Cenote Calavera, Tulum: Jumping Into Tulum’s Temple Of Doom Cenote (2023)
Cenote Calavera in Tulum, also known as the Temple of Doom Tulum, has become one of the most popular cenotes in Tulum.
The cave cenote in Tulum is very unique and picturesque with its giant ladder and swing. Next to swimming and diving the Temple of Doom Cenote offers a thrilling cenote jumping opportunity.
In this Tulum cenote guide, we’ll give you an overview of everything you want to know about visiting Cenote Calavera Tulum. Including, hours, entrance fees, and photos of the so-called Skull Cenote with its giant ladder, instagrammable swing and jumping hole.
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Cenote Calavera – The Temple Of Doom Tulum
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Guide To Cenote Calavera Tulum
What Is A Cenote?
Cenotes are sinkholes that have naturally formed by the collapse of their limestone bedrock ceiling. Yucatan has thousands of these natural sinkholes, called cenotes. Researchers found that these cenotes are not standalone waterholes, but rather a vastly interconnected underground water system spanning across the entire Yucatan Peninsula.
The cenote water is usually crystal clear and cool which makes the cenotes so incredible for swimming and snorkeling. Some cenotes are very deep which makes them the perfec environment for scuba, cave, and free diving.
At other cenotes cave divers can explore incredible underwater worlds with stalactites and stalagmites and sometimes even encounter fossils.
Different Types Of Cenotes
Cenotes vary in size, depth as well as type. Some cenotes are partially open through a collapsed ceiling that exposes the underlying groundwater. Others are completely open and exposed. Yet other sinkholes are entirely underground and cavelike and again others are only semi-underground.
TYPES OF CENOTES
Jug or Pit Cenotes
These cenotes have a narrow surface connection but a larger underground surface.
Cylinder Cenotes
Cylinder cenotes have vertical walls, their surface connection is as large as their underground diameter.
Basin Cenotes (completely open)
These cenotes appear like shallow water basins.
Cave Cenotes
As the name already gives away, these cenotes are actual caves/ caverns. They can be completely submerged or have dry sections, which makes them accessible not only for divers but also for non-divers. Some of these cave cenotes have impressive stalactites and stalagmites. Due to its small openings in the ceiling, the Calavera Cenote is a cave cenote.
Cenotes In Ancient Mayan History
The ancient Mayans used the cenotes as natural wells for their water supplies. Famous cities like Chichen Itza were built around cenotes for that fact, as the Yucatan Peninsula has almost no rivers and only a few lakes.
The cenotes were believed to be a passageway to the underground world and afterlife. In ancient times, cenotes played a big part in Mayan rituals and sacrificial offerings.
The Mayans deposited valuables and human bodies into the cenotes as a form of sacrifice to their gods. Divers have found several human remains and objects dating back to the Mayan era inside the sinkholes.
Cenote Calavera Tulum – The Temple Of Doom Cenote
Cenote Calavera is also known as the Temple of Doom Tulum or Skull Cenote.
Where does this name come from?
Calavera is Spanish and means skull. The cenote got its famous name because it has three openings in its ceiling that resemble a skull. Two small holes and a big one.
For this scary reason, Cenote Calavera is also called The Temple of Doom in Tulum.
Tulum’s Instagram Cenote
Cenote Calavera is one of Tulum’s most popular cenotes. This is not only due to its proximity to the beach town but also due to its uniqueness and “Instagram factor”.
Jumping Hole
What’s unique about Cenote Calavera is that you can jump through the super tiny openings down into the cold clear water of the cave cenote.
Swing & Ladder Into The Temple Of Doom
The bigger opening is the main entrance to the cenote and has a huge ladder to climb down and also an instagrammable swing.
What To Expect At The Calavera Cenote
Cenote Calavera is great for swimming and especially jumping through the openings of the skull. It is not the best cenote for snorkeling as it is quite dark down there, unless the sun is at it’s peak and illuminates the cave.
Diving Cenote Calavera Aka Exploring The Temple Of Doom’s Underwater World
It may not be visible from above, as there are only three holes in the ground, but Cenote Calavera is great for cenote diving. This is because much of its system lies underground actually.
Koox Diving Tulum is a popular dive center that offers guided diving excursions at Cenote Calavera.
Cenote Calavera & Sac Actun Cave System
Cenote Calavera is part of Sistema Sac Actun. The Sac Actun cave system in Yucatán is the longest surveyed underwater cave system in the world.
Halocline Layer
The underground system of the cenote is connected with the ocean and therefore has a halocline layer. A halocline layer is a milky layer where the saltwater meets freshwater in the cenote. This can only be seen by scuba divers.
