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Discover the two very different worlds housed within this cenote; a pool thriving with life and a shadowy cavern area full of massive dark looming formations. Glance back from inside the cavern to see the incredible blue light of the entrance.

Cenote Carwash - Scuba Tour Info

Certification required: Open Water

Camera entrance fee*: Starting at 200mxn

How deep is Carwash? The maximum depth is 15m/50ft

How far is Carwash from Playa del Carmen? 71km to the South

How far is Carwash from Tulum? 9km to the North

Can you snorkel in Carwash?Yes

Tour duration: 6-8 hours

Best combined with: Cenote Angelita

Price: $3900 combined with one dive in Angelita, everything included

*This cenote charges a fee for the use of an underwater camera. The fee depends on the size and type of camera

Cenote Carwash

 

Carwash Cenote, also known as Aktun Ha meaning “water cave” in Mayan, the name originated from taxi drivers who used to wash their cars in this cenote.

 

A large open pool full of life with a beautiful underwater garden of green algae and tall water lilies, which are very popular with photographers. See swirling groups of fish, turtles, and even the occasional small crocodile.

 

To pass into the cavern zone we pass through what has been described as the “curtain to the underworld”, a natural barrier of huge trees which partition the open pool and the cave beyond.

 

Huge dark formations wait inside for scuba divers. The speleothems are stained dark by tannic acid that once passed through the system and still does with heavy rainfall. From inside the cavern can be seen the most stunning view of the fallen trees silhouetted against the bright entrance.

 

This cenote is also a great place for non divers to relax and snorkel. There are areas to lie or sit, walkways to wander around the edge of the jungle surrounding the cenote, platforms to jump off and a small cafe.

Diving this cenote

 

This cenote is a one tank dive and is best combined with a dive in Cenote Angelita or Casa Cenote depending on your level.

 

As with most cenote tours we will meet around 8am at the dive shop, to sort out scuba gear and paperwork, then head off for our dives. Lunch is also included.

 

We suggest you bring a towel and a dry set of clothes and as in all cenotes sunscreen, cosmetics and insect repellent are banned due to the conservation of the site.

The History

 

In 1982 a group of open water divers from California decided to go for a dive in a luring pond just outside of Tulum. The winds had stopped them from being able to dive that day in the ocean. During the dive the group were surprised to see an enormous opening in the side of the pond.

 

Their curiosity getting the better of them, they ventured a few feet inside. However, remembering some of the potential hazards of an overhead environment they decided to play it safe. Returning the next day with two hundred and fifty feet of ski rope. This was the first line laid in Cenote Carwash.

 

Ironically the US Deep Caving Team dove into Carwash in the very early 1980s and declared that there was no cave there. Today Carwash is one of the most popular cenotes around Tulum.

