Review: Is the Dos Ojos Cenote Worth visiting in Mexico?
Cenotes are all over the Yucatan area of Mexico and are visited by thousands of tourists each year. What’s hard is trying to find the best one to visit on your vacation. Therefore, we are here today to find out – Is the Dos Ojos Cenote Worth visiting and why?
Most people enjoy cenotes by swimming in the crystal clear waters, others that love the diving. But mostly enjoy the serenity and cool off from the Mexican heat.
So, read on below to learn about my experience, and why I think it’s worth it!
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Review: Is the Dos Ojos Cenote worth visiting
Key Takeaways:
Yes, I think the Dos Ojos Cenote is definitely worth visiting! While it may be more crowded than others, its caters to almost everyone with swimming, snorkelling and diving. As well as being open from 8am to 5pm and contains an an easy entry platform.
How do you get there?
The Dos Ojos Cenote is located about 20 kilometres north of the beachside town of Tulum. Millions of tourist flock to Tulum each year for the beaches and laid-back lifestyle. Whether you’re a diver like me or a snorkeller, it’s a hotspot for Cenotes and a place to stay when exploring many of them.
Car Hire
Car hire and driving yourself would probably be your best option and ideally what I will choose on my next visit.
➡ Find your favourite brand & compare prices for your Rental Car HERE
This means you’re not fixed on time and can come and go from the cenote to your own schedule. It will also give you the freedom to explore a few different Cenotes in the area and go early in the mornings before the crowds.
Day Tours
Another option is booking a day tour from one of the nearby resorts, which can be convenient and enjoyable for those who don’t mind travelling with others.
➡ Compare prices for Tours and Transportation HERE with Viator, or HERE with Get Your Guide.
Variations will come from either half-day tours to the cenote, or full-day tours, including other sites. You’ll just need to find what works with your agenda.
Taxi
A taxi might be an excellent option for those not wanting to drive themselves while organising your own itinerary. And, you’ll find the fare is obviously cheaper when you have a couple of people travelling with you. But, ideally, it’s handy to negotiate your return journey and set a pickup time.
Colectivo’s (Bus)
If Public Transport is more your thing, the Colectivo Buses will conveniently pass by Dos Ojos several times a day. They can drop you off on the highway and take about 5 minutes to walk into the entrance. However, know they don’t have a set schedule and leave when the buses are full. You’ll also need to flag them down on the highway for your return.
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How much does it cost?
Some cenotes charge an entrance fee, and some don’t. I think this comes down to popularity and how easy they are to get to. However, this one has an entrance fee of $350MXN or $20USD, which includes the entry and a life jacket.
Variations to this amount come from hiring a tour guide, diving or using their snorkelling equipment. But, depending on what you want to do there, you can make the most cost-effective decision for your group.
➡ Compare prices for Tours and Transportation HERE with Viator, or HERE with Get Your Guide.
For example, we wanted to swim and dive, and the amount we were charged paid for the Transport, dive guide, and the entrance fee.
Did we take a tour?
While staying in Tulum, we chose to go with a private Dive company to visit the cenotes. As it turned out, this was the best decision for us!
They provided us with transport to and from the cenote, guided dives, scuba gear, local knowledge, and information and included the entrance fee. Matt and I were the only people on this tour (and the guide), and gave us a less stressful option.
There are several dive companies that will organise the entrance fee, gear, and transport. These can leave from Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, or from Cancun.
How much time do you need?
Depending on what else you may be doing during your trip, you can plan to spend anything from 1 hour to 4 hours at the cenote. I think in the end, we were there for about 3 hours, but this also entailed 2 complete dives and a short swim.
What do you bring with you?
When you’re planning your adventure to any cenote, make sure to bring along swimmers, a towel, and a change of clothes. You’ll definitely want the chance to dry off when you’re done.
Also, remember to pack a camera and a bit of money or your credit card. These will come in handy for any snacks or fun souvenirs you may find!
You might want to throw sunscreen in your bag, but the main swimming area is the start of the cave and is almost covered by a rock overhang. Therefore, sunscreen is only necessary if you’re going to be outdoors for the rest of the day.
I don’t think this one requires bringing waterproof shoes, since the waters are too deep to touch the bottom, and the entry is a purpose-built wooden platform. However, you’ll definitely want a pair of thongs/flip-flops for walking around the area.
Note: Other facilities here includes bathrooms, showers, the gear you can hire, and a small cafe for drinks and snacks.
Do you have to swim
No, you don’t have to swim in to enjoy their beauty, but, the entry price is the same for swimmers or non-swimmers. You can just relax by the edge while peering into its crystal clear water (or watching the kids) and admiring the intricate geological formations.
Is it safe?
