Looking for cenotes near Playa del Carmen to visit? Well, you’re in luck because although there aren’t really any Playa del Carmen cenotes, there are plenty of cenotes near Playa del Carmen to choose from. Cenote Azul and Cenote Cristalino are two of my favorite, and they are close enough to walk from one to the other, so you can do them both in a day!
As someone who lived in Playa del Carmen for several years I visited these cenotes near Playa del Carmen often as they are so easy to get to.
The Yucatan peninsula is famous for many things, but my favorite is the cenotes. There are thousands! Some are easier to get to than others. If you are staying in Cancun, Tulum, or Playa Del Carmen there are 2 really easy to get to and beautiful Cenotes just off the main road between Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
In this post, I will share everything you need to know about visiting this cenote near Playa del Carmen, Cenote Azul, and Cenote Cristalino. Including getting there and back and some things to be aware of before your visit. Wondering what a Cenote is? Read this great post explaining all about Cenotes.
Quick Tip: Book accommodation, tours, and transport ahead of time online to save money and stress.
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Cenotes in Playa del Carmen
There are no cenotes located directly within the city limits of Playa del Carmen. Unless you count the open cenote at Punta Esmarelda. Cenotes are natural features typically found in more secluded areas, often in the jungle or rural settings, which means they are not normally located in urban areas like downtown Playa del Carmen.
If you want to visit a cenote or 2 while in Playa del Carmen you will need to travel outside of the city. Luckily transport links to many of the cenotes are easy to figure out or renting a car in Playa del Carmen is always an option!
QUICK TIP: Book your tours, rental cars, and transfers through my local contacts
I’ve been working with Living Dreams Mexico for years and they are who I send all my family and friends to when they visit the Riviera Maya. I really can recommend them enough for private tours and experiences. They have solid 5* reviews on Trip Advisor and Google from almost 4000 reviewers! You can view all their tours here.
If you’re looking for private airport transfers and rental cars then Vanessa and Oliver from Turismo Channel are personal friends of mine and I can 100% recommend them to make an inquiry click here and complete the form. Someone will be in touch within 24 hours.
What to Bring With You:
- Bathing suit
- Towel
- Non-toxic natural sunscreen and repellent – You will not be allowed to use sunscreen in the cenotes as it kills the fish. So either bring a cover-up like a rash vest or invest in some non-toxic sunscreen.
- Snorkel and mask
- Food if you are going to want to eat as there won’t be anything available
Did You Get Travel Insurance Yet?
The Insurance companies I recommend are Hey Mondo and Safety Wing
Hey Mondo is great if you are looking for a great value flexible policy. They offer single-trip cover, annual multi-trip cover, and long-term travel cover. Safety Wing is great value, with monthly coverage starting at $45.08. It’s super easy to use, and it just renews each month. I currently use them as they offer me free cover for my son as part of my policy.
Read my full travel insurance post here, where I go into detail about all companies.
The Cost to Get Into Cenote Azul and Cenote Cristalino
It costs $200 including a life jacket (you will be asked to leave your ID as a deposit for the snorkel set).
How to Get To Cenote Azul and Cenote Cristalino
This is by colectivo. Simply wall to Calle 2 between Ave 5 and 10 is where you will find all of the colectivos. Just look out for signs to Tulum or someone shouting Tulum. As you don’ want to go all the way to Tulum just tell the driver cenote Azul or cenote Cristalino and he will stop for you. There will likely be others heading there if it is a nice day.
Hop on and take a seat. The prices are all fixed and you will pay on the way off. To get from Playa Del Carmen to either cenote you will pay 40 pesos each way.
To get back to Playa simply cross over the road and wait for a colectivo heading back towards Playa. When you see one put out your arm and if there is space it will stop.
Quick Tip: I highly recommend booking all of your Mexico transportation with GottoGo. You can search for buses, shuttles, ferries, and Flights on their website. What I love most about them is their customer service. I know these guys personally from living in Guatemala, and they look after their customers.
