10,000-15,000 cenotes in Yucatán, 2,500+ in Quintana Roo. Sac Actun 350 km. Dos Ojos 83 km. Cavern diving vs cave diving. Visibility 60 m+. Sacred wells for the Maya. Tulum the most visited but overcrowded.
The cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula represent one of the most extensive flooded cave systems on the planet. Divers distinguish open cenotes (suitable for open water divers with a guide) from cave systems that require technical certification. The choice of operating from Cancún/Playa del Carmen or from Mérida conditions access to different systems. It is recommended to choose centers with cavern-certified guides.
The Yucatan Peninsula is home to between 10,000 and 15,000 cenotes, of which more than 2,500 are in Quintana Roo. In the Riviera Maya alone, the Sac Actun system exceeds 350 km of mapped passages, while Dos Ojos reaches 83 km. Visibility is usually extraordinary — often exceeding 60 meters — because rainwater filters slowly through the limestone rock. For the Maya, these sacred wells were the only source of fresh water and had deep ritual significance; today they generate a specialized diving tourism that attracts cave divers from around the world.