The Outland cenote is part of the huge underwater cave system Sac Actun—Dos Ojos—Nohoch Nah Chich.
Turning toward Outland Cenote into the jungle on the 54th kilometer from Playa del Carmen of the Cancun-Tulum federal road, you will find yourself on a country road. Following, the dusty, bumpy road leads deep into the jungle. It connects the entrances to a multitude of beautiful cenotes. Caracol, Chun Ya, Otoch Ha, Outland, La Concha, Fenomeno, etc.
Cenote Outland is part of the connected system Sac Actun-Nohoch-Dos Ojos. Moreover, it is the world’s second-largest underwater cave system, with 376,7 km (234 miles) of underwater lines. The maximum depth is 119.18 mts (391 ft). The Nohoch historical section is an anchialine cave system connecting to naturally intruding marine water and tidal influence in the cenotes. However, this cave system’s coastal discharge point(s) has not yet been explored into the ocean. Despite this, dye tracing to flow towards Caleta Xel-Ha, a nearby coastal bedrock lagoon, demonstrated large volumes of groundwater.
The next world’s longest cave system, Ox Bel Ha, is very close — just a few kilometers south. So, perhaps shortly, a place will be discovered where these two cave systems connect. The combined cave system will be the largest underwater cave system in the world and the largest cave system in general, including dry caves.
Cenote dives in this area are available to certified cave divers who can go alone or are guided by a qualified cave instructor.
Outland cenote
Farther away in the forest, an 8km potholed dirt road leads to the Outland Cenote. The entrance is fenced and locked. Outland is a half-collapsed sinkhole with a huge Alamo tree extending its roots like the tentacles of a crawling octopus. The atmosphere of the jungle was overwhelming. Entry to the water was very shallow, over brown rocks. Outside the cave were tall leafy trees, and beautiful “motmot” birds flew by.
Sneaking through a gateway in the limestone, we immediately plummeted to a depth of 8m for the rest of the dive. Visibility is always clear. At the first T-junction, a few meters from the guideline’s beginning, we can turn left and right. The right part is quite more extensive. Soon after, you meander through various chambers of the Outland Cenote with columns, stalagmites, stalactites, and helictites hanging from the roof like darts.
Our Outland Cenote cave diving video
Outland cenote cave lines map
Outland Cenote location map
The first explorers were Steve Penn and Mike Madden.
Connected to Sistema Aktun Hu by Alex Alverez, Franco Attolini, and Beto Navo in November 2007. Connected to the Nohoch area by Robbie Schmittner on January 30, 2011.
In 2019, Harry Gust began exploring a new cenote called White Dunes. As the exploration continued, Harry connected White Dunes with Cenote Outland. In 2020, Dave Marlow joined Harry, and both continued to explore more passages. Dave and Harry have more than tripled Outland’s original passage length.
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