Cenote Angelita & Carwash Diving in Tulum

Descend through an underwater world that looks like another planet — then surface into a garden.

Experience two completely different cenote environments in one unforgettable diving trip.

Begin with a deep descent into Cenote Angelita, famous for its underwater-river illusion, hydrogen sulfide cloud and submerged tree branches. Then continue to Carwash Cenote, also known as Aktun Ha, for a brighter and more relaxed dive surrounded by clear water, roots, lily pads and natural cavern scenery.

Price: $3200 MXN

Dive Tour Info

Certification Required Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent
Dive Sites Cenote Angelita + Carwash Cenote / Aktun Ha
Maximum Depth at Angelita 30 meters / 100 feet
Maximum Depth at Carwash 17 meters / 56 feet
Departure 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM
Duration Approximately 4–5 hours
Price $3,200 MXN per diver
Equipment Included
Transportation Included from our dive center located on Tulum Beach
Cenote Entrance Fees Not included — paid directly at the cenotes

All dive plans are adjusted by your guide according to comfort, weather, site conditions and safety standards.

What’s Included

Your Cenote Angelita & Carwash diving tour includes:

  • 2 guided cenote dives

  • Professional cenote dive guide

  • Full scuba equipment

  • Dive briefing and site orientation

  • Transportation from our dive shop

  • Small-group service

Why Dive Angelita & Carwash Together?

Angelita and Carwash offer two completely different sides of cenote diving near Tulum.

Cenote Angelita is deep, open and atmospheric. Its underwater landscape feels almost unreal, with a dense hydrogen sulfide cloud stretching across the cenote and submerged tree branches rising from below.

Carwash Cenote is shallower, brighter and more organic. Crystal-clear freshwater, roots, lily pads and cavern areas create a peaceful second dive after the depth and intensity of Angelita.

One dive feels mysterious and powerful. The other feels calm and full of life. That contrast is what makes this combination so memorable.

Cenote Entrance Fees

Cenote entrance fees are not included in the tour price and are paid directly at the cenotes.

Angelita entrance fee: $350 MXN, approximately $20 USD

Carwash / Aktun Ha entrance fee: $300 MXN, approximately $17 USD

Please bring cash for the entrance fees. Prices are controlled by the cenote administrations and may change.

Cenote Angelita — The Dive

Cenote Angelita formed through the collapse of limestone bedrock, creating a wide open crater approximately 60 meters deep. The cenote is located about 17 km south of Tulum on Highway 307 — around 20 minutes from our dive shop.

From the surface, Angelita looks like a quiet freshwater pond surrounded by jungle. Once you begin the descent, the environment changes completely.

The guided recreational dive reaches a maximum depth of approximately 30 meters / 100 feet.

The Clear-Water Descent

The dive begins in clear freshwater as you descend through the open cenote.

Sunlight filters down from the surface, and the deeper sections gradually appear below. The wide, open profile feels similar to a deep open-water dive, but surrounded by the quiet atmosphere of the jungle.

The Hydrogen Sulfide Cloud

At approximately 28 to 30 meters / 90 to 100 feet, a dense hydrogen sulfide cloud stretches across the cenote.

This milky white layer is created by decomposing organic matter and gives Angelita its famous underwater-river appearance. From above, the cloud looks almost like a river flowing through the middle of the cenote.

Passing Through the Cloud

During the guided dive, we normally descend through the hydrogen sulfide layer.

As you pass through it, visibility, color and light change. The environment below becomes darker and more atmospheric, creating one of the most unusual sensations in recreational cenote diving.

The Submerged Island

Tree branches and organic material rise from the cloud layer, creating Angelita’s signature underwater landscape.

The branches appear to grow out of the underwater river, making the scene feel like a submerged forest hidden beneath the surface.

What Makes Cenote Angelita Special

  • Famous underwater-river illusion

  • Dense hydrogen sulfide cloud

  • Submerged tree branches and island

  • Deep open-water-style descent

  • Maximum guided depth of 30 meters / 100 feet

  • One of the most unusual cenote dives near Tulum

Carwash Cenote (Aktun Ha) — The Second Dive

After Angelita, Carwash is exactly what you need.

Also known by its Mayan name Aktun Ha — meaning Cave Water — Carwash sits in a semi-open setting with a garden of lily pads floating on the surface. The name comes from its past: taxi drivers travelling the Tulum-Cobá road would stop here to wash their cars before it became known as a dive site.

Today it's one of the most visually beautiful cenotes near Tulum. As you descend, you pass through the lily pad layer and into clear water with tree roots, branches and cavern passages forming an organic underwater landscape. The light filtering through from above, combined with the botanical textures around you, makes this one of the best photography cenotes in the area.

The dive is shallower and more relaxed than Angelita — max 17 meters — giving you time to explore at an easy pace after the intensity of your first dive.

What makes Carwash special:

  • Lily pad garden on the surface — spectacular from below

  • Organic cavern scenery — roots, branches, limestone formations

  • Black speleothems stained by ancient tannic acid — unique in the area

  • Max depth 17 meters — relaxed profile after Angelita

  • Beautiful natural light effects

  • Excellent for underwater photography

Rated 4.9 on Google

Local Cenote Guides

Own Fleet

4

Small Groups

20+

Years on Tulum Beach

Cenote Angelita & Carwash FAQs

  • Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent is required for this tour because the guided dive at Angelita reaches approximately 30 meters / 100 feet.

  • Cenote Angelita reaches a natural depth of approximately 60 meters / 200 feet. Recreational dives typically remain around 30 to 35 meters / 100 to 115 feet, with our guided dive profile planned within safe recreational limits.

  • The hydrogen sulfide cloud is a dense white layer created by decomposing organic matter that falls into the cenote, such as leaves, fruits, branches, and trees. It stretches across the cenote at approximately 28 to 30 meters and creates Angelita’s famous underwater-river illusion.

  • Yes. During the normal guided dive plan, divers descend through the hydrogen sulfide cloud. Light, color and visibility change as you pass through the layer.

  • The guided 2-cenote diving tour costs $3,200 MXN per diver. Gear and transportation from our dive shop are included. Cenote entrance fees are paid separately.

  • Angelita is suitable for properly certified divers when the dive is planned and guided according to recreational diving limits. Your guide provides a full briefing and adjusts the dive plan according to conditions, comfort and safety standards.

  • Cenote Angelita is located in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, about 17 km (10.5 miles) south of Tulum along Highway 307. It sits just past Kaan Luum Lagoon and requires a short 5-minute walk through the jungle from the roadside entrance.

  • Angelita offers a deep and atmospheric dive, while Carwash provides a shallower and brighter cavern environment. Together, they create a balanced 2-cenote diving trip with two very different underwater landscapes.

  • The maximum depth during the Carwash dive is approximately 17 meters / 56 feet.

  • No. Cenote entrance fees are paid directly at the cenotes.

    Angelita entrance fee is approximately $350 MXN, and Carwash / Aktun Ha entrance fee is approximately $300 MXN. These prices may change.

Continue Exploring Cenote Diving in Tulum

Ready to Dive Cenote Angelita & Carwash?

Descend into the underwater-river illusion of Cenote Angelita, pass through its famous hydrogen sulfide cloud and finish the day exploring the calm freshwater scenery of Carwash Cenote.

Two different underwater worlds in one unforgettable cenote diving trip near Tulum.