Here is everything you need to know about visiting Cenote Oxman in Mexico; how to get there, what to bring and what it was like.
*We use ads so we can pay for our travels and continue to bring you free travel advice. We also use affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. See our Privacy Policy for more information.
On our trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, we booked a tour to see the sights near by. Our tour included two stops at cenotes for swimming, and a visit to Chichén Itzá.
The first stop was at Cenote Oxman which we really liked. We also had lunch there but unfortunately our tour was so rushed that we weren’t really able to enjoy the cenote as much as we wanted. I could see us returning to Cenote Oxman someday in our own time.
Another cenote we stopped at was called Ik Kil. In my opinion, it was definitely more of a tourist trap than Cenote Oxman. But the cenote itself was amazing.
The facilities and buildings there reminded me more of a spa or a swimming hall than a swimming hole in nature. There were all kinds of performers at the parking lot and just more people in general compared to Oxman.
Cenote Oxman is in a town of Valladolid and Ik Kil is along the road from Chichén Itzá to Valladolid.
WHAT IS A CENOTE?
Cenotes are natural swimming holes which can be found in Mexico and especially in the Yucatán Peninsula. These sink holes were formed by nature and they later got filled with ground and rain water.
They are in the areas where the soil is made of sedimentary limestone rock. Under the hard rock cover there is either a water pocket or even a cave, and when the surface and the walls collapse due to erosion, a cenote is formed.
Cenotes come in many shapes and sizes. You might find yourself swimming in an open ground, semi-open or closed cenote, or like us at Cenote Oxman — a deep open one.
Most cenotes originate with an event about 66 million years ago when a big asteroid hit the earth. It left behind a 180 kilometres diameter semicircular band which is now called the “Ring of Cenotes” (Chicxulub crater).
The impact of the asteroid was so huge that it is believed to be the reason why dinosaurs disappeared from the earth.
Nobody truly knows the real amount of cenotes in Mexico, but at least over 7000 have been found. Many of them are connected to each other through underground cave systems.
In the old days they were an important source of water, especially to the Mayan people. They represented access to Xibalba: a special underworld of Gods. Mayan people have both sacrificed and buried people in cenotes.
There are some cenotes in other countries too. We visited a similar swimming hole in Midway, Utah a few years back. But instead of cenote, it was called a crater.
The structure of this sink hole was similar to cenotes, but the water in it was warm. Cenote water is usually a little bit chilly which is refreshing in the hot Mexican climate. But the Homestead Crater was like a warm spring, so amazing!
Montezuma Well in Arizona is also very similar to cenotes.
VISITING CENOTE OXMAN
Cenote Oxman in Mexico is one of those swimming holes that haven’t been built completely. It has just become known in recent years from Instagram photos.
Its main attractions are the hanging ropes which are used for jumping into the cenote. It is likely, that Cenote Oxman will grow in the future, but at the moment it was still more authentic and less crowded than Ik Kil.
The best time for visiting Cenote Oxman is in the morning right when it opens. There will be less people than in the afternoon when tmost tour buses arrive.
There are changing rooms and showers by the cenote, and everyone is asked to shower before going swimming. This is to protect the fragile ecosystem of cenotes since most people use harmful sun screens or mosquito repellents.
Although, there has been some discussion about how polluted the cenotes actually might be due to drainage water. So I wouldn’t recommend drinking the water! And it might be a good idea to shower again after swimming.
We were not able to find any lockers for bags so we took them down to the cenote. Everyone was required to wear a life vest when swimming. You can either jump into the water or use the staircase.
This cenote is not the best for people who can’t swim, like small kids for example. It is about 45 metres deep, so obviously you can’t stand in the water. Also there were very few things to hold on while in the water, so the life vest is actually a good idea to have.
Dipping into a cenote was truly a refreshing experience on a hot day.
HAZIENDA SAN LORENZO OXMAN
Cenote Oxman is part of the Hacienda San Lorenzo Oxman and is on the premises, so you can also stay the night there. The rooms are simple, but the main attraction is of course the cenote and their pool. By staying in the hacienda you are for sure the first ones there in the morning and might even have the cenote all to yourself!
The rooms from Hacienda has occasionally been in Booking.com and then in AirBnb. But if you can’t get a reservation there then the best options close by are Hotel Real Zaci or Hotel Fundadores.
We also ate lunch here which was included in our tour price. It was served as a buffet. The food was very simple Mexican food, but it was delicious: rice, beans, vegetables, meats and tortillas.
The hacienda also has a bar by the cenote and the pool. There is a small souvenir shop outside at the parking lot as well.
What to bring with you to a cenote?
