Top 5 Cenotes To Enjoy With The Family

The Riviera Maya is one of the top travel destinations in the world. Its extraordinary list of attractions is unparalleled in Mexico and hard to find anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere. Truly powdered white sand beaches blending into warm and natural turquoise blue waters is what most people tend to think of when planning their vacations here. However, the spectacular Mayan archaeological sites scattered throughout the Yucatan Peninsula gives the region an edge over other great beach destinations. If you add to that an outstanding nightlife scene, a lavish shopping offer, world-class eco-parks, and mystical underground freshwater rivers known as cenotes, then you can get an idea of why this beautiful corner of Mexico is visited by over 30 million people every year.

In this post, we’re going to focus on the last one of those famed attractions, the cenotes but with a twist: the best family-friendly cenotes in the Riviera Maya.

First, let’s just quickly recap what a cenote is. Cenotes are natural sinkholes sometimes exist as underground chambers or caves, and other times are open or semi-open to the open sky, as the ceiling of the cave collapsed at some point. The amazing thing about cenotes is that they are all interconnected by an underground system of rivers that extends throughout the peninsula.

Here, we will focus on open cenotes, as the cave ones are typically cooler, darker, and more dangerous. In other words, not suitable for kids.

Top 5 Family-Friendly Cenotes

In the Riviera Maya you will find hundreds of cenotes of all kinds, sizes, and with different levels of accessibility and facilities. This, makes very difficult to select just five, but after a thorough research we are confident that the following cenotes are the best ones for your family:

1. Cenote Dos Ojos

Cenote Dos Ojos forms part of the Sac Actun cave system, which is the longest underwater cave system in the world. It stretches for over 350 kilometers! But don’t worry, that’s not the reason we chose Dos Ojos to top this list, let me explain.

Dos Ojos translates as “Two Eyes” and this catchy name is also very accurate, as it refers to the two cenotes that can be found inside Parque Dos Ojos: Ojo Azul (Blue Eye) and Ojo Negro (Black Eye). Amazingly, these cenotes are connected by an underwater tunnel extending for over 60 meters.

With your family you want to stay in the Ojo Azul cenote, because it is smaller and its waters are shallower than those at Ojo Negro. You and your kids can swim in this incredibly beautiful cenote, its waters are very refreshing, and you can also rent snorkel equipment in case you want to take a look at the underwater world of the cenote.

You will find Cenote Dos Ojos entrance on the highway connecting Tulum and Playa del Carmen. The Parque Dos Ojos is 20 km away from Tulum and 60 km from Playa. The entrance fee is around $15 USD depending on the exchange rate at the time of your visit and opens from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every day.

In terms of facilities it is also among the best in the region, as it’s equipped with a full-fledged restaurant, a snacks shop, bathrooms with showers and lockers, and there’s even a shuttle available for those that don’t come by car.

2. Cenote Ik Kil

Located just 10 minutes away from one of the Seven Wonders of the World (Chichen Itza), Cenote Ik Kil is the perfect refreshing stop after visiting the spectacular Mayan ruins. This cenote is one of the most developed in terms of facilities and boasts a hotel and an excellent restaurant offering a delicious international buffet in an even more delicious air conditioned environment.

Ik Kil is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and the entrance fee is only about $7 USD. However, if you come hungry and tired after visiting the nearby pyramids you should go for the full package including lunch and drink for the equivalent of $17 USD.

This cenote’s beauty is striking. Its waters come in a deep blue greenish tone, and they are surrounded by gorgeous lush vegetation. The water surface is actually about 50 meters below ground level and you have to come down through a stone staircase. Be careful here with your kids, as the steps tend to be wet and slippery.

Once at water level, you can swim, snorkel, or even practice paddleboarding. This natural pool is also equipped with two jumping platforms of 3 and 6 meters and a couple of ropes extending across the surface for swimmers to take a rest and feel safe while enjoying the waters of Ik Kil.

In a nutshell, Ik Kil is one of the most enjoyable cenote experiences in the whole Riviera Maya. Maybe not one of the most popular among adrenaline junkies, but definitely a perfect spot to visit with your family.

3. Cenote Azul

Located halfway between Playa del Carmen y Tulum, Cenote Azul is one of the most popular cenotes among families as it offers a series of open natural pools with shallow waters perfect for the little ones to have fun and enjoy themselves.

Extending over 600 feet, Cenote Azul is one of the largest in the Riviera Maya and also one of the most visited ones. So, make sure to arrive early in the day (it opens at 8:00 am) to take advantage of the natural playgrounds that this gorgeous place offers.

In this cenote your kids can walk through them, as there are rock formations below water but very close to the surface. This area is also perfect for you and your family to get a full spa cleaning service from groups of “professional” fish willing to help you out, as long as you don’t do any sudden movements.

In the larger pool, there is a wooden boardwalk where people extend their towels, sunbath and have a snack. There is also a small cliff used for teenagers to jump into the cenote. Most people just relax swimming across the cenote while a few others like to snorkel and discover the cenote’s underwater life.

The entrance fee stands at $12 USD (as of March 1st, 2024) and there are restrooms, a small eatery, and snorkel gear available for rent.

4. Cenote Oxman

This cenote is our off the beaten path choice for you. Located just 15 minutes away from the beautiful colonial town of Valladolid, it’s a bit far from the big beach towns of the Riviera Maya but it’s well-worth a visit.

The beauty of Cenote Oxman is what made us include it in this list, but its famous rope swing is what will keep your kids busy all day long. A couple of other ropes cut across the water surface to help swimmers out and offer them a resting spot.

This is an open cenote, which means that its waters aren’t as cold as in other cenotes, as they get lots of sunlight during the day. The entrance fee is about $7USD (depending on the exchange rate at the time of visit) and it offers restrooms, changing rooms, and a restaurant. Snorkel gear and life jackets are available for rent.

Plan a day out of the beach area and visit Valladolid and Cenote Oxman and thank me later!

5. Cenote Nicte Ha

Located 20 km north of Tulum, Cenote Nicte Ha is another excellent option to visit with your family. This is an open cenote at ground level, so it’s easy to think of it as a small lake. The abundant water lilies floating around its surface make the comparison even easier to comprehend.

The water is a bit cool, but not extremely cold, making it a very enjoyable experience in the hot summer days in this region of Mexico. It also has a rope that extends from one edge of the surface to the other, providing a safety valve to swimmers who want to take a rest but aren’t ready to get out of the water just yet.

Cenote Nicte Ha opens from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and it costs only $12 USD. There are changing rooms, restrooms, and life jackets available for rent. However, there’s no restaurant here, so make sure to bring your own food.

What makes Cenote Nicte Ha worth a visit with your family is its natural beauty and the fact that it never gets too crowded, which in the Riviera Maya area is always a very welcome outcome. Come here to take a respite from the crowds of mass tourism and let your kids enjoy a day out in nature.

Enjoy the Cenotes & Respect Nature

We can assure you that any of these five cenotes will bring lots of fun to your family and create unforgettable memories for all of you. Also, just a quick reminder to never use sunscreen when visiting cenotes, as it pollutes its waters, and to always take care of your own waste to keep these wonders of nature clean and enjoyable for everyone.