Are There Caves on Cozumel?
Underground Caves Beneath the Island
Many visitors to Cozumel associate the island primarily with coral reefs and drift diving along the Caribbean coastline. Because the mainland Yucatán Peninsula is famous for cenotes, many people assume that Cozumel has no caves. In reality, several underwater cave systems exist beneath the island’s limestone bedrock. These caves formed when sea levels were lower and the passages were dry. As sea levels rose after the last ice age, the caves flooded, creating the submerged cave systems that exist today.
Known Cave Systems on Cozumel
Several caves have been explored on the island.
Aerolito Cave System
One of the best known underwater caves on Cozumel located near the western shoreline.
Chempita (Jade Cenote)
A deep inland cenote near El Cedral with depths approaching 160 feet (48 meters).
Tres Potrillos
A small jungle cenote that leads to a decorated cave chamber containing a deep pit.
Sin Nombre
A shoreline cave system located near the cruise terminal area.
Cocodrilo Cave System
A cave south of San Miguel accessed through a cenote located on resort property.
Kuuchi T’uuchtaj Cave System
A recently discovered cave system explored through Cenote El Poso and Cenote Los Caballos.
Each of these caves provides insight into the underground karst landscape beneath the island.
Why Cozumel Has Fewer Cenotes
Although Cozumel shares the same limestone geology as the Yucatán Peninsula, the island is much smaller and has fewer surface openings into the underground cave systems.
Many caves beneath the island likely remain hidden beneath the jungle without obvious cenote entrances.
Map of Cozumel Cave Systems
See the Map of Cave Systems on Cozumel for approximate locations of known caves.