Some of the things you should bring when visiting a cenote is of course your swim gear. Among with swimsuit and a towel, many people also bring swim shoes.
Cenote Oxman is so deep that you wont be able to touch the bottom but swim shoes can be helpful while walking on the sides of it. We didn’t have shoes and didn’t really think that we needed them on our visit.
I recommend bringing some sunscreen and drinking water for the time that you are not swimming. Reef safe sunscreen will help protect the ecosystem where ever you go all though here they want you to shower everything off before swimming.
If you have an underwater camera you might want to bring it since there are plenty of little fish in this cenote. You can also see them well with a snorkel.
Always carry some cash with you while in Mexico because there are many places that wont accept credit cards. This happens especially when you are outside of the cities.
Different cenotes have different practises but this one requires you to wear a life vest and it is included to the entrance fee.
✻✻✻
Even though our visit to Cenote Oxman was rushed, we did really like this place. It was nice to finally be able to experience a cenote and also to cool off a little on a hot day.
If you are looking for a guide to take you to cenotes, you can find some from below. I would recommend to choose a tour where you have plenty of time to enjoy swimming and other things, and to leave a visit to Chichén Itzá for another day.
The most flexible way to get there is of course a rental car. That way you can swim as long as you want or add couple other stops along the way. We use DiscoverCars when ever we need a car.
We stayed in Playa del Carmen and here are all our tips to that area, including the Playacar Mayan Ruins.
Our experience of Cenote Oxman was rather good and I would definitely recommend visiting it!
CENOTE OXMAN
Where: Periférico, 97780 Valladolid
Open: From 7.30 am. to 5 pm.
Fee: 150-250MXN per person depending on the season.
The fee includes swimming in the cenote and the pool. There is also a package that includes lunch.
Cenote Oxman does not have a website and different sources have different opening times and prices. I recommend calling ahead of time to confirm when it is open (or ask your hotel reception to call).
Have you ever been swimming in a cenote? Is that something you would interested in?
Cenotes are absolutely amazing. I visited one when in Mexico several years ago and was amazed at the sheer beauty and wonder of them! A fond memory relived by reading your experience.
They are. I’m glad you had a nice experience.
I didn’t visit a cenote when I went to Mexico, so it’s certainly on my list to do when I return. This one looks beautiful and I would prefer to visit a place that does not have many tourists. I also love the idea of staying in the hacienda for one or two nights so I can enjoy it even more.
I definitely recommend visiting at least few cenotes. They are so much fun! And there are some that might not have anyone else but you just have to be adventurous.
I want to swim in the cenotes. It reminded me of a swimming hole from my childhood. What I like about Oxman is the robe so you can jump to the water by using it. And it’s wonderful there’s a hacienda there where you can have buffet lunch although you don’t spend a night there.
I agree that the robe was really cool. And getting the lunch done there was very convenient.
I have never been to a cenote and really didn’t even know there was such a thing! Fascinating to learn their history and how the crescent relates to an asteroid (and dinosaur extinction)! Then, to be important to the Mayan culture as well — what magical places! I will certainly put “swim in a cenote” on my bucket list. The Cenote Oxman sounds like an ideal place to start, since you can stay over on the property, get an early start, and enjoy lunch. At 45 feet deep, it’s very smart to require life vests. So deep!
That is how I would do it if I was to go again. Just stay the night there and start early.
My husband loves scuba diving in cenotes in Mexico, but I was always intimidated by them. I remember one of our guides told us ancient Mayans threw children into water-filled caverns and cenotes and that curbed my appetite for ever swimming into a cenote, lol! But legends aside, Oxman cenote looks really appealing for a swim.
Yes, it is true that they did sacrifice people by throwing them to cenotes. Especially into Scared Cenote by the Chichen Itza. I think that not all cenotes were used for that but it does sound creepy.
To be honest, I did not know what cenotes are. Sinkholes with water and now natural pools. I agree that the first one seems more rustic and fun. I love the way the roots hang down and the natural light that comes through. Lovely indeed
The roots make this cenote special and of course the robe too. I loved it.
I went to some cenotes in Mexico, but they were all in caves. I like that the sunlight comes into Cenote Oxman. However the mandatory life vest dampens the fun a little bit, I guess.
I agree about the life vests. People who are confident swimmers should be able to go in without but I guess they don´t want to be reliable if something happens. I would love to visit one of the cave cenotes.
I had no idea what a cenote was before this post, and now I know! Wow, 45 meters deep and not much to hold onto, I think I’ll bring a floatie to my visit, haha. Wonderful looking area and at a great price as well.
Cenotes are amazing! I don´t think I would know either unless we traveled to Mexico.