Hotel Casa Tortuga Tulum Cenotes Park Inclusive

This is a fun outing for all ages, and you don’t need to know how to swim because they provide life jackets. There are several cenotes to try, both underground and above ground, plus places to zipline into the water or jump from a platform. Bring water shoes for walking between them, and skip sunscreen to protect the habitat, which is mostly shaded anyway. Staff are friendly, and photos are sold at the end for a fee. Fernando, our guide, was funny and friendly.

We spent about an hour and a half exploring the two open air cenotes at our own pace, with quiet stretches between the big groups coming and going. The guides were kind and informative, and the place is built up with shops and restaurants. For our first cenote in Mexico, it was much more than we expected. Admission was $17 USD per person, though an airport voucher got us a discount. We skipped the locker and kept valuables in the car, bringing a water bag. After a quick break at the car to eat, we chose a private cave tour instead of the group option, which could take 2-3 hours with 10 or more people and kids. A private tour for both of us cost MXN$500, an easy yes. Erick was wonderful, very kind and knowledgeable about the area, spoke perfect English, and gave us a genuinely private experience. He took us into a smaller part of one cave cenote that groups can’t visit, gave us time to look around, and pointed out interesting details and little bats. We loved every moment at Casa Tortuga and can’t wait to return. Ask for Erick if you’re a small group.

The gift shop deserves five stars too. They could easily overcharge visitors, but some prices were actually better than at the local market. The restaurant, though, is expensive for what you get, so plan to eat elsewhere after the tour. Our guide did a great job explaining the cenotes and made sure to give us everything in English, since we were the only English speaking group.

Before driving on to the main attraction, pick up your tickets first. Once there, you can explore four cenotes: a big one to swim around in, a riverlike one, and two cave cenotes with clear turquoise water. The setup feels like a small amusement park built around them. We also tried the jump into the water called the Mayan sacrifice, which was a lot of fun. There are lockers if you bring a lock, and a full shower facility.