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Mayan Magic: Cavern Diving in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula

Southern Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is the ancestral home of the Maya people whose ancient cities and monolithic temples can be found everywhere from Cancun in the North to Honduras 800 miles to the South.
The region consists of a gigantic limestone cap riddled with hundreds of subterranean rivers which over the millennia have carved out beautiful caves and passages on their way to the sea.
Over time some cave roofs have collapsed revealing open bodies of water called Cenotes which the Maya believed were gateways to the underworld and the home of their Gods.
Today they allow adventurous divers access to a magical flooded world where they can marvel at intricate limestone formations and dazzling light shows.
In February 2015 a group of fourteen current and former members of Southsea SAC (BSAC 009) set off to discover what makes the caverns of the Yucatan such a special place to dive.
As we were all experienced divers, our aim was to enjoy a “Rolls –Royce” tour of the area’s subterranean dive sites under the expert guidance of professional cave guides Lanny and Claire Vogel of Underworld Tulum, packing in as much diversity, quality and adventure as possible.
Day 1: Car Wash & Gran Cenote
Feeling our way
Having been met by Lanny and Budgie (yes, the same Budgie who skippered Top Gun out of Portland back in the day) we drove to Underworld Tulum’s base to be briefed on cavern diving protocols, divided into teams and acquainted with our cavern diving kit.
I was part of “Team Claire” led by cave diving expert Claire Vogel.
Our first Cenote dive would be at “The Car Wash”, so called because local taxi drivers used to wash their vehicles in the cenote’s clean, fresh water.
Being Cavern diving novices we began with a check out dive in a relatively open and unbreakable training area within the site, where we could safely practice basic cavern diving techniques and hone our trim and buoyancy skills before venturing underground.
Exercises successfully completed, an excited if slightly nervous “Team Claire” began its descent into the Cenote’s gaping maw to reach its hidden caverns.
Once inside the cavern system however, all apprehension vanished as we entered a magical realm straight out of Lord of the Rings and marvelled at the spectacular formations dripping water had created during the centuries these caves had been “dry”.
After 15 minutes underground we reached our turn around point and it was time to return to the light and the world of man.
With the opening dive successfully completed we re-loaded the trucks and headed to our next site, Gran Cenote.
This dive provided more opportunities to refine our Cavern diving skills as the route was a bit longer, with slightly narrower passages and less natural light, though we did plan to surface in a large air dome complete with resident bat population to check we were all happy before continuing on.
After spending time watching the bats scoot about in the torch light, it was time to push on and complete our dive as another team came in to enjoy the show.
Day 2: Dos Ojos
Good buoyancy required
The Dos Ojos site consists of two flooded tunnels which meet in a Cenote to form an underwater letter “Y”. When entering the system, the left passage takes you to “Bat Cave” whilst the right goes to the “Barbie Line”.
For our first dive, Claire led us into the right hand passage and onto the “Barbie Line” before continuing around the line’s circular route back to the entrance. As the line twisted its way through the cavern past spectacular rock formations, sometimes there was less than 3m of water between the roof and the fine powdery sand below making BSAC gold standard buoyancy essential to avoid dangerous silt outs.
On our second dive, we followed the left hand line into the Bat Cave cavern where conditions were even more challenging with only an average depth of 3.3m to play with. After finning through dimly lit passages for what seemed like an eternity, we emerged into a large domed cave with a small opening in the roof through which the sunshine streamed.
Under the hole was a large diving platform rising from the water on stilts. This had been built as a dive base by the early cave explorers who’d lower themselves and their kit into the cave using ropes dropped through the hole in the cave roof; real Indiana Jones stuff!
Day 3: Angelita and Tajma-Ha
Two signature sites
Angelita Cenote had long been on our cenote “bucket list” as not only is the site located in a beautiful setting, it’s also technically very demanding. Shaped like a tooth, the “crown” forms a large open water area whilst the “roots” slope down either side of a central mound to well over 50m.
An unusual feature of this site is the thick green layer of Hydrogen Sulfide-rich water permanently trapped between the fresh water above and the salt water below.
From above the layer looks like solid ground, from which the skeletal remains of trees submerged hundreds if not thousands of years ago emerge as if through a green mist.
Descending through the Sulfide layer to the dark waters beneath, we gazed at the drowned trees before returning to the light and making our way slowly back to the surface.
In the early days of cavern exploration, divers flying over the dense jungle looking for open water would drop streamers into the trees to mark any promising sites before walking in with all their gear to explore whatever they had found. Tajma-Ha was one of the many spectacular sites discovered in this way.
