Kim Ha cenote

Kim Ha Cenote entrance

On the road to Valladolid from Tulum, several well-known cenotes are available for cave diving. One is Kim Ha Cenote, and the entrance is combined with the road to two more cenotes: Vaca Ha Cenote and Tortuga Cenote.

Kim Ha Cenote is halfway down a dirt road to the Tortuga Cenote. As you drive slowly through the jungle, you’ll spot a road comb where your car goes down the road. Stop your car at the drying mud puddle on the road. Park close to the side to allow space for other diving trucks that may want to go to Tortuga Cenote.

Kim Ha Cenote parking space
Kim Ha parking space

To find Kim Ha Cenote, head straight to the left into the jungle for about 7 meters. You’ll approach a small puddle about 2 meters in diameter—this is the entrance to the cave. There are no amenities available, so make sure to come prepared. You are going to dress and dive in!

When you’re done with your adventure, the nearest U-turn spot is about 50 meters away in the direction of the Tortuga Cenote.

The cenote is only available to Cave divers. Open Water divers cannot go there. Snorkeling doesn’t make much sense as well.


Kim Ha cave lines description

The cave line starts from the surface tree root at 10 o’clock. Be careful while entering, as the cave line goes directly down to 20 meters deep through a narrow space full of mud. At 7 meters, you will face a small room where you can leave your deco oxygen tanks. Here, you can make a left jump to a side passage or continue to a depth of 18 meters. There, you will encounter crystal-clear water and the first T intersection.

Moving T-left, you ascend to 14 meters and descend back to 21 meters. You can go either way at the next T, as the main line will take you back to the same T by a beautiful circle about 350 meters long.

There is an underwater connection from Kim Ha Cenote to Tortuga Cenote in the North. The path at the first T to the right will eventually lead you there.

The maximum depth of the Kim Ha cave line is 27.4 meters, the average depth is 22.3 meters, and the length of the surveyed passages is 3322 meters. At a depth of 19 meters, there is a halocline between fresh and salt water.


Our Kim Ha, Vaca Ha, and Tortuga Cenotes cave diving video


Kim Ha Cenote cave lines map

Kim Ha Cenote cave lines map
Cenote Kim Ha cave lines map

Kim Ha Cenote location map


The first explorers were Ivan and Mary Cappelli, Randy Douglas, Sam Ferra, Steve Gerrard, Allen Jonushaitis, Cliff Keck, and Don Redinger.

Other explorers are Jim Kitka, Daniel Riordan, and R. Weijski-Wol.

It was connected to Cenote Tortuga during the summer of 2004.


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Tres Estrellas cenote

Cenote Tres Estrellas is part of the K’oox Baal cave system (including the Tux Kapaxa system).

Between 2006 and 2011, cave divers explored more than 30 km of new cave passages in the K’oox Baal system. On December 9, 2011, the two cave systems merged and became known as K’oox Baal. Already an impressive total cave line length of 75,140 meters, it was extended to 102,901 meters and is now proudly considered the fourth longest underwater cave system in the world.

By the way, the first (Ox Bel Ha) and second (Sac Actun-Nohoch-Dos Ojos) underwater cave systems in the world are also located here on the Rivera Maya and we can dive them as well

Establishing this connection is the culmination of years of effort by cave divers worldwide. Researchers have made hundreds of dives in caves in the region and spent thousands of hours in the water. They spent hundreds more hours exploring and going through the dangerous jungle. They transported and maintained diving equipment, drove cars, and oversaw their endless repairs.

Today, the K’oox Baal is the world’s longest cave system whose entire surface, including contours and cave lines has been fully mapped.


Our K’oox Baal cave diving video


Cenote Tres Estrellas (Three Stars or Ox-ek in Maya)

The maximum depth of this cave system area is 42 ft (12.8 m).

This location got its name from three holes in the ceiling of a large dry room with a pool of water inside. Walk down the set of stairs and follow the path to the water and walk carefully into the water. The permanent guideline lies straight ahead perpendicularly.

K'ooh Baal cave system map
K’ooh Baal cave system map

Tres Estrellas Cenote location map


The first explorers of the Sistema Tux Kapaxa side were Gunnar Wagner and Robbie Schmittner.

