Author: Alexander Vronsky

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Chikin Ha cenote

Cenote Chikin Ha is a nature park complex where you can enjoy 3 spectacular cenotes of different types in one place. Only two of the three cenotes we will discuss in a minute are suitable for swimming and diving.

A little further away, the third one (Cenote Ta’ak Bil Ha) is only used for ceremonial purposes. However, you can still visit and enjoy the views of the clear waters and the tranquility of the place.

Chikin Ha X-Tabay Cenote pond
Chikin Ha X-Tabay Cenote pond

The first cenote (X’Tabay) is great for relaxing, swimming, and cave diving. The second cenote (Chikin-Ha) is great for swimming, cavern and cave diving. Both are suitable for families too. You can spend the entire day and enjoy the local facilities.

X’Tabay cenote

Cenote X’Tabay is the first one you will meet when you walk from the reception desk. You will see a beautiful open cenote surrounded by lush greenery, including ceiba trees, palms, and alamos, which reflect in the crystal clear waters. The shallow water is suitable for kids to swim in and play in but for anybody to relax and snorkel.

Fish, turtles, and water lilies swim in the cenote’s pristine waters, and colorful birds chirp. Visitors can also sit on the beaches or by the water and soak in the natural environment.

From the X’tabay cenote cave, certified divers can reach the entire Ponderosa cave system and dive into other well-known cenotes: Zacil cenote, Little Joe cenote, El Eden cenote, Corral cenote, Azul cenote, and Cristalino cenote, as well as many other small cenotes in the entire Ponderosa cave system.

This cave system has fresh and saltwater zones, with the halocline beginning at 33 ft (10 m). There are vivid displays of freshwater drainage. The saltwater areas are typical examples of white Swiss cheese, while the freshwater shows much in decorations and speleothems.

Chikin Ha X'Tabay Cenote cave entrance
Chikin Ha X’Tabay Cenote cave entrance
X’tabay means spirit of a woman in the Mayan Language “ix” meaning “woman” and “tabay” meaning “spirit”. X’tabay is part of a Yucatec Maya folklore tale about a demonic femme fatale who lures men to their deaths in the Yucatán Peninsula.

Chikin-Ha cenote

Chikin-Ha cenote is the main cenote of the park and the most appealing because you get to swim in a natural tunnel made of the millenary limestone rock formation and come out on the other side.

It looks like there are two cenotes, but there is just one split in two by a cave, making great entertainment for adventure lovers.

Cave divers love to explore these flooded caves, and you will likely see some divers getting ready for their immersion in the deep. Also, two cavern lines are located in Chikin Ha cenote, making it available for Open Water Divers.

On a sunny day, the cenote is particularly spectacular as the sun’s rays hit the water, offering incredible views under the surface. The cenote’s colors vary throughout the day depending on the light reflecting on it.

Chikin Ha means, “water from the east” in the Mayan Language.

Ta’ak Bil Ha Cenote

Not to confuse with the Taak Bi Ha cenote, another amazing cenote located near cenote Dos Ojos, Cenote Ta’ak Bil Ha, is a little further away from the other two cenotes within the Chikin Ha area. Unbelievable how much a difference a tiny letter can make! 🙂

Cenote Ta’ak Bil Ha is not swimmable because it’s mainly used for ceremonies honoring the ancient Mayan tradition.

However, you can visit the cenote, and we recommend it. It’s just a short walk from the cenote Chikin-Ha, and the path is very well marked. A short set of stairs will take you down into the underworld to the semi-open cenote. The water runs around a sort of island full of trees and plants.

In the cenote, you can appreciate the crystal clear water and the roots of the Alamo trees making their way through the rocks into the water, creating spectacular landscapes. It’s a great place for photography.

If you stop for a while, you may be lucky to find spectacular birds passing by, including the sacred bird Mot Mot.

While cavern diving from the Chikin Ha cenote, your underwater path also brings you to the Ta’ak Bil Ha cenote. So, you have a great opportunity to observe this spectacular cenote underwater and above the surface.

Ta’ak Bil-Ha means “hidden water” in the Maya Language

Our Ponderosa system cave diving video

Ponderosa system cave lines map

Ponderosa system cave lines map
Ponderosa system cave lines map

Chikin Ha Cenote location map

The first explorers were Nancy DeRosa, Tony DeRosa, and Steve Gerrard in July 1990.