Billed as one of the most beautiful cavern systems in the area, our dive would take us on a circular route past two different Cenotes before returning us to the entrance/exit point.
We followed the guide line clockwise, skirting the Puntos de Luz air dome before moving onto the beautiful Sugar Bowl Cenote.
There we paused for a moment’s reflection on the sights we had seen before continuing on and back to our start point through more spectacular rock formations.
Day 4: The Pit & Pet Cemetery
The longest cave system in the world
Located 6 miles from the nearest tarmac road in what was once dense jungle, The Pit was accidently discovered in 1985 by the Mexican Army who were conducting an aerial assessment of damage caused to the area by Hurricane Elena. Now known to be connected to the Dos Ojos system, it forms part of the third longest underwater cave system in the world (52 miles).
The site itself looks like a goatskin water bottle. A relatively narrow entrance leads divers into a large flooded cavern whose rock strewn floor lies some 40m below.
Staying close to the remaining cavern roof the route initially meandered its way around a large undercut passing beautiful stalagmites before spiralling downwards towards the bottom. At 28m there’s a white Hydrogen Sulfide layer through which a rubble hill protrudes like an underwater island. Approaching the end of our allotted bottom time we began our ascent, riding the shafts of sunlight as they slowly carried us up to the surface.
Pet Cemetery, despite its rather macabre name, was one of the best sites we dived all trip.
Part of the longest system of underwater caves on earth (207 miles), we would dive the Sac Actun (Mystic River) cavern line route.
Running for 750 meters at an average depth of 4m, this dive was the longest and most technically demanding we had so far attempted.
Entering the system at roughly the line’s mid-point, we followed it in a loop, thoroughly enjoying the amazing rock formations and visiting a spectacular air dome before returning home.
Day 5: Dream Gate
An amazing two for one
Located two miles from the Dos Ojos system, Dream Gate has an upstream and a downstream circuit providing divers with two great dives at one amazing location.
We split into two teams to tackle the upstream line travelling in opposite directions to minimise traffic through the narrower parts of the route.
The average depth was around 4m with the line skirting rows of limestone columns lined up like the bars of an old fashioned jail.
After about 15 minutes we surfaced in a small air dome, home to a colony of rare Mini Bats indigenous to this region. This was a very strange place. Vines climbed the cave’s stone columns towards the light creating an underground forest in which limestone pillars took the place of trees.
Our second dive was in the downstream cavern. Here there were many more columns, stalactites and stalagmites to navigate around than in the upstream section.
Sometimes the columns were so tightly packed they formed lattice like screens providing tantalising glimpses of potentially unexplored routes to tempt the unwary explorer from the true path.
Is this for you?
Diving Yucatan’s Cenotes is undoubtedly an amazing experience and definitely not one to be missed. Cavern diving presents divers with some extra challenges however; in particular they should be trained and practiced in the techniques commonly used when diving in dimly lit, overhead environments and be able to consistently deliver excellent buoyancy control throughout their dives. If that’s you though, go for it, you won’t regret it!
Essentials
When to go:
January to March is Yucatan’s least humid period with average daytime temperatures a balmy 25°C. In the caverns the water temperature averaged 24°C, so a full length 3-5mm wetsuit was perfect.
Getting there:
Probably the easiest place for most UK travellers to fly into is Cancun airport some 75 miles north of Tulum and the main Cenote areas. The transfer time is 1.5 – 2hrs by coach/private car on well paved roads.
Flights are from £650 return with Virgin, including a whopping 56kg luggage allowance.
Logistics:
Being a large group we contracted Underworld Tulum to source and deliver everything we required, from airport transfers to specialist diving equipment and guides. Their logistical expertise and “can do” attitude resulted in a totally hassle free trip, just what we wanted.
Diving Costs:
$150 USD per day which included a fully qualified cavern guide, all cavern diving equipment inc. twin sets, wings & regs (Single cylinders are also available if required), NITROX/Air fills, lunch (fruit, cake and soft drinks), hotel pick-ups, site fees and inter-site transportation.
Accommodation:
Underworld Tulum have six 2 bed S/c apartments for rent at their base near Tulum (prices from $80 USD per apt/per night). Should people want to make their own arrangements however, there’s plenty of accommodation around Tulum to suit all budgets.
Non-diving activities:
Many hotels organize mini-bus/coach tours with English speaking guides to nearby Mayan ruins (cost approx. $70 USD pp) and there are dedicated snorkeling areas at most Cenote sites.
News
Aggressor Adventures Announces Major Savings on 2025 Philippines Charters

Dive Into Paradise for Less – Save Up to $2,000 on Upcoming Adventures!
