Cenotes Sac Actun Tours
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Filled with crystal clear water and lined with limestone stalactites, Cenotes Sac Actun is the world’s largest known underwater cave system. The freshwater cave is home to colorful fish, bats, and animal fossils. Sac Actun is simultaneously one of the most impressive and least crowded cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula.
The Basics
After entering the cenote by way of a hole in the rock and a wooden ladder, visitors can explore Sac Actun on a guided snorkeling or scuba-diving excursion. Visitors must have a guide to explore, but you can join a guided tour when you arrive at the entrance.
Most visitors choose to snorkel through the caves (a scuba-diving tour requires diving certifications). You can also book an adventure tour that includes round-trip transportation from your hotel and stops at other cenotes or area highlights along the way.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The price of admission includes a guide, lifejacket, mask, and snorkel.
- If you tend to get claustrophobic, steer clear of this attraction.
- The water temperature stays at around 68°F (20°C), so if you get cold easily, rent a wetsuit at the entrance.
- Bring an underwater camera and consider renting a flashlight; guides light the way, but you may want to be able to look around on your own.
- Avoid using sunscreen; you don’t need it in the cave, and sunscreens that are not biodegradable are harmful to the caves’ ecosystem.
- Exploring the caves requires a moderate level of fitness and includes climbing down a ladder and swimming through narrow passageways.
How to Get There
You can reach Sac Actun on a private tour, by car, or by taxi: From Tulum, take Chetumal-Cancun/Mexican Federal Highway 307 (the main highway) north to the exit for the Dos Ojos cenote. Continue straight, past Dos Ojos, turn left, and follow the road to Sac Actun. The road can be rough and riddled with potholes, so it’s best to use an all-wheel-drive vehicle to reach the site.
When to Get There
The consistent water temperature in the cave makes it a great place to escape the Yucatan’s summer heat. On a rainy day, the cave can also be a good place to escape the weather. Sac Actun is less crowded than many of the area’s other cenotes, but if you want the most peaceful visit possible, arrive in the morning.
Top Cenotes on the Riviera Maya
The freshwater sinkholes scattered across the Yucatan Peninsula range from popular pools that are frequented by busloads of tourists to secluded caves. To explore more of these unique spots, start at Sac Actun, then head next door to the cave system of Dos Ojos. Afterward, snorkel through the open waters of Casa Cenote. Alternatively, you can pair a swim in the majestic Cenote Ik Kil with a trip to the famous ruins at Chichen Itza.
Address: Tulum, Q.R., Mexico, Mexico
Admission: Varies
5 Tours and Activities to Experience Cenotes Sac Actun
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Playa del Carmen Jungle Tour: Tulum, Cenote Snorkeling, 4x4 Ride and Ziplining
Depart Playa del Carmen for a day of cultural experience and adrenaline-inducing activities. Begin with a visit to Tulum, an ancient Maya coastal city that's home to archaeological remains and sandy beaches. Then visit a modern-day Maya community before entering the jungle to explore two vast underground river systems. Snorkel their cavern waters and afterward, board a 4x4 Unimog for a thrilling ride toward a series of ziplining and rappelling adventures. Wind down with a buffet lunch of delicious Maya cuisine.
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From
$118.99
From
$118.99
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Cancun Jungle Tour: Tulum, Cenote Snorkeling, 4x4 Ride and Ziplining
Take a thrilling ride into the Yucatán jungle on a full-day tour from Cancun. Begin your journey in Tulum, a coastal Maya city with ample ruins to explore. Then hike into the jungle to the Sac Actun and Nohoch Nah Chich cenotes—two vast underground river systems—and snorkel through their caves marveling at stalagmites and stalagmites. Travel by 4x4 Unimog to your next set of adventures: rappelling into a sinkhole and ziplining through the rainforest. Top it off with a traditional Maya lunch.
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From
$118.99
From
$118.99
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Cancun Cenote Tour: Snorkeling, Rappelling and Ziplining
Leave Cancun behind and delve deep into the Yucatan jungle for a day of adrenaline-packed activity and Mayan culture. Explore the natural wonders of the Nohoch Nah Chich and Sac Actun cenotes—incredible underground cave and river systems—on a guided snorkeling excursion, then thunder through tropical forest on an all-terrain Unimog to your next stop, where rappelling and ziplining await. Finish it all up with a traditional Maya ceremony and meal before returning to Cancun.
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From
$98.99
From
$98.99
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Tulum & Sac Actun Private Tour
Explore the Mayan ruins of Tulum and visit the Cenote Sac Actun on a full-day tour from Cancun and the Riviera Maya. Learn about the ancient Mayan civilization in Tulum on a private guided tour, then have time to swim at the beach near Tulum before continuing to the cenote for a tour of the underground chambers. Your tour includes a lunch of typical dishes from the Yucatan.
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From
$320.66
Price varies by group size
From
$320.66
Price varies by group size
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Half-Day Private Tulum and Sak Aktun Cave Cenote Tour from Cancun
Tour the archeological ruins of Tulum with a personal guide who sheds light on the ancient Maya city and its role as a trading port. This private half-day tour includes a visit to the underground cenote of Sak Aktun (meaning ‘white cave’ in Mayan), where you’ll swim alongside limestone formations within the natural wonder. Travel in the air-conditioned comfort of a private minivan, round-trip from Cancun.
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From
$261.00
Price varies by group size
From
$261.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
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