Another special experience for divers and snorkelers exploring the Temple of Doom is the sun rays coming through the small holes in the cenote’s ceiling. When the sun stands at its peak, you will see incredible light rays underwater.
Facilities
There are good facilities at Cenote Calavera. Visitors can use the many picnic tables, hammocks and sun chairs.
Before going into the water, visitors are asked to rise off at the showers. There are simple changing and bathrooms as well.
Visiting Cenote Calavera Tulum, Mexico
Cenote Calavera Location
Cenote Calavera is located just right outside of the beach town of Tulum. Aside from the cenotes located directly in Tulum, the Calavera swimming hole is the closest cenote to Tulum.
How To Get To Cenote Calavera In Tulum?
Getting To Cenote Calavera From Tulum
The Skull Cenote is not far from Tulum town. From the center of Tulum to Cenote Calavera it is about 3 km / 2 miles. From Tulum Beach, it is a bit longer, of course, but still absolutely within reach.
Biking To Cenote Calavera From Tulum
Since the distance between Tulum and Cenote Calavera is not far at all, you can rent a bike in town and easily bike to Cenote Calavera. Your hotel or Airbnb may even have a bike for you already. Lots of people bike to the cenote and it’s a great activity.
Taking A Taxi To Visit Cenote Calavera
Alternatively, it is also very common to take a taxi to Cenote Calavera. Taking a taxi works well from really anywhere in Tulum. Since the distance is short, the taxi trip won’t cost you much. Make sure to agree on the rate before you get going or ask for the taximetro to be turned on to get a fair price.
Getting Around By Rental Car
If you have a rental car, this is obviously the most convenient option to get to Cenote Calavera on you own.
There is parking at Cenote Calavera if you decide to go there by car. Just drive in the direction of Coba and you will find the cenote shortly after leaving Tulum on the right-hand side of the highway.
It’s best to book your rental car in advance and pick it up right at the airport in Cancun when you get to Mexico. That way you get the best prices and car options.
Visiting Cenote Calavera: Day Trips & Guided Tours
The last option on how to get to Cenote Calavera is by taking a guided excursion there. Participating in a tour to Cenote Calavera is a great option if you are looking for comfort and also want to explore other attractions around Tulum like ruins, zip-lining, lagoons, etc. on the same day trip.
See the most popular day trips to Cenote Calavera and other attractions here:
➤ Coba & Punta Laguna & Cenote Calavera Tour From Tulum
➤ Tulum Cenotes Triple Adventure Tour Incl. Cenote Calavera
➤ Ultimate Tulum Tour: Laguna Kaan Luum, Cenote Calavera, Cenote Dos Ojos & Playa Paraíso
Cenote Calavera Opening Hours
Cenote Calavera in Tulum is open every day from 8 am until 5 pm. Last entry is an hour before closing time.
The Best Time To Visit Cenote Calavera
The Temple of Doom Cenote got quite popular over the last few years, so the best time to visit Cenote Calavera depends on what you are looking for in your visit.
If you want to avoid the crowds, go as early as possible in the morning and avoid the weekends.
The same goes for if you are looking to take photos at the swing and ladder of Cenote Calavera with no one being in your picture. We went before 9 am and there were already a few people, but all of them wanted to take pictures as well and were very respectful of each other’s space and time.
Another good time to visit Cenote Calavera is in the late afternoon hours when the amount of people visiting the skull-like swimming hole starts to trickle off. Make sure though, that you get to the cenote at least an hour before closing time, as otherwise, you may not be able to get in.
The best time to visit Cenote Calavera for us is when you travel to Tulum off-season. During the off-season, you will encounter the least amount of people at the cenote and in Tulum in general.
If you just want to have a good time and don’t mind the people, visiting the Skull Cenote anytime is good then. There are lots of sunchairs, picnic tables and hammocks to hang out and and people watch.
Cenote Calavera Entrance Fee
Due to its popularity, the entrance fee to Cenote Calavera has increased a lot over the years. The price is now 250 MXN, which is quite steep.
In addition, if you bring a GoPro, DSLR camera or drone you have to pay and extra fee for these photography gadgets.
Sunscreen & Swimming In Cenote Calavera
The clear water at the Temple of Doom and all the other cenotes is not only precious, it also contributes to the health of the peninsula’s ecosystem. It is therefore absolutely important to keep Cenote Calavera and all other swimming holes in the Yucatan Peninsula clean.
This means the natural swimming holes need to be kept clean from trash and other pollutants. Specifically, this includes sunscreen and mosquito repellent as well as other body lotions that we use.
Can I Wear Biodegradable Sunscreen At Cenote Calavera?
The quick answer is: No! Sunscreen, mosquito repellent as well as other lotions and sprays that we apply to our bodies are toxic for the ecosystem. They also don’t decompose. Even biodegradable sunscreen remains in the water!
