Travel guide noting the cenote's proximity to Akumal Beach and the 27 Steps alias.
Quiet semi-open Akumal cenote with stairs, shade, and cave access.
Quiet semi-open Akumal cenote with stairs, shade, and cave access.
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For scuba, local coordination is effectively required because keys, sign-in, and cave access are controlled; surface swims are simpler day visits.
Cenote Puerta Maya is a semi-open freshwater cenote just behind Akumal, with a broad stair entry, a sunlit pool, and a shaded cavern face wrapped in jungle. It works well as a short swim or snorkel stop when you want clear blue water and a quieter feel than the busier cenotes along the Riviera Maya corridor. For divers, the site is better treated as an overhead-environment access point than a casual cenote tour. The shallow open basin can silt up after surface traffic, while the cavern and cave sections demand controlled buoyancy, line awareness, and local access coordination.
Conservative research baseline blended with 1 dive by 1 diver.
Depth range, seasonality, and planning context.
Reported Depth
1m - 15m
Depth Note
Public operator guidance describes about 1-2 m in the open water and a cavern line that moves from roughly 2 m to 15 m; reviewed public sources did not clearly document the full cave-system maximum.
Best Season
Year-round, with earlier visits usually giving a quieter surface experience and less stirred silt in the open basin.
Typical Conditions
Blue freshwater in a semi-open basin with a shaded overhang and cave entrance. The surface area is calm but can turn silty later in the day, while cavern and cave sections are darker and more technique-sensitive.
Hazards, restrictions, and access requirements.
Key Hazards
Safety Notes
Use the stone stairs carefully, expect the shallow basin to lose clarity after heavy swim traffic, and treat any overhead section as certified cavern or cave diving only.
Access Restrictions
Surface visitors can enter as day guests, but diving access is controlled. Cave and cavern use is limited to certified divers with local guide coordination or proven local experience, plus site sign-in before entry.
Community notes to help plan your visit.
Scuba Diving
Scuba here is better treated as overhead-environment training or guided cave access than a casual cenote tour. The current cavern line is short but depth-variable, and the cave lines are aimed at certified cavern or cave divers.
Snorkeling
Snorkelers and swimmers get a compact jungle cenote with sunny and shaded sections, clear blue water, and a quieter feel than many headline cenotes near the highway.
1 community dive logs and visit reports for this site.
Average conditions based on logged dives & visits.
Planning answers for access, conditions, timing, and site logistics.
Last Updated
Research Sources
Travel guide noting the cenote's proximity to Akumal Beach and the 27 Steps alias.
Community review summary describing the cenote as secluded, tranquil, and equipped with basic visitor amenities.
Local tourism guide describing Puerta Maya as a simple, serene cenote very close to Akumal Pueblo.
Operator announcement describing access control, open-water profile, and cavern-line characteristics.
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