Other explorers were Shelly Baker, Bernie Birnbach, Mauro Bordigon, Steve Bogearts, Guy Bryant, Fred Devos, Pablo Diaz, Craig LaPorte, Gary Lemme, Dan Lins, Mike Madden, Bil Philips, Steve Pittman, Daniel Riordan, Harve Thorn, Tony Thorn, Gary Walten, Kay Walten, German Yanez, and others.

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Angelita Cenote

Yes! It’s a Cenote Angelita dive that will knock your mind off. Goosebumps and amazement that’s what we are talking about. It’s not only scuba diving; it’s an unforgettable experience.

Cenote Angelita resembles a pond in the jungle. It is about 25 meters (80 feet) in diameter. The green and brown are everywhere. Unlike other cenotes, water is greenish. Besides, brown leaves and pollen often cover the water’s surface. So, before even getting in the water, you realize this dive differs from the others.

Cenote Angelita has a unique feature that distinguishes it from others around. The famous cloud is at 27 meters. Nothing like the halocline you may see in the other diving spots. These two layers of water are separated by a thick layer of hydrogen sulfate that looks like solid clouds viewed from an airplane.

Angelita cenote diving photo
Angelita cenote diving photo

That is to say, you will feel like you are on a post-apocalyptic fiction movie set. It’s the feeling that fantastic monsters lurk in the depths of the clouds below, and you will have while crossing the borderline… You’ll fly around a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, bristling with dead tree branches. In other words, you will leave planet Earth for another dimension during your dive time.

Our Angelita Cenote cave diving video

Cenote map

Angelita Cenote Pit map
Angelita Cenote Pit map

It has a terrific, calm ambiance and a time capsule in which you will ponder how nature created such a mystical place.

In short, will you dare to dive in Angelita? Thus, experienced divers are welcome to have a thrilling moment with us. It is a Twilight Zone! You will easily name Angelita in the top 5 dives of your life.

Angelita Cenote location map

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El Pit cenote

El Pit Cenote is famous for various reasons. It is one of the dream cenotes for all divers since it is 121 meters deep. Also, explorers discovered two human skeletons that are more than 10,000 years old there.

Undoubtedly, the depth of the El Pit Cenote is more than enough to attract the attention of hundreds and thousands of people who every year take the challenge of diving in the striking waters, leaving us incredible postcards of its terrifying beauty.

Recreational (Open Water) Divers can only go down up to 30 meters here. This is more than enough to admire the greatness of this place and the security it represents since the following meters have been little explored so far.

The ancient Mayans and current generations have a very peculiar name for this cenote, since it is known as the door of Xibalba, this could be translated as: "the door to the world of death" or "the door to the underworld".

The El Pit Cenote is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful. It has an oval-shaped opening of 10 meters, and its main attraction is the beautiful rays of light that cross the cavern’s crystalline water. You should take advantage of the views in the early morning hours and observe how the light rays pass through this impressive sinkhole from below.

El Pit Cenote morning rays of light

Freshwater begins to meet salt water around 20 meters deep, causing light to take interesting shapes in the water.

El Pit Cenote hydrogen sulfide layer
El Pit Cenote hydrogen sulfide layer

The phantasmal layer of hydrogen sulfide, which has an impressive thickness that resembles fog, is about 27 meters deep. Inside the water, it is located right in the area of ​​​​the collapsed rocks piled on the bottom with some tree branches.

Diving below 30 meters in Cenote El Pit requires special technical equipment and diver qualifications. You can take the necessary technical and cave diving courses at our dive center.

Alexander Vronsky El Pit Cenote deep CCR dive - 65 meters
Alexander Vronsky El Pit Cenote deep CCR dive – 65 meters

El Pit Cenote map

EL Pit cenote map
EL Pit cenote map

Discovery and first exploration of Cenote El Pit

The Pit was originally discovered in September 1994 by Dan Lins and Kay Wallen during a 4800-foot penetration dive from Cenote Tikim Ich. They aimed to connect the 34-mile Sistema Dos Ojos with the nearby 38-mile-long cave, Nohoch Nah Chich.

Our Taak Be Ha – Tikim Chi – El Pit cave diving video

Undeterred by the challenges, the team of Jill and Paul Heinerth, along with Kay and Gary Wallen, fearlessly embarked on a journey of exploration at The Pit. Their path was not without obstacles. A descending borehole, The Cardea Passage, led them to a depth of 330 feet, where a significant boulder collapse posed a formidable challenge. Navigating a route between these boulders, Paul’s unwavering perseverance led to the discovery of the awe-inspiring Wakulla Room.