Clarence H
Clarence H
2023-06-09
Excellent dive outfit! Liz and Andres provided a seamless, safe, and incredible dive experience. From the moment i reached out, Liz was very responsive and knowledgeable about diving in the tulum area. She was also very accommodating to all of my requests. Andres was an amazing extra pair of hands to help with equipment but also to talk to during those pesky surface intervals. If and when i am back in Tulum, I’ll definitely be diving with Jaguar Divers!
Sarah A
Sarah A
2023-05-30
TWO gorgeous dive days with Jaguar Liz is a fantastic dive master and guide! She is friendly and descriptive about the local environment and wildlife. We chose to dive with Liz and Jaguar Divers for 2 days, first a 2-dive boat trip out to the coast of Cozumel and a second day with 2 dives in Playa area cenotes. My husband had just finished his SCUBA open water certification and the Cozumel reef was a beautiful and exciting first day of diving for him. It was also my first drift dive, and following Liz's guidance and observing her calmness under the water helped to keep me calm as the strong current pushed us along the reef. In the cenotes her relaxed demeanor continued to be a great example to follow as we cruised quietly through the caverns. I will absolutely look up Jaguar Divers again when we return and recommend to anyone visiting along the Riviera Maya! Thank you for the great memories Liz!
Lora W
Lora W
2023-05-07
Great dive shop - highly recommend We had an awesome experience with jaguar divers/Liz! We hadn't been diving in several years so we did a refresher session in the morning then two dives in the Playa area in the afternoon. Well organized, clean and well equipped. Liz is so knowledgeable and a great guide. She went above and beyond to make our day great (and even recommended the best tacos we had all trip!)10/10 experience, highly recommend using jaguar divers!!
Nika
Nika
2023-05-05
Got my open water license with them, amazing experience! I did my open water diving license with Jaguar Divers and it was absolutely amazing! I started my diving license in Egypt but I didn't have time to finish it there so I decided to finish it in Mexico. I am allergic to chlorine so I could not do any pool dives and Jaguar Divers offered an option to do it in cenote which was just perfect and sooooo beautiful! Demian was very patient and nice, and it felt like I made a friend 🙂 I will be coming back to Mexico next year and cannot wait to do more dives with them and maybe even continue my certification! I definitely recommend Jaguar Divers to everyone, don't even think of any other place 🙂
Megan Z
Megan Z
2023-05-03
Best experience!! Absolutely wonderful experience with Jaguar Divers!! Liz is very knowledgeable and passionate about diving and the region! Would definitely recommend
fcuktravel
fcuktravel
2023-05-03
A great day in the Cenotes with Jaguar The whole experience with Jaguar divers was 5 star from start to finish, Liz was wonderful popped down to the hotel to explain everything day before.My Son Harry went on a two dive Cenotes day with Mariamma, he really enjoyed it and he would have gone again had we had enough time.Harry said that the Mariamma at jaguar is a great guide and really knowledgeable,whilst making the whole day fun Instructions were given on dos and don’ts in order to preserve the ecology of this natural wonder whilst diving there.I should be returning the Playa in July, Harry will be going diving again with this great team Thank you all especially Liz and MariammaIan from Uk (I now have wise 😂😂 )
Mick S
Mick S
2023-05-02
Awesome dive trip We had 6 amazing days diving with Liz and the team at Jaguar Divers. Very professional team, arranged everything and took us to some stunning locations.Can’t wait to dive with them again
uwdawg95
uwdawg95
2023-05-01
Ready to book our next adventure with Jaguar Divers Just came back from a 4-day company retreat to Cancun. One of excursion options was the ocean guided two-tank scuba diving with Jaguar Divers, which we selected due to their 5.0 rating on Google and Tripadvisor. We had a group of 14 (9 non-certified and 5 certified divers) which was probably too many for Jaguar Divers to handle in one day. Liz and Nicole did an amazing job of making sure all the non-certified divers felt comfortable in the classroom and backyard pool before hitting the ocean. Looking back after the day, I was so glab both were English speaking so there was not any issues with understanding the trainings. They were so patient fitting 14 divers with gear, working with smaller groups in the pool, getting us on the dive boat and helping us set up our tanks before our first dive. We had a couple of things go wrong at the first dive: 1) my flipper fell to the ocean floor as soon as I stepped of the back boat deck and 2) two non-certified divers quit after stepping off due to thick mustache allowing water in the mask and the other couldn't equalize ear pressure after multiple attempts. Nicole was a rockstar in grabbing my flipper and then assisting with getting it secured and then did everything she could with the other two issues before the divers finally threw in the towel and went back to the boat. Once under water the experience was a highlight of my life. We all felt so calm and remembered our training because I imagine one freak out may have shortened or ended the dive for the entire group. Our group highly recommends Jaguar Divers. Thanks Liz for sparking all our enthusiasm to become certified divers and come back for another adventure with Jaguar Divers. 🤿💙
Daniella Silva-Jensen
Daniella Silva-Jensen
2023-04-15
Unforgettable experience Liz and Maryama* are amazing guides to the cenotes. I loved every minute of the two days we spent with this dive shop, and I highly recommend them to anyone wanting to explore the caverns.
Cristal
Cristal
2023-04-12
The best place to dive! I've always wanted to try cenote diving but have been too afraid of the darkness (and cold 🥶). Liz was very comforting and reassuring and made me feel very comfortable throughout my two dives.I highly recommend diving with Liz and her team. They're professional every step of the way and are amazing divers so I always felt like I was learning something new.
La evaluación general en Tripadvisor es 5 de 5, en base a 88 evaluaciones