Yaakun
Deep cenote diving
A crater, then the water.
A large vertical cenote under a very wide crater. The water surface sits almost 20 m below the rim, so the view from the top is part of the dive. Below, two haloclines mark the descent through a deep vertical space. Yaakun opened to public diving more recently than many established Riviera Maya cenotes.
- Character
- Scale · Haloclines · Depth
- CDT dive profile
- Approx. 30–32 m / 98–105 ft
- Physical cenote depth
- More than 80 m / 262+ ft (source: INAH)
- INAH reports the cenote continues past its hydrogen sulfide cloud to more than 80 m. That is the physical depth of the cenote, not a dive CDT offers.
- Requirements
- Advanced Open Water or equivalent
Depths describe the recreational profile we dive, not the cenote's maximum depth. Requirements are minimum guidelines; the final choice also depends on your recent experience, buoyancy, comfort and the day's conditions.
What you'll experience
Scale from the rim to the water column.
It starts at the surface: a crater so wide the water sits almost 20 m below its edge. In the water the space stays large and vertical.
Within the CDT profile you pass two haloclines, where the water shimmers as fresh and salt layers meet. Steady buoyancy and a controlled descent keep the dive calm and keep the water clear for everyone.
Check availability for YaakunCDT requires an advanced diver profile for this dive. This is a CDT operational requirement, not a CREER classification.
Best for
- Scale
- Haloclines
- Vertical profile
- Advanced divers
Archaeological heritage
Yatzil: heritage protected in place.
Yaakun preserves archaeological remains documented by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
- Human skeletal remains are preserved inside the cenote. Preliminary analysis suggests a woman aged roughly 18–25. She has been named Yatzil, meaning “beloved person.”
- Two archaeological concentrations were documented: human and animal skeletal remains, and ceramic vessels.
- The archaeological dives took place at around 42–53 m. These areas are not part of the CDT recreational dive, which stays at roughly 30–32 m.
- Some ceramics may date to the Late Postclassic period (1200–1521 AD). This is preliminary; Yatzil's cultural affiliation and dating have not yet been established.
INAH is protecting these contexts in situ. Remains and artifacts must never be touched, moved, removed or disturbed in any way. Diving Yaakun means respecting that.
Photographs
Inside Yaakun.
Cenotes, tailored to you
Interested in diving Yaakun?
Tell us about your diving and what you'd like to experience. We can include this cenote in your private dive day or recommend the combination of dives that makes the most sense for you.