This is because most so-called biodegradable sunscreens are actually not really biodegradable. Even the ones that are, still leave a residue in the water which ends up polluting the pristine clear cenote water.
At the Calavera Cenote in Tulum and most other swimming holes in Mexico, you will be asked to take a shower before entering the water to remove all the cosmetic products from your skin.
Please do your part and help keep these pristine ecosystems clean and healthy!
Things To Pack For Swimming In Cenote Calavera
Here’s a short cenote packing list of things that we have found handy for visiting Calavera Cenote in Tulum.
If you want to take underwater photos of Cenote Calavera a GoPro and GoPro Dome or other action camera is the way to go. The recent GoPros are waterproof and you can take them into the water without an extra protective case.
If you don’t have a GoPro and want to bring your phone, there are very affordable phone cases for the water. There are also more professional underwater phone housings for your cell phone. These casings work surprisingly well and the photos turn out really good too.
One thing that makes exploring the cenotes in Mexico a lot more comfortable is water shoes. Sometimes the surfaces are slippery or pointy and it’s not exactly pleasant to walk around barefoot. So, if you have water shoes you can comfortably leave them on at all times, inside and outside the water.
Cenote Calavera Packing List
NO sunscreen!
NO mosquito repellent!
Summary: Cenote Calavera In Tulum, Mexico
Cenote Calavera Tulum
Also Known As
“Temple of Doom Cenote”
“Skull Cenote”
Cenote Calavera Location
Cenote Calavera is located just outside of Tulum.
Cenote Calavera Hours
8 am – 5 pm daily
Cenote Calavera Price
250 MXN
DSLR, GoPro, drone, etc. extra $$
Distance from Tulum
3 km / 2 miles
Cenote Calavera Tours
Coba & Punta Laguna & Cenote Calavera Tour From Tulum
Tulum Cenotes Triple Adventure Tour Incl. Cenote Calavera
Ultimate Tulum Tour: Laguna Kaan Luum, Cenote Calavera, Cenote Dos Ojos & Playa Paraíso
Directions To Cenote Calavera
More Awesome Cenotes Near Tulum
There are many more beautiful natural swimming pits in the Tulum area. In fact, you will find some of the most popular cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula in Tulum. The Temple of Doom aka Cenote Calavera is only one of many.
Other very popular cenotes in Tulum include Cenote Dos Ojos and the Gran Cenote.
We wrote a post about the best cenotes in Tulum. Check it out if you are visiting Tulum during your Mexico vacation and want to learn more about the cenotes nearby.
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The Best Cenotes Around Tulum
Tulum Cenote Tours
Most of the cenotes in Tulum can be visited via guided cenote tours. Tulum cenote tours are an easy and comfortable way to explore the swimming holes near the town without the trouble of figuring out how to get there and having to take care of all the planning.
You can select between booking private cenote tours in Tulum or tours with a small group of other people.
There are guided tours that visit cenotes only or day trips that visit a cenote around Tulum and other attractions like the Mayan archaeological zone in Tulum, Chichen Itza, Muyil, Coba, and other sites. The cenotes-only tours are usually half a day and the combo tours are full-day trips.
See the popular Tulum cenotes tours below:
Tulum Cenote Excursions
Other Cenotes Near Playa del Carmen
There are also a lot of natural cenotes near Playa del Carmen. Two of our favorite swimming pits are Cenote Azul and Cenote Cristalino.
If you want to know more about the best cenotes around Playa del Carmen check out our post below.
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Incredible Playa del Carmen Cenotes
Cenotes Near Valladolid
Not a lot of people know the colonial town Valladolid, let alone know about the amazing cenotes that can be found nearby.
There is actually a swimming hole directly in the town center of Valladolid – Cenote Zaci. So when you visit Valladolid, make sure to stop by Cenote Zaci.
Two of the most popular cenotes around Valladolid are Cenote Oxman and Cenote Suytun. Cenote Oxman is popular for its rope swing and hanging tree roots. Cenote Suytun is famous for the incredible sunbeam shining through the cenote’s hole in the ceiling, creating an otherworldly photo opportunity.
We wrote a guide about the cenotes near Valladolid. Check it out to learn more.
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The Best Cenotes Near Valladolid – Guide & Map
Travel Insurance For Mexico
Cenote Calavera Tulum, Mexico
Temple Of Doom Cenote
We hope you found our Cenote Calavera guide useful and got inspired to visit Tulum’s Skull Cenote aka the Temple Of Doom Cenote.
If you are looking to visit more cenotes around Tulum, check out our Tulum Cenote Guide with our favorite cenotes in Tulum and beyond.
Julia & Felipe
Follow our adventures on Instagram! @piscoandbier
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