Reef Explorers
Entrance to the Dos Ojos cenote

Riviera Maya & Cenotes

Diving in Mexico

24 documented dive sites, 11 of them for Open Water divers. Known for bull sharks and turtles.

Best months
Nov–Apr
Water
23–29 °C
Levels
Open Water, Advanced, Experienced, Technical
Diving from
Dive resorts, Day boats, Shore diving
Nearest airport
CUN

Photo: Dag Lindgren, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When to go

Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.

Pick a month

  • Best
  • Good
  • Possible
  • Closed
  • Not documented yet

Riviera Maya & Cenotes in October

Good season
Sea
30 °C
at the surface
Air
30 °C
24 °C at night
Rain
130 mm
one of the wettest months
Wind
12 km/h
on average

The warmest water of the year.

Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind) and 2023–2025 (sea), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.

Dry Nov–Apr, rainy May–Oct, diving year-round. Cenote caverns need no cave certification (guided).

Source: bluewaterdivetravel.com

Dive sites in Riviera Maya & Cenotes

From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.

Open Water friendly

usual dive down to 18 m11 sites

For Advanced divers

usual dive down to 30 m10 sites

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

SpeciesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Bull sharksSource: bluewaterdivetravel.com
  • Peak season
  • Seen

Bull sharks: Nov–Mar

Also reported here, season not documented yet:

  • Turtles
  • Freshwater fish
  • Blind cave fish
  • Crocodiles

Where is the Riviera Maya & Cenotes?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Playa del Carmen (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth
Nearest airport
CUN
How people dive here
Dive resorts, Day boats, Shore diving

Somewhere quieter?

Riviera Maya & Cenotes is one of the busiest dive hubs in the world. These destinations dive in a similar way and see far fewer divers: Abrolhos Marine Park, Fernando de Noronha and Roatán & Bay Islands.

See all alternatives to Riviera Maya & Cenotes →

Riviera Maya & Cenotes: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Riviera Maya & Cenotes?
The best months to dive Riviera Maya & Cenotes are Nov–Apr. Dry Nov–Apr, rainy May–Oct, diving year-round. Cenote caverns need no cave certification (guided).
Is Riviera Maya & Cenotes good for beginner divers?
Yes, partly: 11 of the 24 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Moc-Che Shallow, Casa Cenote and Castillo Bajo. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
What is the water temperature in Riviera Maya & Cenotes?
The water is usually between 23 °C and 29 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Riviera Maya & Cenotes?
Divers regularly see bull sharks (Nov–Mar), turtles and freshwater fish.
How do you dive Riviera Maya & Cenotes?
The nearest airport is CUN. Ways to dive here: dive resorts, day boats and shore diving.

About this page

Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.

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Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash
Photo credits