Yes, it’s very safe to swim in the crystal clear waters of this cenote, but lifejackets are available for novice swimmers or if you have an hesitations. You will find some small freshwater fish swimming around the bottom, but nothing dangerous that you should be concerned about.
How Cold is the water?
Dos Ojos sits around 24 or 25 degrees Celsius (77F) all year round. With the Mexican summer heat, it will be cool to begin with, but undeniably refreshing after that.
How deep is it?
This cenote might be small in depth, varying from a mere meter to a maximum of 10 meters, but it’s certainly grand in scale. There are over 52 kilometers in the cave system, and that is why it’s so popular with divers to explore.
It’s one of the longest underwater caves worldwide and certainly offers a unique and unforgettable experience accessible only to those daring enough to brave the mysterious depths!
What was the diving like?
The diving is nothing short of stunning and unbelievably beautiful. At one point in your life, you would have walked through a local cave system with Stalactites coming down from the ceiling and stalagmites trying to reach up from the floor. So, just imagine seeing this same exact scene, but Underwater!
The Cavern system is only a couple of metres in-depth, and there are several places to reach up to the surface. Accessing, you have two different lines to explore when you are there, the “Barbie Line” and the “Bat Cave.” Please see watch my You Tube for a visual effect of our dive!
Due to the shallowness of the dives, you won’t have that much issue with equalising either. But know this is fresh water, and very important to be buoyant and weight yourself correctly and your tour guide should be able to help you out with this.
Diving the “Barbie Line”
The Barbie line is a max of 8 metres in-depth but varies as you go along to shallower sections. Near the end, you will come to a plastic alligator with a Barbie doll in its mouth. Not something you see all the time, but I’m guessing this is where the name comes from, or put there because of it.
Throughout the dive, you swim through several different caves, giving you a 3D effect of a cave experience that’s not underwater. You can swim up and down to explore all the areas and get a whole different perspective.
Diving the “Bat line”
The Bat Line gets to a max of 10 metres and again varies along the way. What’s great about this one and the reason for the “Bat Line” name. Depending on the water level, you get to pop up out of the water into a massive cave full of bats.
Very little light was coming through this section, but enough to see the fantastic water colour. Thousands of bats were flying around and making that slight squealing noise they do to communicate.
What Does “Dos Ojos” Mean?
“Dos Ojos” has a deep meaning in Spanish as “Two Eyes.” This stunning cenote in Mexico is aptly named since it consists of two cave systems connected by an underground river that flows through both caves.
What is a Cenote?
Can you believe there are about 6000 Cenotes in the Yucatan Region?
A Cenote is a natural occurrence of limestone rock sinking into a pit or sinkhole, opening up the cavern underneath. They are frequent in low-altitude regions along coastlines and small Islands.
Additionally, they connect the underground water body system and can be accessed through small or large holes. Therefore, the water is extremely clear while being filtered through the Limestone rock.
Where to Stay?
Looking for the perfect place to stay during your vacation to Tulum? You’ll find a variety of incredible lodging options in and around the area. Try the beachside cabanas for a rustic experience with the beauty of Mother Nature all around.
➡ Compare prices for Tulum Accommodation HERE with Booking.com
Or alternatively, the charming boutique hotels and resorts offer all the amenities and luxury you could want. So no matter what your style and budget preferences might be, you won’t have a hard time finding just the right place to stay!
Best Time to visit?
The great things is you can visit any time of year, but if you want to make sure you experience this tropical paradise at its best, try get there in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds.
How Many Cenotes Are Near Tulum?
With the Yucatan Peninsula hosting thousands of cenotes, can you believe there are many you can visit near Tulum? Although, visiting all of them would be quite a feat, exploring at least some of the is totally worth it. We were lucky enough to see three of them, including El Pit and Cenote Maya.
Some others are:
- Cenote Calavera
- Cenote Zacil-Ha
- Gran Cenote
- Cenote Car Wash
- Casa Cenote
- Cenote Azul
- Cenote Cristalino
- Cenote Santa Cruz Tulum
- Cenote Ik Kil
- Cenote Jardin Del Eden
- Cenote Xcan ché
Do they get Crocodiles in Cenotes?
Yes, crocodiles can be found in SOME of the cenotes. Still, do your research and look for current news articles on the latest information. Some crocodiles are relatively harmless and often swim with tourists.
Wrap up – Is the Dos Ojos Cenote Worth Visiting?
Seeing the Dos Ojos Cenote was an unbelievable experience, and I’m glad to have had the chance. So, for those looking to unwind and relax, this cenote is the perfect place to do so amidst amazing views.
A big thanks for reading this blog today and I hope you found the information you were looking for. Also, remember to check out some of my other Mexican blogs Here and see what else you can do.
