhere you look.
This cenote is one of the most popular cenotes in the area (for good reason), so we suggest coming right when it opens or right before it closes. You can also rent snorkel equipment here if you don’t have your own, but obviously it’s cheaper to bring your own.
Cost: 300 pesos ($15 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
2. Casa Cenote (Tulum)
Cradled between a crystal-clear fresh water cenote and a sandy white beach on a turquoise Caribbean bay is where you’ll find Casa Cenote. Framing the western shore of Casa Cenote also known as “Cenote Manati,” is named for the manatees who have swam in their waters over many years. Casa Cenote is a great place to snorkel, paddleboard or kayak (both of which you can rent here). It’s also a popular place to learn how to scuba dive.
We spent a day paddleboarding with Extreme Control Adventures in Casa Cenote and nearby Soliman Bay. Definitely a place you should add to your list!
Cost: 120 pesos ($6 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
3. Cenote Zacil-Ha (Tulum)
Zacil-Ha is located just outside of Tulum and is known as one of the best family-friendly cenotes on the Yucatan. This wasn’t our favorite cenote because it was more “commercialized” with a snack bar, but it is a great cenote with kids, easily accessible, and cheap.
Cost: 80 pesos ($4 USD)
Hours: 10AM-5:30PM
4. Gran Cenote (Tulum)
Worth the hype? Gran Cenote might be one of the most well known cenotes in the Riviera Maya, but trust us, it’s worth going to. Our top tip for visiting this cenote? Go early in the morning right before they open to avoid many people. Bring snorkel gear if you have it (otherwise you can rent there) as there are amazing caves to explore and turtles! The water is super clear and really beautiful.
Cost: 180 pesos ($9 USD)
Hours: 8AM-4:15PM
5. Cenote Calavera (Tulum)
Calavera is a circular-shaped cenote near Gran Cenote, off the main highway towards Tulum. It’s not a big cenote, but it’s a fun one! There is a ladder that descends into the cenote, but what makes it fun is jumping into it from the ledge. There are even some smaller “holes” you can jump into but don’t worry, the water is plenty deep.
Cost: 100 pesos ($5 USD)
Hours: 9AM-4PM
6. Carwash Cenote (Tulum)
Officially, this swimming hole is called Aktun Ha Cenote, but most locals know it as the Car Wash Cenote. It got its name because it’s only a minute or so off the road, so many taxi drivers would stop by to clean their cars in hot, dusty weather. This one rarely gets super crowded too, which is a plus. Underwater, there are a large variety of plants and fish which make it great for snorkeling.
Cost: 50 pesos ($2 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
7. Cenotes Casa Tortuga
Four different cenotes make up Casa Tortuga so you could easily spend a few hours here. You have to go in a guided tour group, which might be a turn off, but what’s nice is once you are done, you can explore the cenotes on your own. We loved cliff jumping and swimming through the caves! The entrance fee includes the guide.
Cost: 350 pesos ($18 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
8. Laguna Ka’an Luum (Tulum
Laguna Ka’an Luum is one of our favorite cenotes because it’s off-the-beaten-path. It is located just south of Tulum, inside Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. What makes Laguna Kaan Luum special is the color of the water and the fact the center is a deep cenote. Some say the center is about 80 meters (262ft.) deep. You can tell the color contrast between the center of the lagoon and the sides. This cenote is stunningly beautiful, hardly visited and teeming with wildlife.
Cost: 50 pesos ($2 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
9. Sac Actun/Pet Cemetary Cenote (Tulum)
Cenote Sac Actun, also nicknamed “Pet Cemetary” is part of the Dos Ojos cave system, making it the largest underwater cave in the world. While it is completely underground, the entrance is open and provides a small area where you can float in beautiful turquoise water. This cenote is one you have to do with a guide, but it’s well worth it. You learn a lot about this fascinating and unique cenote and cave, but also get to see things you might miss without going on a guided tour. Keep in mind that the price includes a guide and lifejacket.
Cost: 450 pesos ($23 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
10. Cenote Azul (Playa del Carmen)
Cenote Azul is a rather popular cenote just south of Playa Del Carmen in the Riviera Maya. Here you can enjoy seeing this natural area and taking a dip in the refreshing waters. This cenote is just next to Cenote El Jardin Del Eden and Cenote Cristalino which are very popular as well. Cenote Azul is an open cenote and shallow in most parts, making it good for kids.
Cost: 120 pesos ($6 USD)
Hours: 8AM-5PM
11. Cenote Jardin del Eden (Playa del Carmen)
As mentioned previously, Cenote Jardin del Eden is near Cenote Azul, making it ideal for combining the two in one day if you choose. This cenote is open and makes for a lush surrounding area with plants growing in the water and the rocks covered in green moss. The water quality is really clear so we recommend bringing your snorkel gear.
On one end of the cenote there is a cliff for jumping. This is about a 12 foot jump, but there is a tree that people jump off of as well that will get you up even higher. In the middle of the cenote are rocks that were once part of the roof and now are submerged about 1 foot underwater. This make for a nice place to rest.
Cost: 200 pesos ($10 USD)
Hours: 7AM-5PM
12. Cenotes Chikin Ha (Playa del Carmen)
Cenotes Chikin Ha are made up of a group of 3 cenotes (Chikin Ha is the main one) that offer a little bit of everything–zip lining, diving, snorkeling, and swimming. The cenote Chikin-Ha has two entrances, and underneath the water you will find an underground world. The sunlight touches different parts of the cenote, so the colors of the cenote changes every time.
