About Gran Cenote

Million of years ago the parts of the Yutacan Peninsula were comprised of giant reef systems set underwater. Over time water levels dropped and the reef slowly died leaving large limestone cave systems. These cave systems are some of the longest underground cave systems in the world, with Sac Actun and Ox Bel Ha being 353 km and 270 km respectively. The openings into these systems are often referred to as Cenotes and can be found throughout Yutucan.

Cenotes were one of the major reasons the Mayan civilization settled in the Yutucan region, as the caves provided a consistent source of water in the jungle. Mayans believed Cenotes were sacred and often performed sacrificial rituals to honor the rain god Chac. Mexican archeologists theorize the famous site of El Castillo in Chichen itza may be erected over a secret cenote that the Mayans believed was the entrance into the underworld.

Gran Cenote is part of the Sac Actun cave system and one of the most popular cenotes in Tulum. Tourists flock to Gran Cenote to see its aquamarine-colored water surrounded by limestone cliffs. Visitors are able to enter the cenote to swim, dive, and snorkel. There are two entries into the cenote as well as a large roped-off area that protects the local turtles who call this watering hole home.

The site is privately owned and has been designed to cater to travelers wanting to spend the day, with toilets, showers, lockers, hammocks, light snacks, and coffee available. There is a nice area for picnics on the grass amongst the gardens, the staff will allow you to bring in your own food, drinks, and snorkel gear.

Getting There

Gran Cenote is only a short distance from the main tourist areas in Tulum and is only a 10-minute drive from Downtown or 25 minutes from the Hotel Zone.

To get there you can grab a taxi, ride a bike or book a guided tour. You will find lots of full-day tours available that provide transport and include stops at the nearby cenotes of Tortuga and Calavera which can be found on the same road.

Biking from downtown Tulum will take about 15 minutes with the majority of the trip being straight down the main road of QROO 109. Bikes are available for hire at around $8 USD a day, there are plenty of bike rental shops just across from the Chedraui Downtown.

Catching a taxi can be expensive as you will need them to wait for you at the Cenote to ensure you have a way home, recent prices have this trip costing up to 700MXN pesos return. Prices of taxis have skyrocketed in Tulum in the last 3 years as there is only one company that provides taxis. The benefit of taking your own taxi is that you can go at your own pace, add on many of the nearby cenotes and make a day of it.

If you have a car rental, driving there is safe, very straightforward with lots of road signage, and there is lots of free parking available out the front of the cenote. The majority of car rental places are located along the same road as Gran Cenote so you’ll just turn out of your rental shop and drive along one main road, QROO 109, for 10 minutes from Downtown.

Costs

The entrance fee for Gran Cenote has gone up dramatically in the past 3 years as well, going from $100 MXN pesos to $500 MXN pesos per person as of mid-2022. We recommend taking at least $1000 pesos with you in case the price has increased, or if you would like to hire any lockers and snorkeling gear. Lockers are $30 MXN pesos to rent and lifejackets are $50 MXN pesos.

What to Bring

A bottle of water to drink
A picnic - Chedraui (A high-end supermarket) can be found on the same street just 10 minutes down the road.
Picnic blanket
Snorkel gear (you can also hire on-site if you want)
Reef shoes or flippers (you can also hire on-site if you want)
Towel
Camera
Swimsuit
Change of clothes
Insect repellant

Things To Know

In order to protect the local ecosystem, there are a few rules to be aware of when visiting Gran Cenote.

You will need to shower and wash your hair at the showers on-site before entering the cenote. If any of the staff see that you are not wet, you will be asked to go and shower before you can get in.
You can’t wear any sunscreen
You can’t wear any insect repellant, but you will want to bring it for afterwards
There are bats, fish, turtles, and lizards in the cenote, please tread carefully and watch out for wildlife
Gran Cenote is very popular, you will want to arrive early to be able to enjoy the scenery without the crowds. We recommend trying to arrive at 8 am.

Nearby attractions

Tulum is full of great activities, you will never be far from another interesting attraction. Along the same road as Gran Cenote there are a number of other cenotes including

Cenote Calavera
Cenote Santa Cruz
Cenote Tortuga
Cenote Zacil-Ha
Canamayte Eco Park - Cenote Chen Ha

You can also find the famed Tulum beach Playa Paraiso just 20 minutes away if you’d like to follow up the cenotes with a beach swim or the Tulum Ruins can be found along the same road as Playa Paraiso about 22 minutes away.

Read more of our guides to Tulum

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Gran Cenote