I’ve been diving in the Mexican cenotes since 1994 and I have always been fascinated by their natural beauty and magic. They represent an endless source of inspiration and awe for me, both through their intrinsic beauty and through their history and spiritual meaning. The ancient Maya people thought life originated in the water, and it was also where life regenerated. The cenotes were considered sacred places, powerful and symbolic, and represented the gateway to the spiritual underworld, to the afterlife, a place of rebirth.

The word cenote, from the Maya word dzonot (which means sacred well) refers to any location with accessible groundwater in a deep, natural pit or sinkhole. In Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, they are the result of the collapse of limestone bedrock, characteristic to the region, which exposes groundwater underneath. They become the connection to subterranean rivers, formed by rainwater filtering slowly through the ground. In many cases, cenotes are areas where sections of cave roof have collapsed, revealing an underlying cave system. As with everything in nature, the cenotes are part of a larger system, and connect to the ocean. This natural balance between salt and freshwater took nature eons to achieve, and a wide range of animals, stalactite formations and plants coexist in harmony, keeping a balance in a variety of habitats. Some cenotes even have an endemic species of fish, found only in that particular cenote.

Interested in learning more about the Yucatan peninsula?

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Combining this knowledge of their history and ecology with crystal-clear water makes the experience of cenote diving as surreal as it gets. Each cenote is unique, and each one has the power to transform your dive into a once-in-a-lifetime experience of awe and wonder.

There are many ways to enjoy these majestic natural jewels. The most basic one is with a mask and fins. Another one is through cavern dives, suited for all levels of diving experience and conducted in the ambient light zone of the cave entrance close to open water. All divers must be accompanied in the caverns by a certified cavern guide, who is full cave certified. The guide must use full cave equipment configuration including double tanks, which are required for air management and handling of potential emergencies. In contrast, cave diving is a form of technical diving, and requires specialized training.

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