Cenote Angelita
Level 3 - Advanced: CREER cenote level (guided cavern diving) [1] [2] [6] (Deep and fragile; guided divers must stay above the hydrogen sulphide cloud and within 30 m.). These categories are the named scheme's own; they describe the training a site calls for.
A deep circular sinkhole south of Tulum, about 59 m deep, famous for the hydrogen sulphide 'cloud' that lies over salt water at around 30 m; CREER rates it Level 3 (Advanced) and bars guided divers from going below the cloud.
Angelita is a vertical, roughly circular cenote reached by a short walk through the forest. Its upper part holds clear fresh water. At around 30 m a layer of hydrogen sulphide, a cloudy band formed where organic debris decays at the boundary between fresh and salt water, hides the bottom, and the trunks and branches of fallen trees rise through it.
QRSS lists Angelita among the deep underwater caves of Quintana Roo at 59.4 m, based on a 1993 survey; it is essentially a pit rather than a horizontal cave. CREER rates it Level 3 (Advanced) for guided cavern diving and reminded guides in 2024 that the maximum depth for guided cenote dives is 30 m and that divers must not descend below the cloud.
Operators also run technical dives here. Their published depth descriptions vary, so this page gives only the survey depth.
The environment
Open sinkhole with a sharp fresh-salt boundary and a hydrogen sulphide layer; little horizontal passage.
Conditions
Typical conditions only: hydrogen sulphide layer and halocline at roughly 30 m according to operators; light and visibility vary with time of day and weather.
Typical ranges from published sources, not current conditions.
Facilities
About a 5-minute walk through the forest from parking to the water (Pro Dive International).
For orientation, not navigation. Hollow dots are approximate.
Every fact on this page, with its source (7)
| Fact | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| QRSS lists Cenote Angelita at a depth of 59.4 m (H. Hiler, 03/1993).Survey figure from 1993. | May be out of date | [3] |
| CREER rates Angelita as Level 3 (Advanced) with cavern diving open. | Verified | [1] [2] |
| CREER told guides in April 2024 that guided cenote dives have a 30 m maximum depth and must not go below the cloud at Cenote Angelita. | Verified | [6] |
| Pro Dive International describes a hydrogen sulphide cloud starting at about 30 m with tree trunks and branches reaching through it, and places the cenote about 17 km south of Tulum.The same page says most dives go to about 40 m, which conflicts with CREER's 30 m limit for guided cavern dives. | Reported | [4] |
| Under the Jungle adds a 25 USD surcharge for Angelita because of high entrance fees.Price list dated January 2026. | Reported | [5] |
| Pro Dive International says Angelita is a circular cenote that is also popular for technical dives. | Reported | [4] |
| Pro Dive International describes about a 5-minute walk through the jungle to the cenote. | Reported | [4] |
Verified: stated by an official or primary source we opened. Reported: from a secondary source only. Sources conflict: the note gives both versions. May be out of date: the newest source we found is old.
Written in our own words from the sources above. Report a correction