If anything happens and you get delayed and miss your bus, you can just call them, and they are always there to help. If you book through them, you will pay a little more than booking in person at the bus station. But it’s worth it for the ease and security. Click here to search for transportation in Mexico.
Cenote Azul
This one is my favorite. There are lots of different pools and one side is mostly shallow so you can chill with your friends and chat while keeping cool in the water. There are some fish to see but it’s not as great as there as so many people. It’s the better one if you have children because of the smaller pools and it is also more undercover so the sun isn’t such an issue.
One of the pools is very deep and has a platform you can jump off.
This one is also the best for photographs if you want to get some good pics for your Instagram.
Quick Tip: You can book tours from Living Dreams Mexico here:
DISCOVER TULUM AND COBA
CRYSTAL BOAT CANCUN
Cenote Cristalino
This is generally a bit quieter. It is just one big cenote and had a place you can jump in from quite a height. The pool is deep although there are some places around the edge you can sit and chill while the fish eat your feet.
Final Thoughts
Both cenote Azul and cenote Cristalino are beautiful and worth visiting. They are the perfect place to cool off in the summer heat. Although you do have to pay a fee it is well worth it and you won’t regret going.
Need somewhere to stay in The Riviera Maya?
I wrote a whole post to help you decide the best area in Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Cancun to stay with my recommendations depending on your budget.
Here are my top picks if you are in a rush:
Fairmont Mayakoba
Mahekal Beach Resort
Dreams Tulum Resort + SPA
Kore Tulum Retreat and SPA Resort
Mexico Travel Guide Planning
🧳 Any recommendations on what I should pack for Mexico?
Yes! I have created a whole packing guide to Mexico which you can read here and you can also check out my packing list for Mexico on Amazon here.
🚗 Where can I book bus or private transportation while I’m in Mexico?
I strongly recommend using GottoGo. You can book almost all transport in the major Mexican tourist destinations through them online. They don’t just cover buses they also cover shuttles, ferries, and private drivers.
🎫 Where can I buy tickets for museums, attractions, and tours in Mexico?
First and foremost check out all of the amazing Mexico tours Where Sidewalks End has. They are a small local company and they have some really special experiences.
For everything else I recommend either Viator or GetYour Guide.
If you are traveling to Cancun you can use GoCity and save up to 55% of the initial cost of entrance tickets to various museums, tours, and attractions!
If you are traveling to Playa del Carmen then I recommend booking through my friend Vanessa at Turismo Channel. You can check out their tours by clicking here and using the following discount codes for the best prices clairecaroff (car rental), claire10off (for 10% off group tours), claireprivate (for a discount on private tours). You can also send her a WhatsApp message quoting the above codes to receive the discount.
👩⚕️ What is the best insurance to have while traveling?
I recommend using Heymondo for a great value policy. The app also offers you 24/7 Dr Chat. For Digital Nomads check out SafetyWing digital nomad insurance.
I have also written a blog post covering all my recommended travel insurance here
✈️ Any flight recommendations?
WayAWay offers you cheap flights with cashback. You can use this code CLAIRE22 to get 10% off. Otherwise Skyscanner or Expedia are my go-to flight searching platforms.
📱What do you use for internet connection while traveling?
I’m a big fan of personal WiFi devices and they have saved my ass so many times when traveling. I wrote a full review of the top travel WiFi devices you can read here. I personally use GlocalMe as I can either pop in a physical sim card or use their local carrier.
With regards to my phone connection, I use e-sims while traveling, so rather than having to swap out my regular sim card I can download the app and buy a virtual sim card. I recommend using eitherAirhub or Alosim. Both have great coverage of multiple countries and are very easy to use.
🛏️ What is the best platform to use for booking accommodation?
The 3 best platforms that I normally use are Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia They offer great deals and multiple options. I always check all three to be sure of the best deals.
🛅 Do you have any luggage recommendations for traveling?
I do have a complete list of the best packing and luggage products that I recommend, you can check the list here. I’m currently traveling with this suitcase and this backpack.
Quick Tip: View my full Mexico packing guide here including a downloadable checklist. And check out my Mexico Essentials shopping list here.
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