Cenotes Sac Actun

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.

Ways to explore

After entering the cenote by way of a hole in the rock and a wooden ladder, you can explore Sac Actun on a guided snorkeling or scuba-diving excursion. You must have a guide to enter the cenote, but you can join a tour once you arrive at the entrance. Most visitors choose to snorkel through the caves, as a scuba-diving tour requires diving certifications. History buffs will also be interested, as archaeologists have discovered ancient pottery and fossilized animals, including mammoths, in the caverns here. You can also book an adventure tour that includes round-trip transportation from your Yucatan hotel and stops at other cenotes or area highlights along the way.

Accessibility

The Cenotes Sac Actun aren’t accessible to travelers with mobility issues or wheelchair users, due to uneven surfaces and entry by ladders and steep stairs.

Age limits

While life jackets are typically provided, it’s not recommended that young children or inexperienced swimmers enter the water.

What to pack

Pack a towel and a change of clothes if you plan to swim in the cenote.

What to wear

Wear a bathing suit and closed-toe shoes to descend the ladders into the pools.

Not allowed

Exploring without a guide, touching stalactites and stalagmites

Amenities

Life jacket and snorkel rental, tours

Address

The nearest town to Cenotes Sac Actun is Tulum, 9 miles (15 kilometers) away. Tulum is a convenient base for exploring Cenotes Sac Actun and the oceanfront archaeological site of the Tulum Ruins.

Driving

Head north on Highway 307 from Tulum toward Playa del Carmen, and pass the entrance to Dos Ojos; continue straight ahead and at the next intersection, turn left onto a dirt road, and follow it until it ends at the cenote entrance.

Public transportation

It’s difficult to reach Cenotes Sac Actun using public transportation. While you can board a colectivo heading to Coba and ask to disembark at Dos Ojos, taking a tour that includes round-trip transfers is much more convenient.

Best times to visit

If you have your own vehicle, try to arrive at Cenotes Sac Actun as close to its morning opening time as possible, before the large day trip crowds arrive.

Best days to visit

If you’re in the Yucatan during the rainy season, avoid visiting the cenotes after a heavy shower, as rain reduces visibility.

Best months to visit

The cenote maintains a warm temperature throughout the year, so it’s the perfect place to go during the cooler and rainy months (June through October).

Special events

The Day Zero festival in nearby Tulum takes place every January and combines music with mystic-inspired events.