Cenote X’tabay is a beautiful open cenote, which display several plants and animals. Here you could find fishes, turtles, water lily, Ceiba trees and more. This cenote is perfect for kids where they can swim and snorkel in relative shallow water and they still can explore a cave. Cenote Ta’ak Bil-Ha is a ceremonial cenote where Mayan priests still do some rituals. You cannot swim here, but this cenote offers several trees that reach the water with their roots.
Cost: 400 pesos ($21 USD)
Hours: 8AM-6PM
13. Cenotes Zapote (Playa del Carmen)
Cenotes Zapote is made up of several cenotes found inside of this natural eco-park, just outside Playa del Carmen. The park contains zip lines, mountain bike trails and of course, cenotes. We absolutely loved the cenotes here because they offered a taste of everything–snorkeling, zip lines, and cliff jumping! Perfect for families with kids of all ages.
Cost: 200 pesos ($10 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
14. Cenote Suytan (Valladolid)
Some of Mexico’s best cenotes are near Valladolid, which is located in the center of the Yucatan peninsula. We took a road trip there from Tulum and spent a couple days exploring different cenotes, ruins and the town of Valladolid (which we loved!). Cenote Suytan is one of the most well-known cenotes in the area and one of the “Instagrammable” spots too. It is absolutely breathtaking!
Suytan is an underground cavern that is filled with awe-inspiring stalactite formations. You can even spot freshwater fish that are swimming around. This cenote is known for the sunbeam that shines through a hole on the top of the cavern onto a platform in the middle of the cenote. *Tip: to capture the light beam like this, you need to be here around noon. Expect a line of people waiting to get a photo on this platform (as pictured above), however it is pretty spectacular!
Cost: 70 pesos ($3 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
15. Cenote San Lorenzo-Oxman (Valladolid)
it at the top of our list.
This cenote was our very favorite of all the cenotes we’ve visited in Mexico. Partly because it’s so beautiful with the vines hanging down from the cliff and the color of the water, but we also enjoyed this cenote all to ourselves for the first hour! There’s a rope swing too, which is why it was voted our favorite. Hours of fun playing on the rope swing! Cenote San Lorenzo-Oxman is not to be missed!
Cost: 70 pesos ($3 USD)
Hours: 8AM-5PM
16. Cenote Zaci (Valladolid)
for cooling off on a hot day.
You will find Cenote Zaci right in the center of Valladolid, making this cenote the most accessible from the town and walkable from most hotels! Zaci is an open-air cenote with a hanging roof, making it an ideal swimming hole to cool off on a hot day. This cenote was our second favorite in the Valladolid area, because there were great spots to cliff jump (from different heights!), and we saw tons of beautiful birds. There is also a restaurant on the property.
Cost: 30 pesos ($1.50 USD)
Hours: 8:30AM-5:30PM
17. Cenotes Agua Dulce (Valladolid)
in the Valladolid region of Mexico. Photo courtesy of Sandra Salvado via Flickr
A photo-worthy stop on any tour of the Yucatan, the Agua Dulce cenote is inviting in every way. There are two holes to the cavern allowing just enough sunlight to light up the turquoise waters and reflect the mirrored surface below. The stalagmites hanging from the roof allow small drops of water to drip into the cenote. If you’re more into exploring the water by floating rather than swimming, you can rent a kayak and float around. You can also rappel in from the top of Agua Dulce, which makes this cenote extra adventurous.
Cost: 100 pesos ($5 USD) + 50 pesos for kayak rental + 80 pesos for rappel
Hours: 8AM-5PM
18. Cenote Saamul (Valladolid)
for jumping off!
Cenote Saamal, located in the Hacienda Selva Maya, is another lesser visited cenote that makes for a popular stop for people visiting the ruins of Chichen Itza and Balam. It is a stunning cenote that is open with a manmade waterfall cascading into it. Above the cenote you will find a stream of water that feeds a manmade waterfall, inviting you to relax and feel refreshed in a uniquely peaceful and beautiful environment. Life jackets are required here and included in your admission.
Cost: 80 pesos ($4 USD)
Hours: 9AM-5PM
Other helpful tips:
There are a few helpful tips to know when visiting almost every cenote in Mexico.
1. Do not wear or bring sunscreen. To keep the water in the cenotes pristine, most places ask you that you refrain from putting sunscreen on your body before entering the cenote. To combat a sunburn, opt to wear a protective SPF shirt or rashguard instead.
2. Never leave your valuables in the car. This might go without saying, but there have been several reported incidents of theft from cars in the parking lots of cenotes (tourists can be a target), so make sure to keep valuables back at your hotel, locked in the trunk, or with you at all times.
3. Pack a lunch and bring water with you if you plan to spend a fair amount of time at the cenotes. Some of the cenotes have on-site restaurants, but most do not.
4. Other items to bring: water shoes, snorkeling gear (unless you plan to rent), towels, and extra cash. Some cenotes offer life jacket rentals too if you need life jackets for little ones or non-swimmers.
If you are looking for other suggestions on things to do on the Yucatan with kids, make sure to check out our post on the 12 Best Family Outdoor Activities Near Tulum, as well as our 10 Day Epic Yucatan Road Trip.