Car Wash (Aktun Ha)

Car Wash, about 8 km from Tulum on the Cobá road, got its name from local taxi drivers who once washed their cars here. The open pool looks like a jungle pond with lily pads and roots, while the cavern behind it has large stalactite 'fangs' and rust-coloured, tannin-stained formations. In summer an algae layer can cloud the top couple of metres, but the water below is clear. Upstream cave passages lead to decorated rooms such as Adrianna's Room and the Room of Tears; the downstream line leads to the tight, silty 'Satan's Silt Hole'.

Facts

Region: Mexico – Riviera Maya Cenotes
Area: Tulum – Cobá road
Depth: 0–17 m
Level: intermediate
Current: low
Type: cave
Coordinates: 20.27465, -87.4863 (approximate)
Highlights: lily pads and aquatic plants in the open basin, tannin-stained reddish-brown formations, stalactite 'fangs' at the cavern entrance, resident turtles, Room of Tears (cave section, soda straws), seasonal green algae bloom on surface
Tips: Guided cavern dives (max. ~17 m per Mexidivers) are open to Open Water divers; Under the Jungle rates it a first-time cavern site. The upstream/downstream cave lines (Room of Tears etc.) are full cave and need cave certification. Entrance fee per Mexidivers: MXN 300–350 (the operator quotes both figures on different pages) – cash, check current.

Car Wash (Aktun Ha)

Facts

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