Cenote Cave Diving at Tak Be Ha & Tak Be Lum — Playa del Carmen
Difficulty
moderate
Duration
5 hours (total, including transport and surface intervals)
Fitness Level
Should be comfortable carrying and swimming with SCUBA gear and able to handle multiple tank swaps; moderate fitness recommended.
Overview
Drop beneath the jungle and into subterranean cathedrals: Tak Be Ha and Tak Be Lum offer cavern diving through ancient limestone formations just inland from Playa del Carmen. These recently opened cenotes reward certified divers with dramatic flowstones, shafts of light and near-perfect visibility.
Cenote Cave Diving at Tak Be Ha & Tak Be Lum — Playa del Carmen
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You drop from the sunlight into a green-black mouth of jungle and the world narrows to a circle of breath and bubbles. The cenote accepts you without hurry: a column of filtered light pierces the water and reveals a cathedral of calcite—stalactites hanging like chandeliers, stalagmites rising from the floor, and passageways that run off into dark corridors. In Tak Be Ha and Tak Be Lum, part of the Nohoch Nah Chich system near Dos Ojos, the caves feel alive—water moving a polite but insistent current, sediment sitting like dust until a fin stirs it and the whole chamber exhales.
Adventure Photos
Adventure Tips
Certification Required
Bring proof of your Open Water certification; cavern or cave training is strongly recommended for passages beyond open-water limits.
Respect the Formations
Avoid touching stalactites and never kick up the floor—silt can ruin visibility for the whole group.
Timing Matters
Book an early morning slot to enjoy clearer light shafts and fewer divers in tight galleries.
No Flying Soon After
Do not fly within 24 hours after diving; plan your departure accordingly to avoid decompression risks.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Blind cave fish (Astyanax mexicanus)
- Small freshwater crustaceans and amphipods
History
Cenotes were sacred to the Maya as portals to the underworld and sources of fresh water; many nearby systems contain archaeological material and have been used for millennia.
Conservation
Operators enforce strict no-touch rules and limit group sizes to protect fragile formations; use of biodegradable products and controlled access helps minimize human impact.
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Adventure Hotspots in Playa del Carmen
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Dive certification card
Proof of certification is required for certified dives.
Primary dive light + backup
Cavern passages have dark sections—reliable lights are critical for navigation and safety.
Thin wetsuit (3mm)
Keeps you comfortable in cooler cenote waters without restricting movement.
spring specific
Reef-safe sunscreen
Use only biodegradable sunscreen on surface intervals to protect the karst ecosystem.
summer specific