The first explorers of the Sistem Koox Ba’al were Bil Philips and Robbie Schmittner.

Other explorers were Steve Bogearts, Petr Chmel, Miloslav Dvoracek, Harry Hicks, Radoslav Husak, Daniel Hutnan, Martin Hutnan, Karol Kyska, Radek Jancar, Andres Labarthe, Miroslav Manhunt, Michal Megela, Theirry Minet, Zdenek Motycka, Bil Philips, Sabine Schnittger, Wulf Schubert, Jan Sirotek, Sarka Stepanova, Kamila Svobodova, and Radoslav Teichmann, Max and Laura Tobey.


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Sac Xiquin cenote

K'ooh Baal cave system map

Cenote Sac Xiquin is part of the K’oox Baal cave system (including the Tux Kapaxa system).

Between 2006 and 2011, cave divers explored more than 30 km of new cave passages in the K’oox Baal system. On December 9, 2011, the two cave systems merged and became known as K’oox Baal. Already an impressive total cave line length of 75,140 meters, it was extended to 102,901 meters and is now proudly considered the fourth longest underwater cave system in the world.

By the way, the first (Ox Bel Ha) and second (Sac Actun-Nohoch-Dos Ojos) underwater cave systems in the world are also located here on the Rivera Maya and we can dive them as well

Establishing this connection is the culmination of years of effort by cave divers worldwide. Researchers have made hundreds of dives in caves in the region and spent thousands of hours in the water. They spent hundreds more hours exploring and going through the dangerous jungle. They transported and maintained diving equipment, drove cars, and oversaw their endless repairs.

Today, the K’oox Baal is the world’s longest cave system whose entire surface, including contours and cave lines has been fully mapped.


Our K’oox Baal cave diving video


The maximum depth in this area is 44 ft (13.4 m).

There are two cenotes located within the area of this cenote. This cenote requires an eight-minute hike from where you park at Cenote Coop One. Follow the path behind the dugout trench of Cenote Coop one, and you will pass Cenote Quintan, a 600 ft (183 m) separate cave. Continue following the trail through a very elongated dry cenote unto a very shallow water basin at the edge of a vertical high bluff of the cenote. The permanent guideline begins on a stalactite near the surface of the water.

K'ooh Baal cave system map
K’ooh Baal cave system map

Sac Xiquin Cenote location map


The first explorers of the Sistema Tux Kapaxa side were Gunnar Wagner and Robbie Schmittner.

The first explorers of the Sistem Koox Ba’al were Bil Philips and Robbie Schmittner.

Other explorers were Steve Bogearts, Petr Chmel, Miloslav Dvoracek, Harry Hicks, Radoslav Husak, Daniel Hutnan, Martin Hutnan, Karol Kyska, Radek Jancar, Andres Labarthe, Miroslav Manhunt, Michal Megela, Theirry Minet, Zdenek Motycka, Bil Philips, Sabine Schnittger, Wulf Schubert, Jan Sirotek, Sarka Stepanova, Kamila Svobodova, and Radoslav Teichmann, Max and Laura Tobey.


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Koi cenote

K'ooh Baal cave system map

Cenote Koi is part of the K’oox Baal cave system (including the Tux Kapaxa system).

Between 2006 and 2011, cave divers explored more than 30 km of new cave passages in the K’oox Baal system. On December 9, 2011, the two cave systems merged and became known as K’oox Baal. Already an impressive total cave line length of 75,140 meters, it was extended to 102,901 meters and is now proudly considered the fourth longest underwater cave system in the world.

By the way, the first (Ox Bel Ha) and second (Sac Actun-Nohoch-Dos Ojos) underwater cave systems in the world are also located here on the Rivera Maya and we can dive them as well

Establishing this connection is the culmination of years of effort by cave divers worldwide. Researchers have made hundreds of dives in caves in the region and spent thousands of hours in the water. They spent hundreds more hours exploring and going through the dangerous jungle. They transported and maintained diving equipment, drove cars, and oversaw their endless repairs.

Today, the K’oox Baal is the world’s longest cave system whose entire surface, including contours and cave lines has been fully mapped.


Our K’oox Baal cave diving video

Cenote Koi and cenote Nai Tucha (originally Tux Kapaxa, the Playground Cave)

The maximum depth is 48 ft (14.6 m).