Aggressor Adventures® is excited to unveil major limited-time savings for divers planning their dream escape to the Philippines. From now until June 30, 2025, guests can take advantage of up to $2,000 in savings on select Philippines Aggressor and Philippines Aggressor II itineraries.
These deep discounts span across both 7-night, 10-night and 11-night trips, giving adventurers greater flexibility and value while exploring some of the most biodiverse waters on the planet.
SAVE $2,000 – PHILIPPINES AGGRESSOR II
Celebrate with a $2,000 savings!
Booking Window: Now through June 30, 2025
Eligible Trip:
- October 4 – 14, 2025
SAVE $1,500 – PHILIPPINES AGGRESSOR
On select charter dates:
Booking Window: Now through June 30, 2025
Eligible Trips:
- June 29 – July 10, 2025 (11-night Transition trip)
- November 8 – 18, 2025 (10-night)
SAVE $1,000 – PHILIPPINES AGGRESSOR
On select 7-night charters:
Booking Window: Now through June 30, 2025
Eligible Trips:
- November 1 – 8, 2025
- December 6 – 13, 2025
“Aggressor’s Philippines itineraries are among the most vibrant and diverse in the world,” says Wayne Brown, CEO of Aggressor Adventures. “These new specials give more travelers the opportunity to explore thriving coral reefs, pelagic encounters, and spectacular macro life at a fraction of the cost.”
Guests will enjoy Aggressor’s signature five-star service, spacious staterooms, world-class diving amenities, chef-prepared meals, and much more. These special offers are only available for a limited time and are expected to fill quickly.
About Aggressor Adventures
Since 1984, Aggressor Adventures® has offered travelers live-aboard scuba and snorkeling charters, luxury river cruises and exotic wildlife and cultural safaris. To learn more, visit Aggressor’s Media Hub, listen to its podcast series, view videos on Aggressor.TV and browse the new catalog. Worldwide locations are Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Cocos Island, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Galapagos, Komodo, Indonesia, Maldives, Palau, Philippines, Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Red Sea, Roatan, Honduras, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turks & Caicos. Reservations can be made online at aggressor.com, or by calling 800-348-2628 or +1-706-993-2531.
News
Explorer Ventures Launches Hot Summer / Cool Prices Sale

Save up to $1100 on select liveaboard dive trips from June through October 2025
Explorer Ventures Fleet is turning up the heat with its new Hot Summer / Cool Prices sale. For a limited time, divers can save $1000 or more on select liveaboard departures from June through October 2025.
Whether you’re ready to dive into crystal-clear summer waters or planning a cool fall escape, this promotion offers major savings on world-class dive adventures in the Galápagos, Turks & Caicos, and the Caribbean.
Hot Summer / Cool Prices – For the Summer Dive Traveler:
From June through August, take advantage of deep discounts on summer getaways. Enjoy up to $1100 off select trips aboard the Humboldt Explorer in the Galápagos or save $1000 on select summer departures aboard Turks & Caicos Explorer Il and Caribbean Explorer II, exploring magic of Saba and St. Kitts.
Cool Fall / Hot Prices – For Travel in the Fall:
Leave the cool weather and falling leaves behind — fall is the perfect time to head south and save. Take $1000 off select departures from September through October aboard Turks & Caicos Explorer II and Caribbean Explorer II.
See all details and departure dates: www.explorerventures.com/discounts-and-specials
Space is limited – and once the trips are full, the savings are gone. Book now to secure your spot!
Looking for other dates or destinations? There are more savings available across the fleet, including liveaboard diving holidays in Indonesia, the Maldives, the Red Sea, and Palau. Explore all current deals here: https://www.explorerventures.com/year-of-savings-dive-liveaboard-specials/
Contact:
1.800.322.3577 (US/Canada) | +1.307.235.0683
About Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet
Since 1987, Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet has been delivering world-class liveaboard diving, blending authentic experiences with a commitment to safety and sustainability. Operating in some of the world’s most breathtaking underwater destinations, their fleet of well-appointed vessels ensures every guest enjoys the highest level of comfort and care.
Explorer Ventures is proud to be the first liveaboard company to collaborate with Green Fins, earning certifications on four vessels: Caribbean Explorer II, Turks & Caicos Explorer II, Tiburon Explorer, and Humboldt Explorer. Notably, Tiburon Explorer and Humboldt Explorer are the only PADI Eco Centers designated in the Galápagos, underscoring their dedication to sustainable and responsible diving practices. With exceptional destinations, a global array of itineraries, and diver-focused design across the fleet, every voyage is crafted for comfort, convenience, and adventure—both above and below the surface.
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