Cenote Snorkeling Tips and Tricks

Over the past two decades of leading visitors on Cenote tours in the Riviera Maya, we have learned a lot about what makes for a great snorkeling experience. We would like to share with you these tips and tricks to make the most of your time with us while exploring these pristine natural wonders!

Every Cenote is a different world and there is no end to the adventures you can have!

Equipment:

We recommend black silicon masks, which we provide. They are more comfortable than plastic masks and the black color absorbs light instead of reflecting the glare of the flashlights we use in the caves. If your mask is foggy, be sure to clean it well and bring some defogger liquid just in case.

We do not use fins unless there is lots of space and we are in an open Cenote. No one wants to get kicked by fins on a tour! We also do not use snorkels. They damage the stalactites and limestone formations that take thousands of years to form and are a major source of contamination, sometimes getting dropped or lost on the bottom of the cavern floor.

Lights are very necessary in the caverns but they should only be used under the supervision of a guide. It is easy to get over confident and explore areas with the lights that you don´t know how to return from. We recommend using few lights. If you point your light to the face of another snorkeler they will probably be partly blinded for several minutes. For this reason we do not provide lights to the kids.

Life jackets are also a must when going on cavern tours and are provided before entering the Cenote. Humans do not float in fresh water and it is much easier to enjoy the views of the cavern if you don´t have to swim the whole time!

We do not recommend that you bring cameras. They will get wet, the flash can be awkward underground and they distract from appreciating the experience. We provide a photographer and a customized disc with your pictures is available for sale at the end of the tour.

Make sure you enter the water carefully. The water is very clear and it is hard to judge the depth accurately, so no diving! Although the water is cold at first, you get used to it very quickly. If you have a light, make sure it isn´t shining in other people´s eyes, and remember, on a tour the guide always goes first! While on your tour be sure to look both up at the stalactite formations (if you´re lucky, you will see sponge and shell fossils and possibly even bats!) and under the water for the majestic caverns and openings into other caves. Exit the water using the steps if they exists.

And that´s it! You´re ready to start exploring!