In 1997, Dan Lins returned with Andreas Matthes and Mike Madden. They discovered a bypass to the Cardea Passage, “The Bypass”, and the BMB Passage at the far end of the Wakulla Room. Due to the huge amount of equipment needed for these dives and the site’s remoteness, these were the last open-circuit exploration dives at The Pit. This marks a significant shift in the exploration techniques and strategies within the cave diving community.

Discovering the Jill’s Chamber and the Next Generation Passage

Continuing the legacy of exploration, Buddy Qualllebaum made a significant contribution by constructing a road to the entrance cenote, improving access to The Pit. This development paved the way for two rebreather expeditions in early 2000. In January, Steve Bogaerts, Dan Lins, and Buddy Quattlebaum undertook a series of dives, leading to the discovery of the Alph Passage and Skid Row. Despite these leads closing down, the spirit of exploration persisted. In March 2000, Jill and Paul Heinerth returned, pushing the boundaries of the cave beyond the BMB Passage. Once again, Paul’s determination led to the discovery of Jill’s Chamber and the yet unexplored Next Generation Passage.

Stairway to Heaven and Getting Step passage surveying

In 2011, Krzysztof Starnawski and a support group explored the extension of The Next Generation Tunnel another 180 meters towards the Blue Abyss. He named the cave’s continuation Stairway to Heaven. The name is probably taken by analogy with the Stairway to Heaven, made of steel cables in the Austrian resort area of Salzkammergut, passing on a sinkhole (Abyss) 700 meters deep.

From El Pit to Blue Abyss by Krzysztof Starnawski
From El Pit to Blue Abyss by Krzysztof Starnawski

Also, he explored a separate 70-meter passage behind The Next Generation Tunnel, which he called the Getting Step passage.

El Pit by Krzysztof Starnawski
El Pit by Krzysztof Starnawski

From the Bluy Abyss side, he also found and explored the “Eques” passage (another known name TKM (in loose translation: Now Is Our Time!!!) passage and the “Noble Room” hall with a total length of 200 meters and going down to 101 meters, thus increasing the depth of the Blue Abyss from the traditional 71 meters to 101.

It is assumed that these two passages can be connected, thus creating an underwater connection between the Nohoch and Dos Ojos cave systems.

El Pit Cenote location map

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El Eden cenote

El Eden Cenote, also known as Cenote Jardin del Eden, simply Cenote Eden, or Cenote Ponderosa, is one of the most beautiful cenotes in Playa del Carmen.

Cenote El Eden is a little slice of paradise on Earth! Often touted as one of the area’s unmissable cenotes, El Eden cenote is a large, beautiful pool of cool, clear water. Cenote is ideal for a relaxing dip if the Mexican sun has left you needing a break. Surrounded by stunning plant life and scenery, this cenote is a photographer’s dream.

Swimming and relaxing

As an open cenote, access to the water is very easy, and an amazing day out for all the family. Many people come just to enjoy the cenote’s beauty at surface level. Snorkeling here is a memorable experience and highly recommended, even just below the surface.

The water is incredibly clear, and many fish (e.g., Guppy, xiphos, cichlids), aquatic plants, small turtles, and freshwater crayfish exist. It is possible to jump into the water, where the depth reaches 4-5 m, from a platform and a tree. I saw children, adults, and even a lady in her sixties jump out of the tree.

Cavern and Cave diving

But, as with most of the best cenotes, cavern and cave diving are worth trying. Cenote El Eden has a large system of caves with rooms of all sizes. It’s the perfect choice if you are a less experienced diver, as the cavern line of Cenote Jardin del Eden will let you see a wondrous snippet of what cave diving offers. Swim beside various species of fish, keep an eye out for the slider turtles, and enjoy amazing views of the underwater caves and speleotherms.

This cave system has fresh and saltwater zones, with the halocline starting at (40 ft) 12-13 m depth. There are clear manifestations of freshwater drainage. The saltwater areas are typical examples of white Swiss cheese, while the freshwater area is visible in the decorations and sinter formations.

From Cenote El Eden, certified cave divers can access the entire Ponderosa cave system and explore other famous cenotes. These include Zacil Cenote, Little Joe Cenote, X’Tabay (Chikin Ha) Cenote, Corral Cenote, Azul Cenote, and Cristalino Cenote, as well as many other small cenotes throughout the cave system.

The most popular cave dives here are the River Run route, the upstream route to Cenote X’Tabay (Chikin Ha), and the route to Cenote Chapel.

