Cenote Dos Ojos

This cenote’s name, which means “Two Eyes” in Spanish, refers to its two separate pools that lead into a large cavern of incredibly clear water. At more than 40 miles long, Dos Ojos is the largest underwater cave system in the state and among the most popular and adventurous dive spots on the entire Riviera Maya. Snorkelers of all ages are welcome to take in the amazing scenery and gaze at divers as they explore far below. The cenote lies just a few minutes north of Tulum, a little over a mile off the main highway.

It’s hard to drive a mile w/out seeing signs for cenote’s in Riviera Maya. Each offers it’s own unique access, waters, and characters/care takers. It’s hard to find a completely undeveloped cenote these days, but “Pet Cemetery’, located 15 minutes outside of Tulum Pueblo comes close. If you’re claustrophobic, this may not be the cenote for you. While this is the most off the beaten path and visually stunning, there are plenty of these spectacular limestone quarries close by.

My fiance and I were hanging out in Playa del Carmen, Mexico for the week and we decided to get away from the resort and Quinta Avenida for a while. We met a German gentleman named Roman who’s lived in town for 20 years. He urged us to check out one of the cenotes before leaving. A cenote is an underground cave filled with crystal clear, fresh water. There are over 300 miles of interconnected passageways and caves throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, to which they are unique. We decided to explore Cenote Dos Ojos which was about an hour’s drive away. The water temperature inside the cenotes is relatively cold, so we rented wetsuits and snorkeling gear from a local surf shop. Our van pulled into a parking lot alongside several other vans dropping off small groups of scuba divers. We walked a short distance through the jungle to the hidden cave and were stunned into silence by the beauty of the bright blue water. The sights we saw under the surface of the water were even more incredible. We used flashlights to peer into black underwater passageways and marvel at gigantic stalactites and stalagmites. Tiny fish came right up to our face masks to say hello. We utilized every second of our tour, swimming slowly along the surface, faces in the water, silent mouths uttering cries of joy at the beauty of nature. Next time I go back, it will be to scuba dive through the more hidden corridors of this underwater magical kingdom.

A cenote is a natural pit or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposed groundwater underneath. The Yucatan consists of over 3,000 cenotes that are all connected. They range from cenotes that are caves with very few openings to “The Pit”, a clandestine hot spot for scuba divers that is predominantly underground with the exception of a wide opening where you can jump from 25 feet in the air into the cold water. My fantastic guide Nick at Avatar Adventures was extremely knowledgable, not only about the Mayan culture that so heavily protects the Dos Ojos cenote, but also the ecological future of these limestone wonders. As you snorkel through the underground cave, it is a meditative experience where you see the truly stunning power of mother nature.

You may only see the iridescent sinkholes from the surface, but under that water lies the largest underground river system in the world. The ghostly calm is intoxicating as you float through a netherworld said to connect to the Maya underworld trying to forget how many divers lost their lives mapping these caverns.