Visiting The Hubiku Cenote, Riviera Maya, Mexico. What You Need To Know!
One of our unexpected highlights during our time in Mexico (apart from swimming with the sea turtles in Akumal) was visiting the Cenotes. These mystical, eerily deep, icy cold pools of water had an otherworldly charm, and were the perfect place to cool off on a hot day. Visiting the Hubiku Cenote was a memorable, and exciting experience.
The Hubiku Cenote was the first of the cenotes we visited in the Riviera Maya. We stopped here on our way to Chichen Itza, as part of a coach tour.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Hubiku Cenote to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you:
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👉 This is the exact tour we took, taking us to Chichen Itza via the Hubiku Cenote
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What Facilities Are At The Hubiku Cenote?
This is a pretty great set up for tourists, especially if you’re travelling with kids. You’ll find a gift shop, a large restaurant, and even a spa are named amongst the facilities.
There are changing rooms, lockers, and shower facilities, with all visitors that want to swim in the cenote asked to shower before they go down the stairs into the cenote itself.
Note for anyone with mobility issues: there are around 50 stairs that you’ll have to walk down (and then back up again!) if you want to swim in the cenote. There is no step-free access to the water, and prams and buggies will need to be left at the top too.
Rent a locker key before you descend (this will cost $1USD) and then you can hire life jackets half way down the stair case – these are $2 USD per jacket.
Four our family of 4 we needed 2 lockers to fit in all of our clothes.
We then hired 2 lifejackets – one for each of the boys. Mike and I are both strong swimmers so we didn’t need life jackets for ourselves. However there were plenty of adults wearing them, if that would make you feel more comfortable!
What Is The Hubiku Cenote Really Like?
The cenote itself was one of the plainest that we saw. The walls had been half coated in concrete, which no doubt made them safer for tourists but did wipe out some of their charm.
But the water was a near-impossible blue colour and the pool was large which meant even when there were plenty of tourists swimming it didn’t feel crowded. There were also small fish swimming inside, which the kids loved.
This is an enclosed cenote, which means that it is covered BUT there is a large, round, vine-covered hole in the roof which lefts the bright daylight flow into the cavernous structure.
Opening Hours And Entry Costs
We spent around an hour swimming in the icy cold water, then the boys lazed in hammocks, warming back up in the sunshine. Our admission included lunch in the large restaurant.
This was a buffet restaurant serving simple but traditional Mexican dishes. I ate a couple of different salads and pork tacos. We then paid for our drinks at the table. There was entertainment in the restaurant as we ate: some musicians and some warrior dancers. It added to the fun of the meal, and of the whole experience.
Entry to the cenote costs 100 pesos. If you want to add the buffet lunch then this will cost 250 pesos. There are also options to add a visit to the onsite Tequila Museum, spa treatments, and of course to carry on your journey to Chichen Itza of Valladolid.
I can’t comment on any of the other services offered here, as the only ones we tried were the cenote swim and the lunch. But if you’re in the area then the cenote swim was wonderfully refreshing, and well worth the experience. This was our first cenote swim of our Mexico trip, but it wouldn’t be our last!
The Hibuku cenote is open daily from 9am until 5pm. If you’re not visiting as part of a coach party then it might be worth getting in touch to ask when the best time to visit (when they don’t have any coach parties) is. But we really enjoyed visiting as part of our Chichen Itza tour.
👉 This is the exact tour we took, taking us to Chichen Itza via the Hubiku Cenote
🎁 Use code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK to get an additional reader discount
The History of The Hubiku Cenote
Hubiku Cenote is a stunning, underground cavern sinkhole, which is why you need to descend 50 steps to reach the swimming area. Its name translates to “Great Lord” or “Nest of Iguanas” in the Mayan language.
The sinkhole originated approximately 150,000 years ago, with extensive flooding about 18,000 years ago. That’s what shaped the current shape and structure of the swimming area, although stairs and other infrastructure have been put in place for the safety of the swimmers.
One of the best features of the cenote is that the roof features natural, 8-meter-wide aperture created when the roots of a massive tree collapsed the limestone vault. This creates a natural skylight-type effect.
Final Thoughts and Further Reading
Exploring icy cool cenotes is one of the very best ways to cool off when you’re spending time in the Riviera Maya. The Hubiku Cenote is a great choice if you’re visiting the Riviera Maya with kids thanks to its convenient location and abundant family-friendly facilities.
Looking for other articles to help you plan your Riviera Maya trip? Check out:
👉 Riviera Maya Trip With Kids? Family Travel Tips, Hotels, and Excursions
👉 Ultimate Experiences: Swimming With Sea Turtles In Akumal, Mexico
👉 My 5 Top Tips For Visiting Chichen Itza, Mexico With Kids (Learn From Our Mistakes!)
👉The Complete Guide To Xel-Ha, Riviera Maya, With Kids
👉 Bahia Principe Grand Coba Review: Is This Family Resort Worth it in 2025?
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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
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