Our Ponderosa system cave diving video

Ponderosa system cave lines map

Ponderosa system cave lines map
Ponderosa system cave lines map

El Eden Cenote location map

The first explorers were Nancy DeRosa, Tony DeRosa, and Steve Gerrard in July 1990.

Other explorers were Shelly Baker, Bernie Birnbach, Mauro Bordigon, Steve Bogearts, Guy Bryant, Fred Devos, Pablo Diaz, Craig LaPorte, Gary Lemme, Dan Lins, Mike Madden, Bil Philips, Steve Pittman, Daniel Riordan, Harve Thorn, Tony Thorn, Gary Walten, Kay Walten, German Yanez, and others.

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Dos Ojos cenote

Dos Ojos Cenote

Dos Ojos Cenote and Park is one of the most popular cenotes in Quintana Roo and one of the most visited. The entrance to this famous cenote is located approximately 48 km south of Playa del Carmen. A 4 km long dirt road leads from the highway to the cenote, cavern areas, and parking.

The name “Dos Ojos” means “two eyes”. It originated for the two circular-shaped cenotes that are located very close to each other.

Dos Ojos Cenote is part of the Dos Ojos cave system of the same name. Connected system Sistema Sac Actun-Nohoch-Dos Ojos today is the world’s second-largest underwater cave system, 376,7 km (234 miles) of underwater lines, with a maximum depth of 119.18 mts (391 ft). Dos Ojos section is an anchialine cave system connecting to naturally intruding marine water and tidal influence in the cenotes. This cave system’s coastal discharge point(s) has not yet been humanly explored through to the ocean. Large volumes of groundwater were demonstrated by dye tracing to flow towards Caleta Xel-Ha, a nearby coastal bedrock lagoon.

The history of the Dos Ojos exploration project can be read in our article Sistema Dos Ojos Exploration Project.

Dos Ojos system cave lines map
Dos Ojos system cave lines map

Dos Ojos Cenote area was used for filming underwater scenes for a few underwater cave movies:

Known for its many shallow dives, Dos Ojos offers divers plenty of time to enjoy the beautifully decorated system.

In the cenote called “First Eye,” two cavern lines in two very different caverns begin and end.

Our Dos Ojos Cenote diving video

Bat Cave line

The first – Bat Cave line leads divers mainly along the “bat cave” walls. It also gives divers plenty of room to swim around the huge columns and stalactites. Prepare for exciting surprises during this dive. Mid-dive, your guide will invite you to surface in the cave to admire the thousands of bats nesting on the ceiling.

Barbie line

The second line in Dos Ojos Cenote is the Barbie Line – a golden line 415 meters long with wide spaces and large bright galleries. This dive is a great way to become familiar with the sensation of water, where buoyancy changes rapidly. In the last quarter, divers will enter an almost closed area. You will feel far from the entrance, although you are close to the nearest exit point.

Each dive lasts 45 minutes, the average depth is 6 meters (20 ft), and the maximum is 9 meters (30 ft)

With shallow dives, crystal clear visibility, and great decor, Dos Ojos is spectacular for cavern diving.

Dos Ojos Cenote location map

The first explorers were Jim Coke and Johanna DeGroot. Other explorers were Jesse Armentrout, Steve Berman, Mauro Bordignon, Steve Bogearts, Mike Cameron, Rich Chapski, Nancy DeRosa, Tony DeRosa, Pablo Diaz, Will Dooley, Donn Ellerbrock, Kenneth Furman, MaryAnn Gamble, Steve Gamble, Bill Gavin, Steve Gerrard, Dr. Lee Gibson, Sergio Granucci, Mark Grant, Jill Heinerth, Paul Heinerth, Hilario Hiler, George Irvine, Steve Irving, Brian Kakuk, Steve Keene, Keith Kinard, Michael Lang, Gary Lemme, Jonathan Lesh, Dan Lins, Connie LoRe, Travis LoRe, Kevin Mack, Mike Madden, Sandro Madeo, Sam Meacham, Bill Mee, Jim Mellon, Michael Menduno, Lance Milbrand, David Miner, Jim Osborne, Robbie Osman, Andrew Pitkin, Chris Pyle, Bil Philips, “Buddy Quattlebaum, Rosemary Redgen, Bill Rennaker, Kevin Retton, Donna Richards, Simon Richards, Daniel Riordan, Leo Sastre, Sue Sharples, Chuck Stevens, Nicolai Toussiant, Claudia Tolentino, Pierre Watson, Martin Wright, Tom Young, Dr. John Zumrick, Gary Walten, Kay Walten, Patrick Widdmann, and others unknown.

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