Cenotes
Cenote diving is one of the most unique, thrilling and exciting experiences that Scuba Playa is extremely fortunate to offer.
Cenote diving is a guided tour of a cavern in an overhead environment filled with crystal clear fresh water, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath.
The Cenotes, once a sacred place for the ancient Mayans, are a magical natural wonder unique to this part of the world that provide a fabulous, mysterious and safe diving experience.
For certified divers only, cenote diving is best during the morning hours because of the sun rays reflecting in the water. An open water diver certification with reasonable recent diving experience are sufficient prerequisites for Cenote diving.
Our typical Cenote diving experience will meet at Scuba Playa at 8:40 a.m., where we will load the ground transportation with all necessary gear and tanks. Once at the Cenote, and after a complete and comprehensive briefing, we will gear up and do the first dive. After a surface interval we will do a second dive in the same cenote system, but in a different line.
If you are only familiar with reef ocean diving, this would be similar to doing a first dive on one reef, followed by a surface interval on the boat, and a second dive in a different reef, except that the cenotes are located in the nearby jungles, where a boat is not necessary, so the surface interval will be on the picnic tables. This is also an amazing piece of information for all those divers that tend to get seasick on boats! After doing the second dive, we will load up the ground transportation and head back to Scuba Playa, where we will arrive at approximately 3:00 p.m.
Even though the average temperature of the Cenote water is 77°F / 25°C, a long wet suit is highly recommended as we will move slowly and peacefully throughout the underground rivers. A lamp is also a required piece of equipment for Cenote diving.
Scuba Playa´s increased safety rules for Cenote diving include a maximum of 4 divers per guide, but if traveling in a larger group, we will have extra guides available. Our guides are Full Cave Certified, who know the Cenotes like the back of their hands, and are equipped with full cave diving gear, and have successfully completed a Cavern Guide Program.
The maximum depth for a cavern dive is 21m-70ft , minimum visibility is 15m-50ft, ;maximum distance to an exit is 60 m/200ft and all passages are wide enough to fit at least 2 divers comfortably.
All dives will be within no decompression limits and divers must always remain within the natural daylight zone. The cavern area usually has guideline that lead back to open water. The cavern guide and the group must follow it, staying within an arms length. The border between cavern and cave areas are clearly marked and we will not be diving beyond the warning signs.
Our tour price includes two dives, one guide with a maximum of four divers, ground transportation to and from Scuba Playa to the Cenote, one entrance fee, tanks, weights and a light lunch.
Additional Cenote diving options, such as Angelita or the Pit , which are the deepest sinkholes in the area suggested for experienced divers, or cenote combinations that include a greater transportation distance or multiple entrance fees are also available upon request and will be quoted accordingly.