There are several openings to the surface, with one named Cenote Koi. The main permanent guideline begins in the open water. Follow the main line, swimming for twenty minutes. Jump to your left, follow this 150 ft/ (45.7 m) shortcut, and jump back onto a main guideline. This section of the cave system has massive passageways and is highly decorated. Turn left and swim twelve minutes to an INAH-documented bone site.

Another great dive is to stay on the main line until you reach a permanent T intersection. Turn left and swim twenty minutes to the bone site. Swim straight; eight minutes later, you will reach an air dome with two shafts to the surface.

K’oox Baal Cave system map

K'ooh Baal cave system map
K’ooh Baal cave system map

Koi Cenote location map


The first explorers of the Sistema Tux Kapaxa side were Gunnar Wagner and Robbie Schmittner.

The first explorers of the Sistem Koox Ba’al were Bil Philips and Robbie Schmittner.

Other explorers were Steve Bogearts, Petr Chmel, Miloslav Dvoracek, Harry Hicks, Radoslav Husak, Daniel Hutnan, Martin Hutnan, Karol Kyska, Radek Jancar, Andres Labarthe, Miroslav Manhunt, Michal Megela, Theirry Minet, Zdenek Motycka, Bil Philips, Sabine Schnittger, Wulf Schubert, Jan Sirotek, Sarka Stepanova, Kamila Svobodova, and Radoslav Teichmann, Max and Laura Tobey.


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Nai Tucha cenote

Cenote Nai Tucha is part of the K’oox Baal cave system (including the Tux Kapaxa system).

Between 2006 and 2011, cave divers explored more than 30 km of new cave passages in the K’oox Baal system. On December 9, 2011, the two cave systems merged and became known as K’oox Baal. Already an impressive total cave line length of 75,140 meters, it was extended to 102,901 meters and is now proudly considered the fourth longest underwater cave system in the world.

By the way, the first (Ox Bel Ha) and second (Sac Actun-Nohoch-Dos Ojos) underwater cave systems in the world are also located here on the Rivera Maya and we can dive them as well

Establishing this connection is the culmination of years of effort by cave divers worldwide. Researchers have made hundreds of dives in caves in the region and spent thousands of hours in the water. They spent hundreds more hours exploring and going through the dangerous jungle. They transported and maintained diving equipment, drove cars, and oversaw their endless repairs.

Today, the K’oox Baal is the world’s longest cave system whose entire surface, including contours and cave lines has been fully mapped.


Our K’oox Baal cave diving video

Cenote Nai Tucha (originally Tux Kapaxa, the Playground Cave) and Cenote Koi

The maximum depth is 48 ft (14.6 m).

There are several openings to the surface, with one named Cenote Koi. The main permanent guideline begins in the open water. Follow the main line, swimming for twenty minutes. Jump to your left, follow this 150 ft/ (45.7 m) shortcut, and jump back onto a main guideline. This section of the cave system has massive passageways and is highly decorated. Turn left and swim twelve minutes to an INAH-documented bone site.

Another great dive is to stay on the main line until you reach a permanent T intersection. Turn left and swim twenty minutes to the bone site. Swim straight; eight minutes later, you will reach an air dome with two shafts to the surface. From there, continue. You can swim straight to Cenote Koi or, at the far edge of the air dome on the permanent guideline, jump to your right 45 ft (13.7 m) for the more fabulous cave.

K'ooh Baal cave system map
K’ooh Baal cave system map

Nai Tucha Cenote location map


The first explorers of the Sistema Tux Kapaxa side were Gunnar Wagner and Robbie Schmittner.

The first explorers of the Sistem Koox Ba’al were Bil Philips and Robbie Schmittner.

Other explorers were Steve Bogearts, Petr Chmel, Miloslav Dvoracek, Harry Hicks, Radoslav Husak, Daniel Hutnan, Martin Hutnan, Karol Kyska, Radek Jancar, Andres Labarthe, Miroslav Manhunt, Michal Megela, Theirry Minet, Zdenek Motycka, Bil Philips, Sabine Schnittger, Wulf Schubert, Jan Sirotek, Sarka Stepanova, Kamila Svobodova, and Radoslav Teichmann, Max and Laura Tobey.


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